title: Carotenoids as biomarkers of fruit and vegetable intake in men and women.
abstract: High fruit and vegetable (FAV) intake is associated with a lower prevalence of chronic diseases. Identifying the ideal number of FAV servings needed to reduce chronic disease risk is, however, difficult because of biases inherent to common self-report dietary assessment tools. The aim of our study was to examine the associations between daily FAV intake and plasma carotenoid concentrations in men and women enrolled in a series of fully controlled dietary interventions. We compiled and analysed data from a group of 155 men and 109 women who participated in six fully controlled dietary interventions and compared post-intervention fasting plasma carotenoid (α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, lycopene, zeaxanthin) concentrations with regard to the daily FAV servings consumed by the participants. We found that plasma β-cryptoxanthin, lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations were positively associated with daily FAV servings (P≤0·005). However, daily FAV intake was negatively associated with plasma α-carotene (P<0·0005) and lycopene (P<0·0001) concentrations, whereas no association was noted with plasma β-carotene. When men and women were analysed separately, we found that for any given number of FAV servings consumed women had higher circulating lutein concentrations compared with men (P<0·01). Significant sex×FAV (P<0·0001) and sex×dietary β-cryptoxanthin (P<0·0005) interactions were also noted favouring higher plasma β-cryptoxanthin concentrations in women than in men for a given FAV consumption. Results from these fully controlled dietary feeding studies indicate that plasma β-cryptoxanthin and lutein concentrations can be used as robust biomarkers of FAV consumption. They also suggest the existence of sex differences influencing circulating β-cryptoxanthin and lutein concentrations following FAV consumption.
authors: 1School of Nutrition,Université Laval,Québec,Canada,G1V 0A6.
authors: Charles
authors: C
authors: Couillard
authors: 1School of Nutrition,Université Laval,Québec,Canada,G1V 0A6.
authors: Simone
authors: S
authors: Lemieux
authors: 1School of Nutrition,Université Laval,Québec,Canada,G1V 0A6.
authors: Marie-Claude
authors: MC
authors: Vohl
authors: 2Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods,Université Laval,Québec,Canada,G1V 0A6.
authors: Patrick
authors: P
authors: Couture
authors: 1School of Nutrition,Université Laval,Québec,Canada,G1V 0A6.
authors: Benoît
authors: B
authors: Lamarche
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000072743:Beta-Cryptoxanthin / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood*; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D014975:Lutein / Q000097:blood; D000077276:Lycopene; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D014675:Vegetables; D065146:Zeaxanthins / Q000097:blood; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000072743:Beta-Cryptoxanthin; D015415:Biomarkers; D065146:Zeaxanthins; D019207:beta Carotene; D002338:Carotenoids; C041635:alpha-carotene; D000077276:Lycopene; D014975:Lutein
keywords:  FAV fruits and vegetables; Biomarkers; Carotenoids; Diet-controlled intervention studies; Fruit and vegetable intake; Sex differences