Dietary Carotenoids Reduce Risks of Type 2 Diabetes in Middle-Aged and Older Japanese Patients

The results from this first longitudinal cohort study on long-term consumption have been published in the British Medical Journal’s Open Diabetes Research and Care journal.

A total of 1073 males and females age between 30 to 79 years old were recruited in Mikkabi, Japan and followed up for 10 years. Serum carotenoids (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, lutein and lycopene) were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography at baseline. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information on medical history and lifestyle, while a food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was developed to estimate the nutrient intake from diets. Type 2 diabetes was determined via results from the health examination and self-administered questionnaire.

 

The results show that high concentration of carotenoids – especially alpha-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin and total Provitamin A carotenoids (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin) – significantly reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes development.

 

The inverse association between serum carotenoid and risk of Type 2 diabetes is not only observed in non-smokers and non-drinkers, but also in light drinkers. Interestingly, other carotenoids such as lutein, lycopene exhibited inverse association, but the association is not significant.
 
“According to the International Diabetes Federation, diabetes has affected up to 200 million of the adult population worldwide, and it is a top 5 silent killer in the developed world. The statistic is estimated to escalate to 333 million in 2025 if this trend is left unchecked. Nonetheless, the risk of diabetes can be minimized through positive lifestyle modification such as being physically active and practice of healthy eating diets. Once again, the health benefits of high carotenoid intake especially alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, as this study reveals, is linked to reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes.  Diabetes will often lead to other chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, neuropathies or even vision loss,” says CheeYen Lau, Nutritionist at ExcelVite.

 

“Consumers these days are progressively sourcing for natural, recognizable and non-GMO ingredients, rather than complex chemical compounds with no nutritional values, due to the escalated health awareness and we are glad that EVTene fits the bill,” said Bryan See, Regional Product Manager, ExcelVite.

 

“EVTene is a potent natural mixed carotenoid complex that contains mainly α-carotene, β-carotene and a small amount of other carotenoids (such as lycopene and γ-carotene), extracted and concentrated from the fruit of oil palm through a mild molecular distillation process. The ratio of alpha-carotene and beta-carotene is typically 35% and 60%, a ratio that exactly mirrors the carotenoid composition in carrots. Hence, it is the only true natural alpha- and beta-carotene (mixed carotenoids) from a vegetable source / food that we eat.”