Serum carotenoid interactions in premenopausal women reveal α-carotene is negatively impacted by body fat

Increasing body mass indices (BMIs) across the globe reflect pandemic shifts towards habitual positive energy imbalances. Excess body fat in individuals is often associated with high-energy and high-fat diets scanty in fresh produce. Carotenoids are fat-soluble pigments plentiful in many fruits and vegetables. They are well-known for provitamin A and antioxidant functions, but little research has been done related to carotenoid-body mass interactions. Serum carotenoids were analyzed relative to body fat to determine correlations between major serum carotenoids, retinol, BMI, fat mass, and lean mass. Healthy women (n = 76), 19-50 years old, were categorized into two comparison groups determined by percent body fat measured by air displacement plethysomography (BOD POD (R)), i.e. < 31% and >= 31% fat mass. Anthropometric and three-day diet records were completed for BMI and nutrient intake calculations, respectively. Serum a-carotene concentrations were strongly inversely associated with all measures of body composition (P<0.001 a-carotene) controlling for dietary intake and age, while beta-carotene, lutein, and lycopene were not (P>0.05). Dietary intake between groups did not differ, including carrot consumption (a high dietary source of alpha-carotene). These results confirm previous carotenoid-health research and propose the need for further investigation of potential protective roles that alpha-carotene may perform for optimal health. Serum alpha-carotene may provide a deeper and clinically relevant purpose, beyond previous suggestions for its use as a biomarker for fruit and vegetable consumption, in that alpha-carotene may be a biomarker for chronic disease risk frequently linked with obesity.