A Reflection-Spectroscopy Measured Skin Carotenoid Score Strongly Correlates With Plasma Concentrations of All Major Dietary Carotenoid Species Except for Lycopene

Authors

• Qiang Wu
• Cheryl Webb Cherry
• Stephanie Jilcott Pitts
• Melissa N Laska
• Neal Craft
• Nancy E Moran

Language

English

Publication Date

1-1-2025

Journal

Nutrition Research

DOI

10.1016/j.nutres.2024.11.010

PMID

39721110

PMCID

PMC11748508

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

1-1-2026

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Author MSS

Abstract

Skin carotenoids can be measured non-invasively using spectroscopy methods to provide a biomarker of total dietary carotenoid and carotenoid-rich fruit and vegetable intake. However, the degree to which skin carotenoid biomarkers reflect intakes of specific carotenoids must be determined for specific devices. Previously, findings were mixed regarding the correlation between reflection spectroscopy (RS)-assessed skin carotenoids and individual plasma carotenoid concentrations. The current study expands on prior analyses to examine the cross-sectional associations between adult RS-assessed skin carotenoids and individual carotenoid species intakes and plasma concentrations, controlling for potential covariates. We hypothesized that RS-assessed skin carotenoid scores would strongly correlate with all major plasma carotenoid species other than lycopene. Cross-sectional data from 2 prior studies (n = 213 and n = 162) examining the validity and sensitivity of RS-assessed skin carotenoids as a biomarker of fruit and vegetable intake were used. Skin carotenoids were assessed using the Veggie Meter, which quantifies combined skin carotenoid concentrations. Plasma concentrations of α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, and lutein and zeaxanthin were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. Self-reported carotenoid intake was estimated from validated food frequency questionnaires. Skin carotenoid scores correlated moderately to strongly with individual plasma carotenoid species (Pearson's r = 0.52 to r = 0.78) except for lycopene (r = 0.04 to r = 0.07). Low correlations between skin carotenoid score and lycopene plasma concentrations and intake could be due to differential deposition, preferential oxidation/degradation, and/or device measurement bias. Validating skin carotenoid measurement techniques relative to other concentration biomarkers informs the interpretation of skin carotenoid biomarkers.

Keywords

Carotenoids, Humans, Skin, Adult, Male, Female, Biomarkers, Vegetables, Fruit, Middle Aged, Lycopene, Cross-Sectional Studies, Diet, Spectrum Analysis, Young Adult, fruits, vegetables, skin carotenoids, lycopene, β-carotene

Published Open-Access

yes

Recommended Citation

Wu, Qiang; Cherry, Cheryl Webb; Jilcott Pitts, Stephanie; et al., "A Reflection-Spectroscopy Measured Skin Carotenoid Score Strongly Correlates With Plasma Concentrations of All Major Dietary Carotenoid Species Except for Lycopene" (2025). Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications. 393.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/staff_pub/393