Carotenoid bioavailability

Abstract

Vitamin A and its derivatives, known as retinoids (of animal origin), and the provitamin A compounds, called carotenoids (of vegetable origin), are important for the prevention of cancer, chronic diseases and vitamin A deficiency related diseases. It is therefore important to know about the absorption, metabolism, transferal and storing of these compounds in human beings. Given the complexity of using human models in order to study the bioavailability of carotenoids from natural and synthetic sources, animal models have been recently developed and have led to significant advances in areas little understood before. This review tries to give the fullest information about this nutrient's pharmacokinetics and metabolism so that people interested in this area can use the most appropiate model available.