Beta-carotene

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Blood test

Carotene

This risks associated with having blood drawn are:

• excessive bleeding
• fainting or feeling light-headed
• hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)
• infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)
• multiple punctures to locate veins

While this test is a valuable part of the diagnosis of Vitamin A deficiency, the actual diagnosis requires interpretation of the test result in conjunction with other clinical findings.

Beta-carotene is a precursor to Vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin found primarily in fish, dairy products, and green and yellow vegetables. It is essential for normal growth, regulation of metabolism, vision, cell structure, strong bones and teeth, healthy skin, and protecting the linings of the digestive, respiratory, and urinary tracts from infection.

Signs of Vitamin A deficiency include:

• vision problems (inability to see at night)
• bone or teeth development problems
• unexplained irritability
• skin rashes
• hair loss
• dry or inflamed eyes
• loss of appetite
• recurring infections

Beta-carotene also functions as a fat-soluble antioxidant, that is, it may help protect the body from harmful "free-radical" reactions.

Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.

Review Date: 03/02/2006
Reviewed By: Daniel R. Alexander, M.D., Department of Internal Medicine, St. Mary's Hospital, Leonardtown, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.