TABLE 2.
Half-lives of xanthophylls in serum depletion and supplementation studies1
| Intervention/study design and carotenoid | Number of participants (health, sex) | Age, y | Study duration, wk | Food/agent (carotenoid dose × duration) | Cmax, µmol/L | T 1/2, d | Year (ref) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Controlled low-carotenoid diet during controlled low-carotenoid diet | 12 (healthy men) | 25–43 | 13 | ≤0.4 mg total carotenoids/d × 13 wk | — | — | 1992 (26) |
| Lutein/zeaxanthin | — | — | — | — | 0.28 ± 0.052 | 33–613 | |
| β-Cryptoxanthin | — | — | — | — | 0.22 ± 0.042 | ≤123 | |
| Serum carotenoid depletion during controlled low-carotenoid diet | 19 (healthy women) | 18–42 | 10 | 0.07 mg total carotenoids/d × 10 wk | — | — | 2001 (21) |
| Lutein | — | — | — | — | L/Z: 0.44 ± 0.042 | 76 ± 172 | |
| Zeaxanthin | — | — | — | — | 38 ± 72 | ||
| β-Cryptoxanthin | — | — | — | — | 0.31 ± 0.052 | 39 ± 42 | |
| Serum carotenoid depletion | 2002 (27) | ||||||
| Lutein | 10 (T1D, both) | 24 ± 6 | 3 | 0.05–0.07 mg/d × 3 wk | 0.153 (control) | ≥153 | |
| 8 (controls, both) | 27 ± 3 | 3 | 0.05–0.07 mg/d × 3 wk | 0.163 (T1D) | ≥153 | ||
| Daily oral lutein supplement4 | 19 (healthy, 50% men) | 20–35 | 9 | Oral lutein supplement: 4.1 or 20.5 mg/d × 6 wk | 4.1 mg/d: 0.4 ± 0.2; 20.5 mg/d: 1.3 ± 0.8 | 4.1 mg/d: 5.5 ± 2.1; 20.5 mg/d: 6.1 ± 1.0 | 2005 (28) |
| Daily oral lutein supplement | 2 (healthy men) | 42, 51 | 52 | Oral lutein supplement: 30 mg/d × 20 wk | 1.85; 3.3 | ∼14.56 | 1997 (29) |
| 13C-Lutein in kale | 7 (healthy, both) | 46 ± 14 | 3 (single dose) | 13C-Lutein in kale, 19 mg | 0.38 ± 0.08 | ∼4.66 | 2005 (30) |
| 14C-Lutein extracted from spinach | 1 (healthy women) | 45 | 9 (single dose) | 14C-Lutein extracted from spinach, 0.071 mg | 0.003 | 9.85 | 2005 (31) |
1
Values are means ± SDs unless otherwise indicated. Cmax, maximal plasma or serum concentration attained; L/Z, lutein/zeaxanthin; ref, reference; T1/2, plasma or serum half-life; T1D, type 1 diabetes.
2
Mean ± SE.
3
Error term not provided.
4
Supplement contained 8.3% zeaxanthin relative to lutein.
5
One value is provided for each subject.
6
Half-life estimated from published data for this publication.