TL;DR: Within Europe there are differences in the specific intake of some carotenoids which are related to different foods consumed by people in different countries, and comparing the data with that from specific European country studies suggests that the FFQ and carotENoid database can be used for comparative dietary intake studies within Europe.
Abstract: A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and carotenoid database with information on α- and β-carotene, lutein, lycopene and β-cryptoxanthin was prepared and used to compare the carotenoid intakes in five European countries: UK, Republic of Ireland, Spain, France and The Netherlands. Eighty, age- (25-45 years) and sex-matched volunteers were recruited in each of the five countries. A FFQ and carotenoid database was prepared of the most commonly consumed carotenoid rich foods in the participating countries and the information was used to calculate frequency and intake of carotenoid-rich foods. The median total carotenoid intake based on the sum of the five carotenoids, was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in France (16.1 mg/day) and lower in Spain (9.5 mg/day), than the other countries, where the average intake was approximately 14 mg/day. Comparison of dietary source of carotenoids showed that carrots were the major source of β-carotene in all countries except Spain where spinach was most important. Likewise, carrots were also the main source of α-carotene. Tomato or tomato products, were the major source of lycopene. Lutein was mainly obtained from peas in Republic of Ireland and the UK, however, spinach was found to be the major source in other countries. In all countries, β-cryptoxanthin was primarily obtained from citrus fruit. Comparing the data with that from specific European country studies suggests that the FFQ and carotenoid database described in the present paper can be used for comparative dietary intake studies within Europe. The results show that within Europe there are differences in the specific intake of some carotenoids which are related to different foods consumed by people in different countries. Chemicals/CAS: Anticarcinogenic Agents; Antioxidants; beta Carotene, 7235-40-7; Carotenoids, 36-88-4; cryptoxanthin, 472-70-8; Lutein, 127-40-2; lycopene, 502-65-8; Xanthophylls
TL;DR: The uneven but wide tissue distribution of most dietary carotenoids may indicate an active biological role for these compounds, and the median levels of zeaxanthins, lycopene and beta-carotene varied disproportionately between organs.
Abstract: The carotenoid content of 10 different organs obtained at autopsy from 16 humans was determined using a high-performance liquid chromatography assay. The same qualitative pattern of carotenoids found in serum was found for all the tissues, although there were important quantitative differences in the different carotenoids between organs. The median levels of zeaxanthins, lycopene and beta-carotene varied disproportionately between organs; similar levels of one carotenoid for two organs would not predict similar levels of another carotenoid for the same organs. Similarly, there was not a consistent relationship between all the carotenoids for a given organ. The uneven but wide tissue distribution of most dietary carotenoids may indicate an active biological role for these compounds.
TL;DR: In this article, the carotenoid concentrations in liver, kidney and lung tissue from 20 autopsies of subjects ranging in age from 4 mo to 86 y were determined.
Abstract: Concentrations of preformed vitamin A and five individual carotenoids (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, cryptoxanthin, lutein and lycopene) were determined in liver, kidney and lung tissue from 20 autopsies of subjects ranging in age from 4 mo to 86 y. Total carotenoid concentrations in liver tissue were always greater than in kidney or lung tissue within the same patient. Total carotenoid concentration in adult subjects was 2.5-77.1 nmol/g tissue (mean 21.0 nmol/g tissue) in liver tissue (n = 14), 0.2-12.7 nmol/g tissue (mean 3.1 nmol/g tissue) in kidney tissue (n = 13) and 0.1-8.4 nmol/g tissue (mean 1.9 nmol/g tissue) in lung tissue (n = 13). Carotenoid content in tissue samples from two infants was low, ranging from 0 to 1.0 nmol/g tissue. beta-Carotene and lycopene were almost always the predominant carotenoids found in liver, kidney and lung tissue. beta-Carotene was positively correlated (P less than 0.05) with alpha-carotene, lycopene and total carotenoids in all of the tissues examined. In addition, beta-carotene and total carotenoids from liver tissue were positively correlated with the same carotenoids in both kidney and lung tissue within each patient. Total vitamin A (free plus esterified) concentration was 8.7-1102.2 nmol/g tissue in liver (n = 17), 3.5-343.9 nmol/g tissue in kidney (n = 14) and 0.7-404.6 nmol/g tissue in lung (n = 14). Vitamin A concentrations were significantly correlated with both beta-carotene and total provitamin A carotenoid concentrations in liver tissue, but not in kidney or lung tissue.
TL;DR: Correlations between serum and dietary carotenoids did not differ between smokers and nonsmokers, indicating that physiologic conditions that affect the absorption, storage, and utilization of Carotenoid intake may influence these associations.
Abstract: We examined the concentrations of five carotenoids in the serum and diet of a population-based sample of 400 individuals to determine what physiologic and lifestyle factors were related to serum carotenoid concentrations, how these relationships differed among the carotenoids, and if these relationships reflected differences in carotenoid intake. Lower serum concentrations of α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, and lutein + zeaxanthin generally were associated with male gender, smoking, younger age, lower non-HDL cholesterol, greater ethanol consumption and higher body mass index. Serum lycopene generally was not related to these factors, but lower lycopene levels were associated with older age and lower non-HDL cholesterol. Only the hydrocarbon carotenoids (α- and β-carotene and lycopene) were directly associated with HDL cholesterol. The associations of some factors (gender, age, smoking, and ethanol intake) with serum carotenoids were similar to the associations of these factors with levels in the diet, indicating that serum carotenoids may reflect the influence of these factors on carotenoid intake. Consistent with this notion, correlations between serum and dietary carotenoids did not differ between smokers and nonsmokers. Other factors (HDL and non-HDL cholesterol and body mass index) associated with carotenoids in the serum were not associated with carotenoid intake, indicating that physiologic conditions that affect the absorption, storage, and utilization of carotenoids may influence these associations. These physiologic and behavioral correlates of carotenoids could explain or modify associations of carotenoids with chronic diseases.
TL;DR: The correlations observed in this study indicate that the new carotenoid database provides valuable information on specific carOTenoid intake and may be useful in epidemiological studies that attempt to account for associations between fruit or vegetable intake and disease.
Abstract: Diet-plasma carotenoid associations were examined in samples of women and men from each cohort in the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. In each sample, participants completed two self-administered food frequency questionnaires with at least a 1-year interval and provided a blood specimen preceding the second food frequency questionnaire. Carotenoid intakes were estimated from values for the five major carotenoids found in human plasma, specifically, alpha- and beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein, and lycopene, using the United States Department of Agriculture-National Cancer Institute Carotenoid Database, as well as updated values for tomato products. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to compare diet-plasma correlations over time by sex after adjustment for recognized covariates. Among nonsmoking women (n = 162), the adjusted diet-plasma carotenoid associations were 0.48 for alpha-carotene, 0.27 for beta-carotene and lutein, 0.32 for beta-cryptoxanthin, and 0.21 for lycopene. Among nonsmoking men (n = 110), diet-plasma correlations were 0.47 for alpha-carotene and lycopene, 0.35 for beta-carotene, 0.43 for beta-cryptoxanthin, and 0.40 for lutein. Correlations between total fruit or vegetable intake and each plasma carotenoid level were not as high as any of the calculated carotenoid intake using the new database values. The correlations observed in this study indicate that the new carotenoid database provides valuable information on specific carotenoid intake and may be useful in epidemiological studies that attempt to account for associations between fruit or vegetable intake and disease.