The Roles of β-Carotene in Cardiomyocytes

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is considered one of the major causes of mortality worldwide, with approximately 17.9 million deaths per year. There are several risk factors of cardiovascular diseases, such as behavioral factors (e.g., tobacco use, imbalanced diet, alcohol misuse, and lack of physical activities) and other underlying health-related factors (e.g., hypertension, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia). These factors are also correlated with the pathophysiology of CVD, and one of the determinants of early aging is the poor overall quality of life. One of the main strategies to prevent these risks is by achieving a healthy lifestyle, including the consumption of natural supplements. Recently, β -carotene has gained the attention of researchers owing to its natural antioxidant properties. It is found in fruit and vegetable compounds. In this article, we review the effects of β-carotene as an antioxidant that counteracts free radicals and cytoprotective agents that have positive benefits, such as preventing several age-related diseases improvement of the health of the cardiac muscle.