Nutrition and Diet: What Vitamin Is Associated With Carotenemia?

October 7, 2025 •

3 min read

Did you know that consuming a high intake of certain fruits and vegetables can turn your skin an orange-yellow hue? This benign condition, known as carotenemia, is most often linked to an excessive amount of beta-carotene, which is a provitamin A.

Quick Summary

Carotenemia is a benign condition characterized by orange-yellow skin pigmentation due to high blood levels of beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A. It primarily results from excessive dietary intake of carotene-rich foods and resolves by reducing consumption.

Key Points

Precursor to Vitamin A: Carotenemia is caused by high blood levels of beta-carotene, a provitamin that the body converts into vitamin A.
Excess Beta-Carotene: The condition is a result of excessive intake of carotene-rich foods and supplements.
Skin-Deep Effect: Excess beta-carotene accumulates in fat tissues and the outer layer of the skin, causing a harmless orange or yellow tint.
Distinguishable from Jaundice: Unlike jaundice, carotenemia does not affect the whites of the eyes (sclera), which is a key diagnostic difference.
Resolves with Dietary Changes: For diet-related cases, managing carotenemia is as simple as reducing the consumption of carotene-rich foods.
Underlying Medical Causes: In rare instances, carotenemia can be linked to other health conditions, such as hypothyroidism, diabetes, or liver and kidney diseases.

The Link Between Diet and Skin Discoloration

Carotenemia is a harmless condition causing yellow-orange skin discoloration due to excessive consumption of carotenoid-rich foods, particularly beta-carotene. Unlike jaundice, which is a more serious condition involving yellowing of the skin and eyes, carotenemia does not affect the whites of the eyes (sclera). The orange color results from excess carotene depositing in the outer skin layer, especially noticeable on the palms, soles, and nasolabial folds.

What Is Beta-Carotene? The Provitamin A Connection

Beta-carotene is a common provitamin A carotenoid and a powerful antioxidant found in plants. The body converts provitamins like beta-carotene into vitamin A (retinol) in the intestines and liver. This conversion is regulated, preventing vitamin A toxicity (hypervitaminosis A) even with high beta-carotene intake. Excess beta-carotene not converted is stored in fat tissues, including the skin, causing the yellow-orange hue.

Carotenoids vs. Vitamin A

It is important to differentiate between carotenoids and preformed vitamin A. Carotenoids are plant pigments with antioxidant properties, while preformed vitamin A comes from animal products. Carotenemia is caused by an excess of these plant pigments, not from an excess of vitamin A itself.

Causes of Elevated Carotene Levels

Excessive dietary intake of carotene-rich foods is the main cause of carotenemia, especially in young children and those with diets high in certain fruits and vegetables. Vegetarians may also be more susceptible. Common culprits include carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, mangoes, cantaloupe, and dark leafy greens.

Less commonly, underlying health issues can contribute to carotenemia by affecting carotene conversion or metabolism. These include hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, liver and kidney disease, anorexia nervosa, and rare genetic conditions.

Carotenemia vs. Jaundice: A Comparison

Distinguishing carotenemia from jaundice is important. Here is a comparison of key differences:


Feature	Carotenemia	Jaundice
Cause	Excess beta-carotene intake or metabolic issues.	High bilirubin levels due to liver or other issues.
Skin Color	Yellow-orange, especially on palms, soles, face.	Yellowing of skin and mucous membranes.
Eye Color	Sclera remain white.	Sclera become yellow (scleral icterus).
Systemic Symptoms	Typically asymptomatic.	Often includes fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain.
Treatment	Dietary changes.	Based on underlying cause; medical treatment required.

Managing Carotenemia with Dietary Adjustments

The primary treatment for diet-induced carotenemia is reducing the consumption of foods and supplements high in carotene. A balanced diet with moderate intake of various colorful fruits and vegetables is recommended. The skin color should return to normal over several weeks or months as carotene levels decrease. Consulting a nutritionist can help create a suitable diet plan.

The Importance of Variety

A diverse diet ensures a broad range of nutrients and prevents excessive intake of any single carotenoid. Dark green leafy vegetables are also good sources of beta-carotene, not just orange foods. If skin discoloration persists or is accompanied by other symptoms, seek medical advice to rule out other conditions.

Conclusion

Carotenemia is associated with vitamin A through its precursor, beta-carotene. This benign condition, marked by an orange-yellow skin tint, results from high beta-carotene intake and is distinct from jaundice. It is managed by moderating the consumption of carotene-rich foods, allowing skin color to normalize while maintaining a healthy diet.

Visit the National Library of Medicine for more information on carotenemia

Frequently Asked Questions

The orange discoloration in carotenemia is caused by an excess of beta-carotene in the bloodstream. The fat-soluble beta-carotene is deposited in the outermost layer of the skin, leading to the visible pigmentation.

No, dietary carotenemia does not lead to vitamin A toxicity (hypervitaminosis A). The body regulates the conversion of beta-carotene to vitamin A, and any excess beta-carotene is stored in the skin and fatty tissues instead of being converted.

The skin discoloration from diet-induced carotenemia will fade over several weeks to months after reducing the intake of carotene-rich foods. Because carotene is fat-soluble, it takes time for the body to excr.ete the excess pigment.

Many orange and yellow fruits and vegetables are rich in beta-carotene, including carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and cantaloupe. Dark leafy greens like spinach and kale are also excellent sources.

Carotenemia caused by dietary intake is a benign and harmless condition. There are no serious health consequences, and the skin discoloration is the only symptom.

The key difference is that carotenemia does not cause yellowing of the sclera (whites of the eyes), while jaundice does. Jaundice also often presents with other symptoms like fatigue and nausea, whereas dietary carotenemia is typically asymptomatic.

No, a complete elimination is not necessary. The recommended action is to reduce the excessive intake of very high-carotene foods and focus on a more balanced diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables.