Plasma Carotenoid Concentrations in College Students and Middle Age Adults of Taipei City

Dietary and blood carotenoid contents play a role in reducing the risk of cancer and chronic diseases. Because there have not been that many studies about human plasma carotenoid in Taiwan, the aim of this study was to investigate plasma carotenoid concentrations in 20∼29-years-old students, and 30∼50-years-old adults. Thirty-four 20∼29-years-old, and twenty-five 30∼50-years-old healthy nonsmoking subjects were recruited for the study. All subjects kept dietary records. Fasting venous blood from all subjects was examined for basic biochemical parameters and lipid profiles. Plasma carotenoid concentrations were determined by HPLC. Results revealed that plasma carotenoids levels in 20∼29-years-old and 30∼50-years-old subjects were as follows: β-carotene, 0.32-0.39 and 0.41-0.61; lycopene, 0.25-0.27 and 0.31-0.33; lutein/zeaxanthin, 0.28-0.36 and 0.45-0.48, and β-cryptoxanthin, 0.08-0.15 and 0.30-0.40 μmol/L. Plasma β-carotene, lutein/zeaxanthin, and β-cryptoxanthin concentrations in the 30∼50-years-old male subjects were significantly higher than those of the 20∼29-years-old male subjects. In females, plasma lycopene and lutein/zeaxanthin in 30∼50-years-old subjects were significantly higher than those of the 20∼29-years-old subjects. Amounts of vegetables consumed were similar in the 20∼29-years-old and 30∼50-years-old subjects. As to the consumption of fruit, male subjects 30∼50-years-old consumed 166.1% more fruit than those 20∼29-years-old, while female subjects 30∼50-years-old consumed 30.8% more than those 20∼29-years-old. Plasma carotenoid concentrations in these subjects were in the range of 0.08-0.61 μmol/L. Plasma carotenoid concentrations in the 30∼50-years-old were 22-250% those of the 20∼29-years-old subjects.