Carotenoid Bioactivity and Health Implications

Carotenoids are a diverse group of plant-derived pigments that confer the characteristic red, orange and yellow hues to fruits and vegetables. Beyond their role in photosynthesis and photoprotection in plants, carotenoids underpin numerous aspects of human health. Many carotenoids act as antioxidants, quenching reactive oxygen species and mitigating oxidative stress implicated in chronic disorders. Provitamin A carotenoids serve as dietary precursors to retinoids—essential regulators of vision, immune function and cellular differentiation—while non-provitamin A compounds such as lutein, zeaxanthin and lycopene accumulate in specific tissues to support ocular health, cardiovascular homeostasis and neuroprotection. Recent research has intensified focus on the stability of carotenoids in food systems, the efficiency of intestinal uptake and the molecular pathways through which these pigments modulate gene expression and cell signalling. Innovations in biofortification, post-harvest processing and targeted delivery have the potential to improve micronutrient status in vulnerable populations, and emerging evidence of genetic and physiological determinants of absorption highlights avenues for precision nutrition. Collectively, these developments emphasise the global importance of carotenoids in preventive health and translational applications, spanning agricultural strategies to clinical practice.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have clarified the role of local retinoid stores in pulmonary health by demonstrating that multiple alveolar cell types—including microvascular endothelial and epithelial cells—can uptake lipoprotein-bound retinoids and maintain intracellular retinoid pools to counteract acute inflammatory injury. Single-cell transcriptomic analyses have elucidated the metabolic and signalling pathways that underlie this protective response, suggesting novel therapeutic approaches to bolster local vitamin A activity in respiratory disease. A systematic review of post-harvest handling in biofortified staple crops has revealed that minimal processing—such as retaining whole-grain structure or limiting milling—maximises retention of provitamin A carotenoids. By synthesising data across diverse crops and processing methods, this work provides practical guidance for households, regulators and programme designers to preserve micronutrient content from harvest through to consumption, addressing vitamin A deficiency in resource-limited settings.

Carotenoid Bioactivity and Health Implications publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in carotenoid bioactivity and health implications across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Carotenoids: Lipophilic pigments synthesised by plants that serve both as antioxidants and, in some cases, as precursors to vitamin A.

Provitanin A: Carotenoid molecules (e.g., β-carotene) convertible into vitamin A within the human body.

Bioavailability: Fraction of an ingested nutrient that is absorbed and becomes available for physiological functions.

Retinoids: Active vitamin A derivatives—including retinol and retinoic acid—that regulate gene expression and cellular differentiation.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Chemically reactive oxygen-containing molecules that can induce oxidative damage to biomolecules.

Micellization: Formation of mixed lipid–bile salt aggregates in the small intestine, facilitating uptake of lipophilic compounds.

References

1. Retinoids stored locally in the lung are required to attenuate the severity of acute lung injury in male mice. Nature Communications (2023).
2. A systematic review of the impacts of post-harvest handling on provitamin A, iron and zinc retention in seven biofortified crops. Nature Food (2023).
3. Potential Role of Carotenoids as Antioxidants in Human Health and Disease. Nutrients (2014).
4. Vitamin A Metabolism: An Update. Nutrients (2011).
5. Host‐related factors explaining interindividual variability of carotenoid bioavailability and tissue concentrations in humans. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research (2017).