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

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 -carotene (9.9-35.7 g/dl), -cryptoxanthin and monohydroxy metabolites collectively (5.3-48.5 g/dl), and six to eight metabolites of dihydroxy, trihydroxy and polyhydroxy metabolites (22.5-282.1 g/dl). Vitamin A levels were within the normal range (32-61 g/dl). However, two cases identified were abnormal. The first of these showed low -carotene (3.5 g/dl) and no -cryptoxanthin and monohydroxy metabolites, but normal dihydroxy, trihydroxy and polyhydroxy metabolites (128.2 g/dl). However, the vitamin A level was high (75.2 g/dl). The other case showed high -carotene (212.3 g/dl) and -cryptoxanthin (49.3 g/dl) but no normal monohydroxy, dihydroxy, trihydroxy and polyhydroxy metabolites. Instead there was an atypical metabolite (343.9 g/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.