Correlates of the difference in plasma carotenoid concentrations between men and women

Abstract

Health professionals consider the evaluation of eating habits to be challenging, given the potential biases of dietary questionnaires based on self-reported data. Circulating carotenoid concentrations are reliable biomarkers of dietary carotenoid intake and could be useful in the validation of dietary assessment tools. However, there is a sex difference in circulating carotenoids, with women displaying higher concentrations compared with men independent of intake. The aim of the present study was to identify the correlates of plasma carotenoid concentrations among men (n155) and women (n110) enrolled in six fully controlled dietary interventions with varying dietary carotenoid intakes. We looked at the associations of post-intervention fasting plasma carotenoid concentrations (α-carotene,β-carotene,β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, lycopene and zeaxanthin) with physical and metabolic characteristics. We found that increased body weight (r–0·47,P<0·0001) and waist circumference (r–0·46,P<0·0001) were associated with lower plasma total carotenoid concentrations, while elevated plasma LDL-cholesterol (r0·49,P<0·0001) and HDL-cholesterol (r0·50,P<0·0001) concentrations were correlated with higher total carotenoids in plasma. Women had significantly higher plasma total carotenoid concentrations compared with men, despite significantly lower dietary carotenoid intake. Adjustment of circulating carotenoid concentrations for plasma HDL-cholesterol eliminated sex difference in plasma carotenoid concentrations. Our results suggest that physical characteristics as well as plasma lipids are associated with circulating carotenoid concentrations and that these variables should be taken into account when using plasma carotenoids as biomarkers for food intake in men and women.

Carotenoid Content in Breastmilk in the 3rd and 6th Month of Lactation and Its Associations with Maternal Dietary Intake and Anthropometric Characteristics

“…β-carotene intake was also similar to the results of a study that was conducted among pregnant Polish women, however the authors reported a lower intake of lycopene and lutein + zeaxanthin [55], although other studies of pregnant women reported a much lower intake of these carotenoids [56,57,58,59]. The NHANES study also showed a much lower lutein intake by women who were at reproductive age [60], although a recent study that was conducted in Canada found a similar intake of lycopene and lutein + zeaxanthin and higher intake of β-carotene [61]. Detailed data on the dietary intake of carotenoids during lactation are limited.…”

“…Lutein and zeaxanthin have a higher membrane solubility and a perpendicular orientation within the membrane bilayer which allows them to be more stably bound within the membrane layer compared to carotenes [67]. A recent study comparing dietary and serum carotenoids in men and non-lactating women showed that women have significantly higher concentrations of serum carotenoids than men despite a lower dietary intake of carotenoids, which indicates a sex-difference in the nutritional economy of carotenoids [61].…”

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

“…Table 2 shows the dietary intake of provitamin A carotenoids compiled from the literature [ 16 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 ]. Data are listed by geographical origin and by the subpopulations studied in the original articles when reported by age or sex.…”

“…A similar pattern was found in the mean values of the compiled studies, 60% β-carotene, 25% β-cryptoxanthin and 15% α-carotene. Although the proportions of β-cryptoxanthin and α-carotene in blood are similar in some studies [ 39 , 45 , 55 ], in others, β-cryptoxanthin concentration is higher than that of α-carotene in blood but not in the dietary intake [ 56 ], or the percentage of blood β-cryptoxanthin is half that of α-carotene [ 48 ] and β-cryptoxanthin is slightly higher than β-carotene [ 37 ]. These differences are clearly seasonal in some population groups [ 8 , 56 ] but could also be due to factors related to the subjects included in the studies since, although in general, no characteristics were reported that could affect carotenoid metabolism, there could be exceptions.…”

Association of Carotenoids Concentration in Blood with Physical Performance in Korean Adolescents: The 2018 National Fitness Award Project

“…Carotenoids are activated by various variables within the body of men and women. The results of one study [ 41 ] showed that the total carotenoid concentration in women’s blood was higher than that in men, even though the dietary carotenoid intake was lower in women, indicating that the absorption and role of carotenoids in the body varies depending on gender. Further research is needed to examine the association between the level of carotenoids in the blood and the physical strength indicators, which have been considered as variables in understanding gender-specific blood indicators and oxidative stress [ 42 ].…”