A study of the serum carotenoids of eight cases of hypercarotenemia in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Over-consumption of absorbable carotenoids causes hypercarotenemia. Although hypercarotenemia is detected in Sri Lanka, a detailed study on this condition has not been carried out previously. Two millilitres of venous blood was drawn from hypercarotenemic patients (n=8) and examined by high-performance liquid chromatography for carotenoids and vitamin A. A common high-performance liquid chromatographic pattern in serum was shown by six of the cases with β-carotene (9.9–35.7 µg/dl), β-cryptoxanthin and monohydroxy metabolites collectively (5.3–48.5 µg/dl), and six to eight metabolites of dihydroxy, trihydroxy and polyhydroxy metabolites (22.5–282.1 µg/dl). Vitamin A levels were within the normal range (32–61 µg/dl). However, two cases identified were abnormal. The first of these showed low β-carotene (3.5 µg/dl) and no β-cryptoxanthin and monohydroxy metabolites, but normal dihydroxy, trihydroxy and polyhydroxy metabolites (128.2 µg/dl). However, the vitamin A level was high (75.2 µg/dl). The other case showed high β-carotene (212.3 µg/dl) and β-cryptoxanthin (49.3 µg/dl) but no normal monohydroxy, dihydroxy, trihydroxy and polyhydroxy metabolites. Instead there was an atypical metabolite (343.9 µg/dl). According to the present study, excessive intake of boiled, homogenized carrot and ripe papaw is the main causative factor for hypercarotenemia. Over-consumption of carotenoids-rich plant foods may be complicated in the case of individuals having defects of either the control of the 15,15′-dioxygenase activity or metabolism of carotenoids.