Effects Of Carotenoid Supplementation Research Articles

Comment on Richer et al. Night Vision and Carotenoids (NVC): A Randomized Placebo Controlled Clinical Trial on Effects of Carotenoid Supplementation on Night Vision in Older Adults. Nutrients 2021, 13, 3191.

Richer and colleagues [...].

Reply to Green-Gomez et al. Comment on "Richer et al. Night Vision and Carotenoids (NVC): A Randomized Placebo Controlled Clinical Trial on Effects of Carotenoid Supplementation on Night Vision in Older Adults. Nutrients 2021, 13, 3191".

We welcome the additional reviews and insights of Green-Gomez, Roche and Nolan [...].

Night Vision and Carotenoids (NVC): A Randomized Placebo Controlled Clinical Trial on Effects of Carotenoid Supplementation on Night Vision in Older Adults.

Twilight and low luminance levels are visually challenging environments for the elderly, especially when driving at night. Carotenoid rich diets are known to increase macular pigment optical density (MPOD), which in turn leads to an improvement in visual function. It is not known whether augmenting MPOD can lead to a decrease in vision related night driving difficulties. Additionally, it is unknown if carotenoid supplementation provides additional measurable benefits to one’s useful field of view (UFOV) along with a decreased composite crash risk score. The aim of the study was to evaluate changes in night vision function and UFOV in individuals that took carotenoid vitamin supplements for a six-month period compared to a placebo group. Methods: A prospective, randomized, double-blind, six-month trial of a 14 mg zeaxanthin/7 mg lutein-based supplement was carried out. Participants were randomized into active or placebo group (approx 2:1). Results: n = 33 participants (26 males/7 females) participated with 93% capsule intake compliance in the supplemented group (n = 24) and placebo group (n = 9). MPOD (mean/standard error SE) in the active group increased in the Right eye from 0.35 density units (du)/0.04 SE to 0.41 du/0.05 SE; p < 0.001 and in the Left eye from 0.35 du/0.05 SE to 0.37 du, p > 0.05). The supplemented group showed significant improvements in contrast sensitivity with glare in both eyes with improvements in LogMAR scores of 0.147 and 0.149, respectively (p = 0.02 and 0.01, respectively), monocularly tested glare recovery time improved 2.76 and 2.54 s, respectively, (p = 0.008 and p = 0.02), and we also noted a decreased preferred luminance required to complete visual tasks (p = 0.02 and 0.03). Improvements in UFOV scores of divided attention (p < 0.001) and improved composite crash risk score (p = 0.004) were seen in the supplemented group. The placebo group remained unchanged. Conclusions: The NVC demonstrates that augmenting MPOD in individuals with difficulty in night vision showed measurable benefits in numerous visual functions that are important for night vision driving in this small sample RCT. Additionally, we observed an improvement in UFOV divided attention test scores and decreased composite risk scores.

Dietary carotenoid supplementation improves the escape performance of the southern corroboree frog

Nutritional conditions experienced by an individual are known to affect phenotype and performance. In particular, dietary carotenoids influence vertebrate immune function, vision and coloration and have recently been suggested to enhance exercise performance. Despite growing interest in investigating the effect of dietary carotenoids on exercise performance, studies to date have been limited to short-term supplementation during a single life stage. The present study elucidates, for the first time, the effect of long-term carotenoid supplementation during both developmental and adult life stages on the aquatic and terrestrial escape performance of adult southern corroboree frogs, Pseudophryne corroboree, testing the predictions of the ‘environmental matching’ and the ‘silver spoon’ hypotheses. Individuals (N = 24 per treatment) were exposed to one of four dietary treatments: (1) both developmental and adult life stages were fed a carotenoid-supplemented diet (C–C); (2) developmental life stage, but not adult life stage, was fed a carotenoid-supplemented diet (C–U); (3) adult life stage, but not developmental life stage, was fed a carotenoid-supplemented diet (U–C); (4) both developmental and adult life stages were fed an unsupplemented diet (U–U). There was no effect of dietary carotenoids on swimming speed, hopping speed or righting ability. However, our results do indicate an effect of carotenoid supplementation on both swimming distance and hopping distance. Frogs receiving a carotenoid-supplemented diet during both developmental and adult life stages consistently outperformed other dietary treatments in the distance travelled during aquatic and terrestrial escape trials. Our results do not show support for either the silver spoon or the environmental matching hypothesis, but indicate an overall benefit of exposure to a carotenoid-rich environment across both life stages.

Effects of carotenoid supplementation and oxidative challenges on physiological parameters and carotenoid-based coloration in an urbanization context

Worldwide urbanization continues to present new selection pressures on organisms. Carotenoid pigmentation of animals provides an ideal study system for identifying the source and significance of urban impacts because it is an environmentally derived trait and carotenoid molecules have widespread physiological, phenotypic, and fitness functions. Prior work indicates that in some bird species, urban individuals display less colorful carotenoid ornaments than rural birds. However, few studies have experimentally identified the causal factors that drive such a pattern of reduced “sexiness in the city”. We performed two common-garden experiments with house finches, in which we manipulated carotenoid access and exposure to oxidative stress to understand how urban and desert birds respond to these drivers of carotenoid utilization. Urban finches were less colorful than desert birds at capture, but we found no differences between urban and desert finches in how carotenoid provisioning or oxidative stress affected plumage coloration. The only notable site differences in our experiments were that (a) the oxidative challenge caused a larger mass loss in urban compared to desert birds (experiment 1), (b) urban birds circulated higher levels of carotenoids than desert birds after receiving the same diet for 4 months (experiment 2), suggesting that, compared to desert birds, urban finches can better assimilate carotenoids from food or do not deplete as many carotenoids for use in free-radical scavenging. Overall, our results fail to reveal key carotenoid-specific physiological differences in urban and desert finches, and instead implicate other ecophysiological factors that drive urban/desert differences in carotenoid ornamentation.

The effect of carotenoid supplementation on immune system development in juvenile male veiled chameleons (Chamaeleo calyptratus)

The effect of carotenoid supplementation on immune system development in juvenile male veiled chameleons (Chamaeleo calyptratus)

No Effect of Carotenoid Supplementation on Phytohemagglutinin Response or Body Condition of Nestling House Wrens

Carotenoids are an essential and often limiting resource in animals and play important roles in immune system function. In birds, the period shortly after hatching is an energetically demanding stage characterized by rapid growth in body size and organ systems, including the immune system. Availability of carotenoids for the growing nestlings may be of particular importance and potentially limiting at this stage of development. We tested the hypothesis that the availability of carotenoids for the embryo in the egg and in the diet of nestlings limits the condition and immune responses of nestling house wrens (Troglodytes aedon Vieillot 1809), a species with melanin-based plumage pigments. In one experiment, nestlings within females' second broods were randomly assigned to receive either a control or a lutein supplement (2008); in a second experiment, females, before their first broods, were either induced to lay additional eggs or not induced, and nestlings within both kinds of broods were supplemented as in the first experiment (2009). There were no significant effects of lutein supplementation on nestling condition or phytohemagglutinin response. There was a significant effect of lutein supplementation on nestling mass in 2008, but the difference was opposite to that predicted. Moreover, even when breeding females were stressed by inducing them to lay supernumerary eggs, lutein supplementation of nestlings had no effect on the size or condition of nestlings hatching from these eggs. These results suggest that maternally derived lutein in the egg and that provided in the diet of nestlings are not limiting to normal development and to the components of the immune system involved in the phytohemagglutinin response of nestling house wrens.

Effect of carotenoid supplementation on plasma carotenoids, inflammation and visual development in preterm infants

Dietary carotenoids (lutein, lycopene and β-carotene) may be important in preventing or ameliorating prematurity complications. Little is known about carotenoid status or effects of supplementation. This randomized controlled multicenter trial compared plasma carotenoid levels among preterm infants (n=203, <33 weeks gestational age) fed diets with and without added lutein, lycopene and β-carotene with human milk (HM)-fed term infants. We assessed safety and health. Plasma carotenoid levels were higher in the supplemented group at all time points (P<0.0001) and were similar to those of term HM-fed infants. Supplemented infants had lower plasma C-reactive protein (P<0.001). Plasma lutein levels correlated with the full field electroretinogram-saturated response amplitude in rod photoreceptors (r=0.361, P=0.05). The supplemented group also showed greater rod photoreceptor sensitivity (least squares means 6.1 vs 4.1; P<0.05). Carotenoid supplementation for preterm infants raises plasma concentrations to those observed in HM-fed term infants. Carotenoid supplementation may decrease inflammation. Our results point to protective effects of lutein on preterm retina health and maturation.

Effect of Carotenoid Supplementation on Plasma Carotenoids, Inflammation and Visual Development in Preterm Infants

Dietary carotenoids possess antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and light‐absorbing characteristics. Lutein is also the major component in infant retinal pigment. Preterm infants represent a population in which increased inflammation and oxidative stress are associated with common diseases of prematurity. Infants (n=203) &lt; 33 wks GA were randomized to a regimen of preterm formulas with added carotenoids (SF) or control formulas without added carotenoids (CF) fed until 50 wks post‐menstrual age (PMA). Electroretinography at 50 wks PMA was used to evaluate photoreceptor response parameters. We found plasma lycopene, lutein, and beta‐carotene levels were higher in SF compared to CF at hospital discharge to 50 wks PMA (p &lt; 0.0001). SF compared to CF had lower plasma C‐reactive protein at 40 wks PMA (p &lt; 0.001). Plasma lutein concentrations at 50 wks PMA correlated with the saturated response amplitude in rod photoreceptors (r = 0.361, p=0.05). SF group had a greater rod photoreceptor sensitivity than CF (LS means 6.1 vs 4.1; p&lt;0.05). Results from this trial indicate that carotenoid supplementation in preterm infant formula increases plasma concentrations to levels observed in human milk‐fed term infants. The data also suggest a protective mechanism for lutein in photoreceptor health through light absorbing and antioxidant activities. Carotenoid supplementation may also decrease inflammation in this population.

Parasite‐mediated growth patterns and nutritional constraints in a cavity‐nesting bird

1. Trade-offs between growth and immunity of nestling birds can be influenced by parasites, but the magnitude of these effects may depend on availability of critical dietary nutrients. Owing to their importance for both immune system function and growth, dietary carotenoids have the potential to mediate parasite-induced developmental strategies of avian hosts. 2. The effects of ectoparasitic blow flies Protocalliphora spp. and dietary carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin) on immune function and patterns of growth in nestling mountain bluebirds Sialia currucoides were investigated by combining parasite removal and carotenoid supplementation treatments in a 2 x 2 design. 3. Supplemental carotenoids enhanced nestlings' T-cell-mediated immune response following intradermal injection of phytohaemagglutinin. 4. The effect of carotenoid supplementation on rate of mass gain depended on whether broods were exposed to parasites: among parasitized broods, those receiving supplemental carotenoids gained mass more rapidly than nonsupplemented broods, whereas there was no effect of supplemental carotenoids on growth of mass in broods that had parasites removed. This suggests that additional dietary carotenoids allowed nestlings to compensate for the otherwise detrimental effects of parasites on mass gain. For length of the eighth primary feather at fledging, early and late broods differed in their response to parasitism: early broods showed an increase in feather length when parasites were removed, while nestlings in late broods had shorter feathers in the absence of parasites. We suggest that this may reflect within-season variation in parasite-mediated growth strategies of nestlings. 5. Maternal condition was positively associated with mass, condition and rate of feather growth of offspring under all conditions, and also influenced nestling immunocompetence, but only in the absence of parasites. 6. We conclude that dietary carotenoids alleviate some of the detrimental effects of parasites on nestling birds; however, parasites also appear to specifically influence other growth and resource allocation strategies, and possibly constrain maternal or genetic effects on offspring phenotype, irrespective of dietary carotenoid availability.

Effects of carotenoid supplementation on colour expression, oxidative stress and body mass in rehabilitated captive adult kestrels (Falco tinnunculus)

Carotenoids are considered a limited resource for animals because they are not synthesised by the body. Birds use carotenoids, mainly xanthophylls, for physiological functions, such as anti-oxidant activity, and for colour expression; hence, they need to shunt carotenoids between competitive demands. Recent studies suggest that the anti-oxidant role of xanthophylls might not be as important as previously thought and that at high concentrations they may, in fact, acquire pro-oxidant properties. In this work, we studied the effects of a moderate xanthophyll supplementation (115 mg of carotenoids/kg diet/day; 4 weeks) on serum carotenoids, serum concentration of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), serum anti-oxidant capacity (OXY), the degree of oxidative stress (OS; ROMs/OXY x 1,000), body mass, and skin colour, in rehabilitated captive adult Eurasian kestrels (Falco tinnunculus). The supplementation caused increased levels of serum carotenoids (approximately 90%), ROMs (approximately 82%), OS (approximately 115%) and an immediate loss of body mass (approximately 6.2%), but it did not affect OXY and tarsi skin hue. The red (approximately 16%) and yellow (approximately 15%) colorimetric components were increased after the first week of supplementation and the effect persisted during the rest of the experiment. Two months after the end of supplementation, serum carotenoids, OS and ROMs returned to baseline levels, however the body mass did not. Our findings suggest that, above a certain physiological threshold, carotenoids can cause detrimental effects. This is relevant for the trade-off between expression of sexual signals and the costs of maintaining/producing them.

Seasonal trade-offs in cell-mediated immunosenescence in ruffs (Philomachus pugnax).

The immune system is an energetically expensive self-maintenance complex that, given the risks of parasitism, cannot be carelessly compromised. Life-history theory posits that trade-offs between fitness components, such as self-maintenance and reproduction, vary between genders and age classes depending on their expected residual lifetime reproductive success, and seasonally as energetic requirements change. Using ruff (Philomachus pugnax), a bird with two genetically distinct male morphs, we demonstrate here a decrease in male immunocompetence during the breeding season, greater variance in immune response among males than females, immunosenescence in both sexes and male morphs, and a seasonal shift in the age range required to detect senescence. Using a phytohaemagglutinin delayed hypersensitivity assay, we assessed cell-mediated immunity (CMI) of males of typical breeding age during the breeding and nonbreeding seasons, and of a larger sample that included females and birds of a greater age range during the non-breeding period. CMI was higher for breeding-aged males in May than in November, but the increase was not related to age or male morph. In November, mean CMI did not differ between the sexes, but the variance was higher for males than for females, and there were no differences in mean or variance between the two male morphs. For both sexes and male morphs, CMI was lower for young birds than for birds of typical breeding ages, and it declined again for older birds. In males, senescence was detected in the non-breeding season only when very old birds were included. These results, generally consistent with expectations from life-history theory, indicate that the immune system can be involved in multifarious trade-offs within a yearly cycle and along an individual's lifetime, and that specific predictions about means and variances in immune response should be considered in future immunoecological research.

Increased Cellular Carotenoid Levels Reduce the Persistence of DNA Single-Strand Breaks After Oxidative Challenge

Dietary antioxidants, such as the carotenoids, may protect DNA from oxidative damage. This has been proposed to explain the epidemiological association between higher consumption of fruits and vegetables, which are rich in antioxidants, and lower incidence of cancer. However, this remains to be demonstrated conclusively. The effects of carotenoid supplementation on 1) baseline DNA damage, 2) susceptibility of cellular DNA to oxidative attack, and 3) DNA repair were measured in the human lymphocyte cell line Molt-17. Baseline DNA damage, susceptibility to oxidant attack (100 μmol/l H2O2 for 5 min at 4°C), and disappearance of DNA single-strand breaks (SSB) after oxidative challenge were monitored by single-cell gel electrophoresis. DNA repair patch synthesis activity in cell extracts was determined using assays that measure nucleotide incorporation during repair of oxidative lesions in template DNA. Unlike single-cell gel electrophoresis, the parameters measured with these assays are not dependent on strand break religation. There was no evidence that β-carotene, lutein, or β-cryptoxanthin supplementation protected cellular DNA from oxidation under basal conditions or after oxidative challenge. However, only carotenoid-supplemented cells exhibited a significant decrease in numbers of SSB over a 2-h period after treatment with H2O2. Carotenoid supplementation did not provoke any detectable change in repair patch synthesis activity. We conclude that supplementation with carotenoids at 8 μmol/l does not provide significant antioxidant protection for DNA in Molt-17 lymphocytes but may enhance recovery of cells from oxidative challenge, as measured by loss of SSB. We argue that these data are most consistent with carotenoids acting to enhance DNA strand break repair.

Carotenoid composition, distribution and degradation to flavour volatiles during black tea manufacture and the effect of carotenoid supplementation on tea quality and aroma

Carotenoid content of tea leaves ranges from 36 to 73 mg/100 g dry weight, and is dominated mainly by β-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin. Among the cultivars, China contained the maximum and Assam clone the least. Carotenoid fractions were found to degrade to different extents at different stages of tea processing. The carotenoid content was as low as 25 mg/100 g in the made tea. Only a small quantity was leached into the brew, the remaining being retained in the infused leaf/tea residue. The high stability of carotenoid in tea is mainly due to the presence of antioxidants, such as polyphenols and catechins. Carotenoid degradation was found to be greater in the CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl) process than the orthodox process, greater in withered than unwithered, and in the order β-carotene > zeaxanthin > lutin. Vitamin A value was greater in orthodox tea than CTC tea and it varied with clones. The carotenoid degradation was found to yield large quantities of desirable aroma volatiles in made tea, giving a high grown flavour status. An increase in endogenous carotene content enhanced all the quality parameters of tea, the VFC (volatile flavour compounds) index, almost being doubled. The tasters' evaluation also revealed the same trend. It was found that a 1:1 NK application at the rate of 300 kg/ha/year enhanced the carotenoid content of green leaves in the second week after application, with subsequent decline.