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Carotenoids – Functions, Sources and Health

Carotenoids are natural pigments found in fruits and vegetables with powerful antioxidant properties. They support immune function, eye health, and may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

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Things worth knowing about "Carotenoids"

Carotenoids are natural pigments found in fruits and vegetables with powerful antioxidant properties. They support immune function, eye health, and may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

What Are Carotenoids?

Carotenoids are a group of more than 600 naturally occurring pigments produced by plants, algae, fungi, and certain bacteria. They are responsible for the yellow, orange, and red colors found in many fruits and vegetables. Well-known carotenoids include beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and astaxanthin. The human body cannot produce carotenoids on its own and must obtain them through diet.

Biological Functions

Carotenoids play a variety of important roles in the human body:

Antioxidant protection: Carotenoids neutralize free radicals, protecting cells from oxidative stress, which is linked to the development of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and aging.
Provitamin A activity: Certain carotenoids, especially beta-carotene, are converted in the body into vitamin A (retinol) as needed. Vitamin A is essential for vision, immune function, and cell differentiation.
Eye health: Lutein and zeaxanthin accumulate in the retina and help protect against age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts.
Immune support: Carotenoids support immune system function and may help reduce inflammatory processes in the body.
Skin health: They can protect the skin from UV damage and contribute to skin elasticity and appearance.

Dietary Sources

Carotenoids are found in a wide variety of plant-based foods. Their characteristic colors are a helpful guide to their content:

Beta-carotene: Carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, apricots, mangoes, green leafy vegetables (e.g., spinach, kale)
Lycopene: Tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit, rosehips
Lutein and zeaxanthin: Kale, spinach, corn, peas, egg yolk
Astaxanthin: Salmon, shrimp, crab, trout (derived from microalgae)
Cryptoxanthin: Papaya, tangerines, peaches

Important: Because carotenoids are fat-soluble compounds, their absorption from food is significantly improved when consumed alongside healthy fats. Light cooking (e.g., heating tomatoes) can also increase the bioavailability of carotenoids such as lycopene.

Recommended Intake

There is no single universally established daily recommended intake for total carotenoids. However, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend a varied diet rich in fruits and vegetables to ensure adequate intake. For beta-carotene as a precursor to vitamin A, requirements are expressed in terms of vitamin A needs: adults require approximately 700–900 µg of retinol equivalents per day.

Deficiency and At-Risk Groups

An isolated carotenoid deficiency is uncommon but may occur with a very restricted diet, fat malabsorption syndromes (e.g., Crohn's disease, celiac disease), or extremely low-fat diets. A deficiency in beta-carotene can indirectly contribute to vitamin A deficiency, which may manifest as night blindness, skin changes, and a weakened immune system. Groups at higher risk include:

People with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases
Individuals following very low-fat diets
Older adults with reduced food intake
People in developing countries with limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables

Carotenoids as Dietary Supplements

Carotenoids are available as dietary supplements, particularly beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene, and astaxanthin. Supplementation may be beneficial for certain at-risk groups but should be discussed with a healthcare professional.

Important warning: High-dose beta-carotene supplements are not recommended for smokers or former smokers. Studies, including the CARET study, have shown that high supplemental doses of beta-carotene may increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers. This risk has not been observed with carotenoids obtained from natural food sources.

Toxicity

Carotenoids from natural food sources are considered safe. Very high intake may lead to a harmless yellowing of the skin known as carotenodermia (or hypercarotenemia), which resolves after reducing intake. Unlike preformed vitamin A (retinol), dietary carotenoids are not toxic because the body regulates their conversion into vitamin A.

References

World Health Organization (WHO): Vitamin A deficiency. WHO Nutrition Guidance. Geneva, 2023.
Eggersdorfer M, Wyss A. Carotenoids in human nutrition and health. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics. 2018;652:18-26. PubMed PMID: 29885291.
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA): Scientific Opinion on the safety of beta-carotene use in food supplements. EFSA Journal, 2012;10(3):2593.

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