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beta-cryptoxanthin

What can food rich in beta-cryptoxanthin do for you?

What events and lifestyle factors can indicate a need for more foods rich in beta cryptoxanthin foods?

Food sources of beta cryptoxanthin include red bell peppers, papaya, cilantro, oranges, corn and watermelon.

For serving size for specific foods, see Nutrient Rating Chart below at the bottom of this page.

Description

What is beta cryptoxanthin?

Beta-cryptoxanthin, classified chemically as a xanthophyll, is one of the most abundant carotenoids in the North American diet. It is a �provitamin A�compound, one of approximately 50 carotenoids able to be converted in the body into retinol, an active form of vitamin A. Beta cryptoxanthin has approximately one-half of the vitamin A activity of beta-carotene.

How it Functions

What are the functions of beta cryptoxanthin?

Preventing Vitamin A Deficiency

Until late in the 20th Century, the functions of carotenoids, including beta-cryptoxanthin, were discussed only in terms of their potential vitamin A activity. It is one of approximately 50 carotenoids of the known 600 that are called "provitamin A" compounds because the body can convert them into retinol, an active form of vitamin A. As a result, foods that contain beta-cryptoxanthin can help prevent vitamin A deficiency. In addition to beta-cryptoxanthin, some of the other most commonly consumed provitamin A carotenoids include beta-carotene and alpha-carotene.

Anti-cancer properties

In recent years, carotenoids including beta-cryptoxanthin have received a tremendous amount of attention for their antioxidant activity as well as their potential as anti-cancer and anti-aging compounds. Increased intake of this carotenoid has been found to be associated with reduced risk of esophageal and lung cancer. Lower levels of beta-cryptoxanthin have been found in the colonic tissues of patients who have colon polyps while in laboratory animals, intake of beta-cryptoxanthin was found to be protective against colon cancer. In exploring the mechanisms behind its cancer protective activity, researchers have suggested that in addition to its ability to quench free radicals, its benefits may be related to its potential to stimulate expression of RB gene, an anti-oncogene that functions to protect cells from becoming cancerous.

Enhancing Lung Function

Research suggests that beta-cryptoxanthin may promote the health of the respiratory tract. Serum concentrations of this carotenoid have been found to be associated with improved lung function as measured by functional tests. Studies have suggested that decreased lung cancer risk is associated with higher dietary intake and higher serum levels of beta-cryptoxanthin while persons who smoke as well as those who inhale second hand smoke have been found to have lower levels of this carotenoid.

Deficiency Symptoms

What are deficiency symptoms for beta-cryptoxanthin?

A low dietary intake of carotenoids such as beta-cryptoxanthin is not known to directly cause any diseases or health conditions, at least in the short term. However, if your intake of vitamin A is also low, a dietary deficiency of beta-cryptoxanthin and/or other provitamin A carotenoids can cause the symptoms associated with vitamin A deficiency.

In addition, long-term inadequate intake of carotenoids is associated with chronic disease, including heart disease and various cancers. One important mechanism for this carotenoid-disease relationship appears to be free radicals. Research indicates that diets low in carotenoids can increase the body�s susceptibility to damage from free radicals. As a result, over the long term, carotenoid-deficient diets may increase tissue damage from free radical activity, and increase risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and cancers.

Toxicity Symptoms

What are toxicity symptoms for beta-cryptoxanthin?

High intake of carotenoid-containing foods or supplements is not associated with any toxic side effects. As a result, the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences did not establish a Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for carotenoids when it reviewed these compounds in 2000.

Impact of Cooking, Storage and Processing

How do cooking, storage, or processing affect beta-cryptoxanthin?

There is minimal research specifically focusing upon the effects of cooking, storage or processing upon beta-crytoxanthin.

Factors that Affect Function

What factors might contribute to a deficiency of beta-cryptoxanthin?

Carotenoids, such as beta-cryptoxanthin, are fat-soluble substances, and as such require the presence of dietary fat for proper absorption through the digestive tract. Consequently, your beta-cryptoxanthin status may be impaired by a diet that is extremely low in fat or if you have a medical condition that causes a reduction in the ability to absorb dietary fat such as pancreatic enzyme deficiency, Crohn�s disease, celiac sprue, cystic fibrosis, surgical removal of part or all of the stomach, gall bladder disease, and liver disease.

Due to low consumption of fruits and vegetables, many adolescents and young adults do not take in enough carotenoids. In addition, if you smoke cigarettes and/or drink alcohol, you may have lower than normal blood levels of beta-cryptoxanthin. Statistically speaking, smokers and drinkers eat fewer foods that contain carotenoids such as beta-cryptoxanthin. Also, researchers suspect that cigarette smoke destroys carotenoids. However, if you do smoke or drink, use carotenoid supplements with caution.

Nutrient Interactions

How do other nutrients interact with beta-cryptoxanthin?

Beta-carotene supplements increase blood levels of beta-cryptoxanthin while supplementing your diet with pectin may decrease the absorption of carotenoids.

Health Conditions

What health conditions require special emphasis on beta-cryptoxanthin and carotenoids?

Carotenoids may play a role in the prevention of the following health conditions:

Food Sources

What foods provide beta-cryptoxanthin?

Food sources of beta-cryptoxanthin include red bell peppers, papaya, cilantro, oranges, corn, watermelon, serrano pepper, avocadoes, and grapefruit.

 

Food Source Analysis not Available for this Nutrient

Public Health Recommendations

What are current public health recommendations for beta-cryptoxanthin and carotenoids?

To date, no recommended dietary intake levels have been established for beta-cryptoxanthin and carotenoids. In an effort to set such recommendations, the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences reviewed the existing scientific research on carotenoids in 2000.

Despite the large body of population-based research that links high consumption of foods containing beta-carotene and other carotenoids with a reduced risk of several chronic diseases, the Institute of Medicine concluded that this evidence was not strong enough to support a required carotenoid intake level because it is not yet known if the health benefits associated with carotenoid-containing foods are due to the carotenoids or to some other substance in the food.

However, the National Academy of Sciences supports the recommendations of various health agencies, which encourage individuals to consume five or more servings of fruits and vegetable every day.

References