Skip to main content
. 2020 Aug 7;79(5):544–573. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuaa008

Table 3.

Concentrations of carotenoids in various tissues, all data in nmol/L (nmol/kg or L)

Tissue BCAR ACARa BCRY LYC LUT ZEA PHYE PHYF Total carosb Reference
Serum/plasma 360 ± 10 120 ± 10 230 ± 10 740 ± 10 380 ± 10 90 ± 10 40 ± 20 170 ± 70 1940 ± 20 Al-Delaimy (2005)150
Serum/plasma ATBC:

  • 823 ± 277;

  • 9CBC:

  • 22 ± 13;

  • 13CBC:

  • 29 ± 22

  • Sum:

  • 874

 ATLYC:

  • 190 ± 25;

  • 5CLYC:

  • 130 ± 20;

  • 9CLYC:

  • 9 ± 5;

  • 13/15CLYC:

  • 55 ± 25;

  • Sum:

  • 384

 Schierle et al (1997) 151, Fröhlich (2007)152
Abdominal adipose tissue 1472 ± 286 280 ± 74 417 ± 462 3329 ± 448 456 ± 62c – – – – Chung et al (2009)153
Liver 5900 ± 6300 – – 8400 ± 11,500 2200 ± 1600c – – – 16,500 Bohn et al (2017) 21
Skind 430 ± 45 95 ± 20 225 ± 35 695 ± 45 180 ± 35 175 ± 35 320 ± 90 46 ± 20 0-7001730

  • Alaluf et al (2002)154

  • Ermakov et al (2013)155,156
Lung 350 ± 440 230 ± 270 420 ± 750 570 ± 1110 480 ± 660 – – – 1905 ± 2820 Schmitz et al (1991)147
Kidney 550 ± 730 300 ± 400 450 ± 1040 620 ± 620 1210 ± 2830 – – – 3050 ± 4210 Schmitz et al (1991)147
Braine 10–30 – <10 – 20–80 10–30 – – – Vishwanathan et al (2014)157
Adrenals

  • 5600f

  • (680–31,830)

  • 1220f

  • (110–7520)

  • 660e

  • (10–2900)

  • 1900f

  • (190–5600)

 – – – – 9400 ± 7800g Stahl (1992)148
Breast tissue 38,000–50,000 158
Testes

  • 2680f

  • (750–4770)

  • 370f

  • (140–610)

  • 160f

  • (10–290)

  • 4340f

  • (410–9380)

 – – – – 7550 Stahl (1992)148
Bone 745 ± 95 95 ± 35 125 ± 35 280 ± 35 175 ± 35 140 ± 60 825 ± 185 275 ± 45 – Ermakov et al (2013)155
Colon tissue 60 ± 30 – – – – – – – – Pappalardo et al (1997)159
Breast milk 60–200 20–40 2–10 5–25 10–25 – – – – Gossage et al (2002)160
Uterus 503h – 870 – – – – – 12,500 ± 6000 Czeczuga-Semeniuk et al (2008)161
Prostate 600 300 100 700 300 200 – – 2700 Clintonet al (1996)162
Eye (retina) – – – – ∼3125–12,496i – – – Rapp et al (2000)163

All values represent mean ± SD, with data reported as nmol/L (nmol/kg or L). Values in brackets reflect ranges.

a

Blank cells represent nondetermined carotenoids or no data were available.

b

Sum of listed carotenoids, unless otherwise stated.

c

Sum of lutein and zeaxanthin.

d

Dermis and epidermis of back, forehead, inner forearm, and hand.

e

Infants, prefrontal cortex, frontal cortex, hippocampus, auditory cortex, and occipital cortex.

f

Including upper and lower level of this range.

g

Standard error of the mean.

h

Values given in literature as “carotenes.”

i

This concentration is based on a total amount of 0.25 nmol in a retina, which is calculated on a predicted retina weight of 10–80 mg.

Abbreviations: 5CLYC, 5-cis-lycopene; 9CBC, 9-cis-β-carotene; 9CLYC, 9-cis-lycopene; 13CBC, 13-cis-β-carotene; 13/15CLYC, 13/15-cis-lycopene; ACAR, α-carotene; ATBC, Alpha Tocopherol, Beta Carotene Prevention Trial; ATLYC, all-trans lycopene; BCAR, β-carotene; BCRY, β-cryptoxanthin; caros, carotenoids; LUT, lutein; LYC, lycopene; PHYE, phytoene; PHYF, phytofluene; ZEA, zeaxanthin.