Dietary β-Cryptoxanthin and α-Carotene Have Greater Apparent Bioavailability Than β-Carotene in Subjects from Countries with Different Dietary Patterns

Abstract

β-carotene, α-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin are greater contributors to vitamin A intake than retinol in the human diet for most people around the world. Their contribution depends on several factors, including bioavailability and capacity of conversion into retinol. There is an increasing body of research showing that the use of retinol activity equivalents or retinol equivalents could lead to the underestimation of the contribution of β-cryptoxanthin and of α-carotene. The aim is to assess their apparent bioavailability by comparing concentrations in blood to their dietary intakes and identifying the major food contributors to their dietary intake. Dietary intake (3-day 24-h records) and serum concentrations (by HPLC) were calculated in normolipemic subjects with adequate retinol status (≥1.1 µmol/L) from our studies (n = 633) and apparent bioavailability calculated from 22 other studies (n = 29,700). Apparent bioavailability was calculated as the ratio of concentration in the blood to carotenoid intake. Apparent bioavailabilities for α-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin were compared to those for β-carotene. Eating comparable amounts of α-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin and β-carotene foods resulted in 55% greater α-carotene (95% CI 35, 90) and 686% higher β-cryptoxanthin (95% CI 556, 1016) concentrations than β-carotene in blood. This suggests differences in the apparent bioavailability of α-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin and even larger differences with β-cryptoxanthin, greater than that of β-carotene. Four fruits (tomato, orange, tangerine, red pepper) and two vegetables (carrot, spinach) are the main contributors to their dietary intake (>50%) in Europeans.

Changes in Lutein Status Markers (Serum and Faecal Concentrations, Macular Pigment) in Response to a Lutein-Rich Fruit or Vegetable (Three Pieces/Day) Dietary Intervention in Normolipemic Subjects

“…The carotenoid concentration in faeces has been used as a non-invasive approach to evaluate carotenoid bioavailability [ 44 , 45 ]. The highest concentration in faeces in our study corresponded to β-carotene and lycopene, which are also generally more abundant in the human diet and blood [ 2 , 46 , 47 ]. The carotenoid concentration in this study was higher than that found in similar volunteers ( n = 101) in a previous study [ 26 ], and higher (more than two times the β-carotene and lycopene levels) than those described in young women ( n = 7) [ 48 ].…”

Association of Plasma Carotenoid and Malondialdehyde Levels with Physical Performance in Korean Adolescents

“…One possible explanation is that the bioavailability of carotenoids does not depend solely on physiological mechanisms but can be affected by many other factors, such as gender [32], dietary factors [33], and health status [34]. In support of this premise, one study of Europeans has shown that the bioavailability of α-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin with consideration of eating amount is higher compared to that of β-carotene [35]. Moreover, Britton [36] argued that zeaxanthin is a more effective antioxidant than β-carotene because of its less hydrophobic structure, which can react with free radicals not only in the inner cell membrane but also in the interior aqueous phases.…”

Assessment of Fruit and Vegetables Intake with Biomarkers in Children and Adolescents and Their Level of Validation: A Systematic Review

“…Metabolites such as individual carotenoids, α-tocopherol, 5-MTHF in blood and potassium, and acetate in urine are ubiquitously present in plant origin foods or nature [53,54,73], thus they are not suitable as biomarkers for a specific type of FV. Although papaya is indeed one of the richest sources of β-cryptoxanthin, in a study with 159 Costa Rican adolescents [39], this compound was also found in other orange-or red-colored foods, such as orange, mango, apricot, sweet peppers, and pumpkin [18,74]. Vázquez-Manjarrez et al mentioned that the blood concentration of lycopene is more likely to reflect the intake of tomato products [75].…”