Beta Carotene Inhibits the Stress Markers in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF)

By Kyle J. Norton

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common fatal genetic disease affecting mostly the lung in children and young adults, leading to difficulty breathing and coughing up mucus due to frequent lung infections.

However, the condition has also been found in the pancreas, liver, kidneys, and intestine.

According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Patient Registry, more than 30,000 people are living with cystic fibrosis in the US.

Believe it or not, most cases of CF are diagnosed by age 2.

Most common symptoms are depending on the location of cystic fibrosis including
sinus infections, poor growth, fatty stool, clubbing of the fingers and toes. 

In male adults, the condition also induces infertility as a result of the blockage or absence of the sperm canal.

Conventionally, as of today, there is no cure for CF. Most cases of CF caused by lung infection are treated intravenously, inhaled, or by mouth.

In severe cases, a lung transplant may be the only option.

Although most cases of CF are associated with a genetic preposition, environment, lifestyle, and age are also 2 main factors that increase the risk of CF.

According to the Dove Medical Press Limited, Life coaching including making lifestyle change associated with absorption of nutrition in people with cystic fibrosis may have a strong impact in loosening mucus in your airways strengthening the heart and lungs and improving quality of life, including drinking plenty of fluids, quit smoking, moderate exercise and increasing hand-washing to protect against infection.

Dr. Karin Bæk Knudsen, the lead scientist at Dove Medical Press Limited wrote, "Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a chronic, life-shortening disease with a significant treatment burden. To support young adults with CF in their everyday life, we previously conducted a life coaching feasibility trial (published elsewhere)".

And, "Life coaching is an intervention that is valued for those who feel challenged by their CF disease. Coaching programs should be designed to include the participants when they feel a need for coaching and are open to change. Screening parameters to identify persons who will most likely benefit from life coaching are needed".

β-Carotene is a phytochemical in the class of Carotenes, belonging to the group of Carotenoids (tetraterpenoids), found abundantly in dark, leafy greens and red, orange and yellow fruits and vegetable.

On finding a potential compound for the treatment of lung disease researchers examined the efficacy of oral beta-carotene supplementation for the correction of an oxidant-antioxidant imbalance in cystic fibrosis (CF).

The study included 24-patients with cystic fibrosis and 14 healthy controls in which 13 CF-patients were allocated to a CF-supplementation group received 1 mg beta-carotene/kg BW/d up to body weight (BW) of 50 kg, patients with a BW greater 50 kg received 50 mg beta-carotene/d for 12 weeks, following by a 12 weeks administration of 10 mg beta-carotene/d. to all patients of the CF-supplementation comapred to placebos of 11 CF-patients. with consumption of starch.

Based on the tested analysis, before the administration of beta carotene, plasma beta-carotene concentrations of CF patients were significantly lower than those of age-matched controls.

However, beta-carotene concentrations of the blood of the CF-supplementation group increased rapidly and reached a value of 0.6 mmol/l after 12 weeks of in the supplementation without affecting the levels of retinol concentrations which is the lower normal range.

Additionally, Levels of antioxdant enzymes were significantly increased and oxidative stress markers were decreased substantially compared to control.

Based on the findings, researchers said, "Thus oral beta-carotene supplementation is effective in the normalizing status of beta-carotene and malondialdehyde in CF patients.".

In other words, improving the circulation of the beta carotene in the blood may be potential for the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF)

Intake of lycopene in the form of supplement should be taken with extreme care to prevent overdose acute liver toxicity.

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Author Biography
Kyle J. Norton (Scholar, Master of Nutrition, All right reserved)
Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published online, including worldwide health, ezine articles, article base, health blogs, self-growth, best before it's news, the karate GB daily, etc.,.
Named TOP 50 MEDICAL ESSAYS FOR ARTISTS & AUTHORS TO READ by Disilgold.com Named 50 of the best health Tweeters Canada - Huffington Post
Nominated for shorty award over last 4 years
Some articles have been used as references in medical research, such as international journal Pharma and Bioscience, ISSN 0975-6299.

Sources
(1) Effects of long-term oral beta-carotene supplementation on lipid peroxidation in patients with cystic fibrosis by Rust P1, Eichler I, Renner S, Elmadfa. (PubMed)
(2) Living with cystic fibrosis – a qualitative study of a life coaching intervention by Karin Bæk Knudsen,1 Kirsten Arntz Boisen,2 Terese Lea Katzenstein,1,3Laust Hvas Mortensen,4 Tacjana Pressler,5 Marianne Skov,5 and Mary Jarden. (PMC)