Vegetable-borne lutein, lycopene, and beta-carotene compete for incorporation into chylomicrons, with no adverse effect on the medium-term (3-wk) plasma status of carotenoids in humans.
BACKGROUND
The results of epidemiologic studies have consistently shown associations between dietary intake or plasma carotenoid status and incidence of cancers and cardiovascular and eye diseases.


OBJECTIVE
The aim was to assess whether vegetable-borne carotenoids (lycopene, lutein, and beta-carotene) compete for intestinal absorption and whether this affects the plasma status of carotenoids in the medium term (ie, after 3 wk).


METHODS
During 3-wk periods separated by 3-wk washout periods, 20 women were supplemented with either 96 g tomato purée/d (14.98 mg lycopene + 1.50 mg beta-carotene), 92 g cooked chopped spinach/d (11.93 mg lutein + 7.96 mg beta-carotene), 96 g tomato purée/d + 92 g chopped spinach/d, 96 g tomato purée/d + 2 lutein pills (12 mg lutein), or 92 g chopped spinach/d + 1 lycopene pill (15 mg lycopene). Plasma carotenoids were measured before and after each supplementation period. The subjects also participated in postprandial experiments in which they ingested meals containing double amounts of the supplements described above. Carotenoids were measured in chylomicrons to assess the interaction of carotenoids on absorption.


RESULTS
Adding a second carotenoid to a meal that provided a first carotenoid diminished the chylomicron response to the first carotenoid. However, cosupplementation with a second carotenoid of a diet supplemented with a first carotenoid did not diminish the medium-term plasma response to the first carotenoid.


CONCLUSIONS
Consumption of carotenoids from different vegetable sources does not diminish plasma carotenoid concentrations in the medium term, despite the finding in postprandial testing of competitive inhibitory interactions among different carotenoids.
Tyssandier
Viviane
V
Unité Maladies Métaboliques et Micronutriments, INRA, Clermont-Ferrand/Theix, Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France.
Cardinault
Nicolas
N
Caris-Veyrat
Catherine
C
Amiot
Marie-Josèphe
MJ
Grolier
Pascal
P
Bouteloup
Corinne
C
Azais-Braesco
Véronique
V
Borel
Patrick
P
D000328:Adult; D001682:Biological Availability; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D002914:Chylomicrons / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D014975:Lutein / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D000077276:Lycopene; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D009752:Nutritional Status; D019518:Postprandial Period; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014675:Vegetables / Q000737:chemistry; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
D002914:Chylomicrons; D019207:beta Carotene; D002338:Carotenoids; D000077276:Lycopene; D014975:Lutein