Dietary intakes and plasma concentrations of retinol and carotenoids were estimated in assessing the vitamin A status of Korean adults living in Seoul and the metropolitan area. Three consecutive 24-h food recalls were collected from 106 healthy subjects (33 males and 73 females) aged 20-59 years. Fasting blood samples of the subjects were obtained and plasma retinol and carotenoids were analyzed. The daily vitamin A intakes (mean +/- SD) were 887.77 +/- 401.35 microg retinol equivalents or 531.84 +/- 226.42 microg retinol activity equivalents. There were no significant differences in vitamin A intakes among age groups. The retinol intake of subjects was 175.92 +/- 129.87 microg/day. The retinol intake of the subjects in their 50's was significantly lower than those in their 20's and 30's (P < 0.05). Provitamin A carotenoid intakes were 3,828.37 +/- 2,196.29 microg/day beta-carotene, 472.57 +/- 316.68 microg/day alpha-carotene, and 412.83 +/- 306.46 microg/day beta-cryptoxanthin. Approximately 17% of the subjects consumed vitamin A less than the Korean Estimated Average Requirements for vitamin A. The plasma retinol concentration was 1.22 +/- 0.34 micromol/L. There was no significant difference in plasma retinol concentrations among age groups. However, the concentrations of beta-carotene, lycopene, and lutein of subjects in their 50's were significantly higher than those of in their 20's. Only one subject had a plasma retinol concentration < 0.70 micromol/L indicating marginal vitamin A status. Plasma retinol concentration in 30% of the subjects was 0.70- < 1.05 micromol/L, which is interpreted as the concentration possibly responsive to greater intake of vitamin A. In conclusion, dietary intakes and status of vitamin A were generally adequate in Korean adults examined in this study.
Adult ; Aged ; beta Carotene ; Carotenoids ; Fasting ; Humans ; Korea ; Lutein ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Plasma ; Vitamin A ; Vitamins ; Xanthophylls

The serum levels of antioxidant materials (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein, lycopene, alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, retinol) of the healthy Korean middle-aged adults (n = 373) were measured and their relationships with the serum lipids and anthropometric indices were analyzed. The serum levels of beta-cryptoxanthin, beta-carotene, lutein were higher than those of lycopene and alpha-carotene. The levels of all measured carotenoids except lutein were significantly higher in females than in males, but retinol level was vice versa. There was a tendency of increase in serum levels of antioxidant vitamins with increasing age. The serum carotenoid levels had a positive correlation with serum cholesterol and a negative correlation with serum triglyceride. The serum levels of tocopherols or retinol showed a significantly positive relationship with blood cholesterol or triglyceride. In overall, anthropometric indices showed negative relations with serum carotenoids levels, but vice versa with serum tocopherol or retinol levels. Particularly, beta-carotene and lutein levels showed a significantly negative relation with blood pressure in male subjects. The serum levels of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin had significantly negative relations with body fat-related indices in female subjects. The results demonstrated that blood antioxidants levels differed by sex and age, and had significant relations with blood lipid levels and anthropometric indices. Therefore, the rationale and significance of the relationships need to be elucidated in the future study related to dietary intakes and life style.
Adult ; alpha-Tocopherol ; Antioxidants ; beta Carotene ; Blood Pressure ; Carotenoids ; Cholesterol ; Female ; gamma-Tocopherol ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Style ; Lutein ; Male ; Tocopherols ; Vitamin A ; Vitamins ; Xanthophylls

Plasma carotenoid levels were compared among 64 healthy male subjects (control) and 38 patients of ischemic heart disease(IHD) and 20 ones of cerebral infarction(CI) all of whom were over 50years of age. Another 98 healthy male subjects aged 23 to 58 were selected to compare their plasma carotenoid levels by age groups, Levels of lutein, zeaxanthin and crpytoxanthin were lower in IHD(34+/-2, 13+/-1 and 62+/-7 microgram/dl)and CI(36+/-3, 12+/-2 and 41+/-6 microgram/dl)patient groups than in control group (84+/-5, 16+/-2 and 69+/-3 microgram/dl) while those of lycopene, alpha-and beta-carotene varied little among the three groups. The sum of the six carotenoid levels were levels were, therefore,highest(205+/-14 microgram/dl) in the control group followed by IHD(155+/-15 microgram/dl) and CI(128+/-17 microgram/dl) patient groups, Among the 98 healthy male subject for the age group study, levels of the three major carotenoids increased with age from the twenties to the fifities ; lutein, from 64+/-6 to 89+/-8 microgram/dl, cryptoxanthin, 57+/-8 to 73+/-4 microgram/dl and beta-carotene were more significantly correlated(r=0.30 to 0.61, p<0.01), whereas levels of lycopene and alpha-caroteme were significantly(r=0.21 - 0.23, p<0.05) correlated.
beta Carotene ; Cardiovascular Diseases* ; Carotenoids ; Cerebral Infarction ; Daegu* ; Heart ; Humans ; Lutein ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Plasma*

Carotenoids are secondary metabolite responsible for colored pigments in plants and microbes (Li et al., 2022). They are a class of C₄₀ tetraterpenoids consisting of eight isoprenoid units, and can be classified into carotenes and xanthophylls on the basis of their functional groups (Saini et al., 2015). Carotenes can be linear (phytoene, phytofluene, and ζ‍-carotene) or branched (β‍-carotene and α‍-carotene). Xanthophylls comprise β,β‍-xanthophylls (β‍-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, violaxanthins, and neoxanthin) and β,ε‍-xanthophylls (α-cryptoxanthin, α-carotene, and lutein). Citrus fruits are complex sources of carotenoids, which are the principal pigments responsible for the typical orange color of most types (Chen, 2020). The difference in total carotenoid content and the diversity of carotenoid isomer proportion also accounts for other colors of citrus fruits, such as yellow, red, and pink (Chen, 2020).
Citrus/metabolism* ; Carotenoids ; Xanthophylls ; Lutein/metabolism* ; Zeaxanthins/metabolism* ; Fruit

This study examined intakes of nutrients, carotenoids and polyphenols according to lens turbidity levels among adults visiting a cataract clinic. A total of 102 males and females aged 40 years or higher agreed to participate in the study, and a face-to-face survey interview was conducted to obtain information on general characteristics, health behaviors, and dietary intakes of each participant. The dietary data were collected by a food frequency questionnaire which was previously validated in a Korean population. In addition to essential nutrients, intakes of a total of 10 carotenoids and polyphenols were calculated based on the tables of food functional composition developed by National Academy of Agricultural Science. The subjects were divided into 3 groups according to turbidity levels (< 16, > or = 16 and < 25, < or = 25), and health behaviors and dietary intakes were compared among the turbidity groups. Data showed seemingly higher energy intake and lower dietary antioxidant (i.e., vitamin A, beta-carotene, lutein, zeazanthin, lycopene, cryptozanthin) intakes in the highest turbidity group. However, no statistically significant findings were found in all the comparative analysis on characteristics of health behavior and intakes of nutrients, carotenoids and polyphenols. The current study findings should be cautiously interpreted in consideration of several limitations including a cross-sectional study design, a small sample size, uneven sample size distribution across turbidity groups, and limited generalizability due to using a convenience sample. Therefore we cannot conclude that the risk of cataract is unrelated with dietary antioxidant intakes based solely on the results of this study.
Adult ; Aged ; Antioxidants ; beta Carotene ; Carotenoids ; Cataract ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Energy Intake ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Lutein ; Male ; Polyphenols ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sample Size ; Vitamin A

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of various carotenoids on the proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis and expression of bcl-2 gene in breast cancer cell MCF-7.

METHODSTime and dose effects of individual carotenoids were detected using the MTT assay. The effects of individual carotenoids on cell cycle and the apoptosis were observed by flow cytometry. The expression of bcl-2 mRNA gene was detected using the RT-PCR method.

RESULTSAll 4 carotenoids tested inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 cell line, but with different potencies. beta-carotene and lycopene were the most active inhibitors (inhibition rate 88.2% and 87.8%, respectively) followed by zeaxanthin and astaxanthin. All 4 carotenoids did not induce cell apoptosis. Cell cycle progression was blocked at G(2)/M phase with 60 micromol/L lycopene and at G(0)/G(1) phase with 60 micromol/L zeaxanthin dipalmitate. Carotenoids down regulated bcl-2 gene expression.

CONCLUSIONCarotenoids could inhibit the proliferation of human beast cancer MCF-7 cell line in vitro and the action of carotenoids may be worked through different pathways.

Breast Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; genetics ; pathology ; Canthaxanthin ; pharmacology ; Carotenoids ; pharmacology ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; drug effects ; Humans ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; drug effects ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; Xanthophylls ; Zeaxanthins ; beta Carotene ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: A pivotal role of oxidative stress has been emphasized in the pathogenesis as well as in the disease progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). We aimed at investigating serum levels of antioxidant vitamins and elucidating whether they could be associated with the pathogenesis and progression of PD. MATERIALS/METHODS: Serum levels of retinol, α- and γ-tocopherols, α- and β-carotenes, lutein, lycopene, zeaxanthin and β-cryptoxanthin were measured and compared between 104 patients with idiopathic PD and 52 healthy controls matched for age and gender. In order to examine the relationship between antioxidant vitamins and the disease progression, multiple group comparisons were performed among the early PD (Hoehn and Yahr stage I and II, N = 47), advanced PD (stage III and IV, N = 57) and control groups. Separate correlation analyses were performed between the measured antioxidant vitamins and clinical variables, such as Hoehn and Yahr stage and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) motor score. RESULTS: Compared to controls, PD patients had lower levels of α- and β-carotenes and lycopene. α-carotene, β-carotene and lycopene levels were significantly reduced in advanced PD patients relative to early PD patients and were negatively correlated with Hoehn and Yahr stage and UPDRS motor score in PD patients. No significant differences were found in serum levels of retinol, α- and γ-tocopherols, and other carotenoids between PD patients and controls. No significant correlations were found between these vitamin levels and clinical variables in PD patients. CONCLUSIONS: We found that serum levels of some carotenoids, α-carotene, β-carotene and lycopene, were lower in PD patients, and that these carotenoids inversely correlated with clinical variables representing disease progression. Our findings suggest that decreases in serum α-carotene, β-carotene and lycopene may be associated with the pathogenesis as well as progression of PD.
Carotenoids ; Disease Progression ; Humans ; Lutein ; Oxidative Stress ; Parkinson Disease* ; Tocopherols* ; Vitamin A* ; Vitamins ; Zeaxanthins

OBJECTIVES: Several lines of epidemiological studies have demonstrated a relationship between high intake of foods rich in antioxidant nutrients such as, carotenoids, tocopherols, and vitamin C and a reduced risk of cervical cancer but no available study was performed in Korea ever since. The purpose of this study was to investigate the plasma levels of antioxidant vitamins between cervical neoplasia patients and normal control, to observe the relationship between the level of plasma antioxidant system and various clinicopathological factors of cervical cancer and to evaluate the value of prognostic factors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional sample of 180 women including 90 normal control specimens was recruited from Nov. 2000 to Jan. 2001 at YUMC. Plasma levels of antioxidant vitamins were analyzed by reverse-phase high pressure liquid chromatography and these results were correlated with various clinicopathological factors of cervical cancer. RESULTS: Plasma levels of antioxidant vitamins such as lutein, beta-carotene, lycopene and zeaxanthin were significantly lower in women with CIN and cervical cancer compared to those levels of control. However, in terms of comparison between CIN and cervical cancer, only the level of alpha-tocopherol showed significant differences. The changes in plasma levels of antioxidant vitamins showed no significant correlation with the prognostic factors of cervical cancer. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest a potential protective role of plasma antioxidative vitamins in the pathogenesis of CIN and carcinoma of the cervix. But these changes neither could distinguish the causal relationships nor could show a significant correlation between several antioxidant vitamins with the prognostic factors of cervical cancer. Further researches are needed to clarify the mechanism of the protective effect.
alpha-Tocopherol ; Ascorbic Acid ; beta Carotene ; Carotenoids ; Cervix Uteri ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Lutein ; Plasma* ; Tocopherols ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; Vitamins*

Carotenoid-rich foods focus one's attention on the prevention age-related diseases. This study was conducted to investigate the carotenoid status and look into the factors that affect the bioavailability of carotenoid in 121 elderly nonsmoking Korean women. Carotenoids and lipids in plasma, and nutrient intakes including carotenoid were studied. The mean plasma total-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triacylglycerol concentrations were 220.0 mg/dl, 49.5 mg/dl, 139.2 mg/dl and 157.4 mg/dl, respectively. Significantly positive correlations were found between the plasma lutein + zeaxanthin, lycopene and beta-carotene concentrations and the intake of fruits (r = 0.17, r = 0.20, r = 0.19). However, significantly negative correlations were found between the plasma lutein+zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene concentrations that adjusted for carotenoid intakes and intakes of vegetables (r = - 0.21, r = - 0.19), and between plasma lutein+zeaxanthin, lycopene and beta-carotene concentrations that adjusted for carotenoid intakes and intakes of fruits (r = - 0.21, r = - 0.18, r = - 0.24). After the adjustment for plasma lipids, there was no correlation between the plasma carotenoid concentrations and the carotenoid-rich foods. However, after adjustment for fiber intake, significantly strong positive correlations were found between the plasma carotenoid concentrations and carotenoid-rich foods. The plasma levels of carotenoid biomarkers (plasma carotenoid concentrations adjusted for dietary fiber intakes) decreased with age, and the plasma levels of lycopene biomarkers (plasma lycopene concentrations adjusted for dietary fiber intakes) increased with regular exercise. However alcohol drinking had no impact. These results suggested that age, physical activity, and dietary fiber intake affected the bioavailability of carotenoid. Therefore, when the elderly have carotenoid-rich foods, they should consider ways of increasing the bioavailability of carotenoid through cooking methods and physical activity.
Aged* ; Alcohol Drinking ; beta Carotene ; Biological Availability* ; Biomarkers ; Carotenoids ; Cooking ; Dietary Fiber ; Female ; Fruit ; Humans ; Lutein ; Motor Activity ; Plasma ; Triglycerides ; Vegetables

To determine vitamin A and E intakes and their food sources, dietary intakes were collected by three consecutive 24-hour recalls from 192 adults living in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, Korea. The mean vitamin A, retinol and beta-carotene intakes were 1240.1 +/- 1101.1 microg retinol equivalent/day (693.3 +/- 563.2 microg retinol activity equivalent/day), 182.6 +/- 149.5 microg/day and 5443.3 +/- 6365.5 microg/day, respectively. Only 9.4% of the subjects consumed less than the Korean Estimated Average Requirement for vitamin A. The mean vitamin E intake was 6.03 +/- 2.54 mg alpha-tocopherol equivalent/day. The alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol intakes were 4.83 +/- 2.03 and 5.57 +/- 3.41 mg/day, respectively. Most of the subjects (93.8%) consumed less than the Korean Adequate Intake for vitamin E. The major food sources of vitamin A were sweet potato, carrot, red pepper powder, spinach, and citrus fruit, and the top 30 foods provided 91.5% of total Plant foods provided 81.0% and animalderived foods 10.5% of the vitamin A intake from the top 30 foods. The major food sources of vitamin E were soybean oil, red pepper powder, Ramyeon (cup noodles), spinach, and egg. The top 30 foods provided 78.0% of total vitamin E intake. Plant foods provided 61.3% and animal-derived foods 15.9% of the vitamin E intake from the top 30 foods. In conclusion, the vitamin A intake of the Korean adults in this study was ge-nerally adequate, but the vitamin E intake of many subjects was inadequate. Therefore, nutritional education may be of benefit to Korean adults to increase their vitamin E intake.
Adult ; alpha-Tocopherol ; beta Carotene ; Capsicum ; Carotenoids ; Citrus ; Daucus carota ; gamma-Tocopherol ; Humans ; Ipomoea batatas ; Korea ; Ovum ; Plants ; Soybean Oil ; Spinacia oleracea ; Tocopherols ; Vitamin A ; Vitamin E ; Vitamins