title: Plasma carotenoids in German children and adolescents.
abstract: Carotenoids are important antioxidants and precursors of vitamin A, but only few studies have been carried out on plasma carotenoid levels in paediatric age groups. Using high-performance liquid chromatography we analysed concentrations of four important carotenoids (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, cryptoxanthin, lycopene) in 129 healthy German children and adolescents (81 boys, 48 girls; age 1-18 years). For all carotenoids analysed, no significant differences between girls and boys were found. alpha-Carotene values ranged from 0 mumol/l (below detection limits) to 0.73 mumol/l (0-395 micrograms/l), beta-carotene from 0.09 mumol/l to 2.68 mumol/l (48-1443 micrograms/l), lycopene from 0 mumol/l to 1.51 mumol/l (0-815 micrograms/l), and cryptoxanthin from 0 mumol/l to 0.30 mumol/l (0-164 micrograms/l), respectively. Data analyses according to age groups showed a tendency towards higher levels of alpha- and beta-carotene, and lower levels of lycopene in young children. These differences were significant when children younger than 4 years were compared with those above 8 and 12 years, respectively. The data presented may serve as reference values for studies on children with nutritional disorders and diseases associated with a risk of vitamin deficiencies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Carotenoids are important antioxidants and singlet oxygen scavengers. Plasma levels of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene and cryptoxanthin were determined in 129 healthy German children and adolescents. Highest values were found for beta-carotene and lycopene.
authors.affiliation: Paul-György-Laboratory for Nutrition Research, University Children's Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lenhartz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schweitzer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bötticher
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leichsenring
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D019207:beta Carotene; D002338:Carotenoids