Sensitivity of Pressure-Mediated Reflection Spectroscopy to Detect Changes in Skin Carotenoids in Adults Without Obesity in Response to Increased Carotenoid Intake: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Shanon L Casperson; James N Roemmich; Kate J Larson; Julie M Hess; Daniel G Palmer; Lisa Jahns

doi:10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.01.002

Sensitivity of Pressure-Mediated Reflection Spectroscopy to Detect Changes in Skin Carotenoids in Adults Without Obesity in Response to Increased Carotenoid Intake: A Randomized Controlled Trial

J Nutr. 2023 Feb;153(2):588-597. doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.01.002. Epub 2023 Jan 6.

Authors

Shanon L Casperson¹, James N Roemmich², Kate J Larson², Julie M Hess², Daniel G Palmer², Lisa Jahns³

Affiliations

¹ USDA Agricultural Research Services, Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center, Grand Forks, ND, USA. Electronic address: shanon.casperson@usda.gov.
² USDA Agricultural Research Services, Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center, Grand Forks, ND, USA.
³ USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Division of Nutrition, Kansas City, MO, USA.

PMID: 36894250
DOI: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.01.002

Abstract

Background: The sensitivity of commercially available devices to detect changes in skin carotenoids is not known.

Objectives: We aimed to determine the sensitivity of pressure-mediated reflection spectroscopy (RS) to detect changes in skin carotenoids in response to increasing carotenoid intake.

Methods: Nonobese adults were randomly assigned to a control (water; n = 20; females = 15 (75%); mean age: 31 ± 3 (SE) y; mean BMI: 26 ± 1 kg/m²) or one of 3 carotenoid intake levels: 1) LOW - 13.1 mg; n = 22; females = 18(82%); age: 33 ± 3 y; BMI: 25 ± 1 kg/m²; 2) MED - 23.9 mg; n = 22; females = 17 (77%); age: 30 ± 2 y; BMI: 26 ± 1 kg/m²); or 3) HIGH - 31.0 mg; n = 19; females = 9 (47%); age: 33 ± 3 y; BMI: 24 ± 1 kg/m². A commercial vegetable juice was provided daily to ensure that the additional carotenoid intake was achieved. Skin carotenoids (RS intensity [RSI]) were measured weekly. Plasma carotenoid concentrations were assessed at wk 0, 4, and 8. Mixed models were used to test the effect of treatment, time, and their interaction. Correlation matrices from mixed models were used to determine the correlation between plasma and skin carotenoids.

Results: A correlation was observed between skin and plasma carotenoids (r = 0.65; P < 0.001). Skin carotenoids were greater than baseline starting at week 1 in the HIGH (290 ± 20 vs. 321 ± 24 RSI; P ≤ 0.01), week 2 in the MED (274 ± 18 vs. 290 ± 23 RSI; P ≤ 0.03), and week 3 in the LOW (261 ± 18 vs. 288 ± 15 RSI; P ≤ 0.03). Compared with control, differences in skin carotenoids were observed starting at week 2 in the HIGH ([268 ± 16 vs. 338 ± 26 RSI; P ≤ 0.01] except for week 3 [287 ± 20 vs. 335 ± 26 RSI; P = 0.08]) and week 6 in the MED (303 ± 26 vs. 363 ± 27 RSI; P ≤ 0.03). No differences were observed between the control and LOW.

Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that RS can detect changes in skin carotenoids in adults without obesity when daily carotenoid intake is increased by 13.1 mg for a minimum of 3 wk. However, a minimum difference in intake of 23.9 mg of carotenoids is needed to detect group differences. This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT03202043.

Keywords: Veggie Meter; biomarker; nutrition assessment; skin carotenoids; vegetable intake.

Published by Elsevier Inc.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Adult
Carotenoids*
Diet*
Female
Fruit / chemistry
Humans
Obesity
Skin
Spectrum Analysis, Raman / methods
Vegetables

Substances

Carotenoids

Associated data

ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT03202043