Carotenoids

Studies in people

• Benefit

  Skin protection from sun²

  Carotenoids build up in your skin and may help protect it from sun, though only a little.

• Open question

  Heart and blood vessel risk³

  In women past menopause, eating carotenoids from juices and spinach changed cholesterol and inflammation markers tied to heart risk.

• Benefit

  Bowel cancer risk⁴

  In an Italian study, people who ate more carotenoids were less likely to get colorectal cancer.

• Benefit

  Rheumatoid arthritis risk⁵

  In studies of people, higher carotenoid levels in diet or blood were linked to lower rheumatoid arthritis risk.

• Benefit

  Sun damage to skin⁶

  In people, carotenoids may help protect the skin from light damage, but the evidence is still growing.

• Open question

  Lung cancer risk⁷

  People who eat fewer carotenoids seem more likely to get lung cancer, but smoking may explain this.

• Open question

  Heart rate and stamina⁸

  Carotenoids in paprika may help athletes use less oxygen and keep their heart rate lower during exercise.

• Benefit

  Brain health and memory⁹

  In older people, eating more carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin was linked to better scores on memory and thinking tests.

• Benefit

  Brain health as we age¹⁰

  Eating carotenoids from plants may help keep your brain sharp as you get older.

• Benefit

  Breast cancer risk¹¹

  In women, higher carotenoids in blood were linked to lower breast cancer risk, but scientists do not yet know why.

• Benefit

  Uterine fibroids in women¹²

  Eating more fruit was linked to fewer uterine fibroids in black women, but carotenoids like lycopene showed no link.

• Benefit

  Metabolic health over time¹³

  In normal weight people, eating more carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin meant a lower chance of an unhealthy metabolic phenotype.

• Benefit

  Colon cancer risk¹⁴

  People who ate more lutein, a carotenoid in spinach and broccoli, seemed less likely to get colon cancer.

• Benefit

  Mood and depression¹⁵

  People who ate more beta-cryptoxanthin, a carotenoid, reported fewer depressive symptoms, though other carotenoids showed no such link.

• Open question

  Body inflammation and cell stress¹⁶

  In women, higher carotenoids in the blood went with lower signs of cell stress, but carotenoids eaten in food showed no link.

Study type not stated

• Open question

  Cancer prevention¹⁹

  Carotenoids like lutein and lycopene, found in fruits and vegetables, are being studied for whether they help prevent cancer.

How it’s made and used

• Vitamin A from plant foods¹⁷

  Carotenoids in plants can become vitamin A, but things like fat, fiber and cooking change how much the body absorbs.

• Nutrient intake guidance¹⁸

  Carotenoids are among the nutrients this report sets daily intake guidance for, based on age and gender.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.