Mixed-Carotenoid Supplement May Benefit Obese Children

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A pilot study recently published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism¹ showed that a supplement containing EVTene, a mixed-carotenoid complex extracted from palm fruit and marketed by ExcelVite (Perak, Malaysia), effectively modulated abdominal adiposity and levels of cell-signaling proteins known as adipokines in obese children.

In the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention trial, 20 children with “simple obesity” (defined as body mass index, or BMI, at or above the 90^th percentile) and a mean age of 10.5 years received either two tablets of a mixed-carotenoid supplement (MCS; brand name CarotenAll, Jarrow Formulas, Los Angeles) or a placebo daily for six months. Each supplement tablet delivered 500 µg alpha-carotene from EVTene, 1200 µg beta-carotene, 10 mg lutein, 2 mg zeaxanthin, 10 mg lycopene, 500 µg astaxanthin, and 10 mg gamma-tocopherol.

Following the supplementation period, physical measurements and blood tests to assess key biomarkers were taken from both the MCS and placebo groups. Analysis showed that, compared to the placebo group, the MCS cohort displayed reduced BMI z-score and WHtR (waist-to-height ratio); stable HOMA-2 (homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance-2); and elevated levels of beta-carotene, total adiponectin, and HMW-ADI (high-molecular-weight adiponectin).

CheeYen Lau, nutritionist at ExcelVite, said in a press release, “Adiponectin is a hormone that regulates body metabolic processes, and generally obese people have lower plasma adiponectin than non-obese people.” As such, the positive association between beta-carotene levels and total adiponectin at baseline-as well as the negative association between beta-carotene levels and waist circumference, WHtR, visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT)-were notable results of the pilot trial.

“This is definitely interesting, as elevated adiponectin is thought to help enhance insulin sensitivity, mitigate inflammatory processes, and promote heart-healthy effects,” Lau said in the release. And although the study’s authors mention the need for further research to confirm the results, they suggested that long-term supplementation with mixed carotenes may help regulate metabolic health in obese children.

With 33% alpha-carotene, 66% beta-carotene, and small amounts of lycopene, gamma-carotene, and other carotenoids, EVTene has a carotenoid profile similar to that found in carrots, says ExcelVite.

References:

1. Canas JA et al., “Effects of mixed carotenoids on adipokines and abdominal adiposity in children: a pilot study,” The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, vol. 102, no. 5 (2017): 1-8