What causes high beta-carotene levels?

November 19, 2025 •

3 min read

According to medical sources, excessive consumption of beta-carotene-rich foods is the most common reason for elevated blood levels. This can lead to a condition known as carotenemia, where high beta-carotene levels cause a harmless orange or yellow tint to the skin.

Quick Summary

An overconsumption of certain colorful fruits, vegetables, and supplements is the most frequent culprit behind elevated beta-carotene. Underlying health conditions can also impede its metabolism.

Key Points

Dietary Intake: The most common cause is consuming large quantities of beta-carotene-rich foods, leading to benign skin discoloration.
Supplements: High-dose beta-carotene supplements can elevate levels, and are associated with risks, particularly for smokers.
Metabolic Conditions: Diseases like hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, and anorexia nervosa can impair the body's ability to metabolize beta-carotene.
Liver and Kidney Function: Impaired liver or kidney function can lead to an accumulation of carotenes in the blood.
Genetic Factors: Rare genetic variations can prevent the efficient conversion of beta-carotene to vitamin A, causing it to build up in the body.
Carotenemia vs. Jaundice: The key to distinguishing the harmless yellowing of carotenemia from the potentially serious yellowing of jaundice is the sparing of the sclera (whites of the eyes).

Understanding Beta-Carotene and Carotenemia

Beta-carotene is a lipid-soluble pigment found in many plants that the body can convert into vitamin A. Elevated beta-carotene in the blood is known as hypercarotenemia, which can result in carotenemia, causing the skin to develop a yellow-orange discoloration. This condition is generally benign and can sometimes be mistaken for jaundice. However, identifying the cause is important.

Primary Causes: Dietary Factors

The most frequent cause of elevated beta-carotene levels is consuming excessive amounts of foods rich in the pigment. This is often seen in infants and young children who eat a lot of pureed orange and green vegetables, and in adults on vegetarian diets or those who take excessive supplements. High volume and prolonged intake are key factors, as they can overwhelm the body's conversion process.

Foods Rich in Beta-Carotene:

Vegetables: Carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, butternut squash, kale, spinach, and collard greens.
Fruits: Cantaloupe, apricots, mangoes, and papaya.
Other Sources: Beta-carotene is also found in butter, cheese, and egg yolks.

The Role of Supplements: Excessive use of beta-carotene supplements can also lead to high levels. Unlike dietary sources, supplements can bypass the body's natural absorption regulation, and high-dose supplements, particularly in smokers, have been linked to health risks.

Secondary Causes: Underlying Health Conditions

Sometimes, high beta-carotene levels are not due to diet but indicate an underlying medical issue affecting how the body metabolizes or excretes the pigment.

Metabolic and Endocrine Disorders:

Hypothyroidism: An underactive thyroid can reduce the rate at which beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A.
Diabetes Mellitus: Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes have been associated with increased beta-carotene due to changes in lipid metabolism.
Anorexia Nervosa: This condition can also be linked to hypercarotenemia, potentially due to altered metabolism.

Liver and Kidney Diseases:

Liver Disease: Conditions affecting the liver can impair the metabolism of carotenes.
Kidney Disease: Elevated serum carotene levels can occur in those with kidney dysfunction, including nephrotic syndrome and glomerulonephritis, as these affect excretion.

Genetic and Familial Factors

Rarely, high beta-carotene levels can be caused by genetic factors. Mutations in the BCO1 gene, which is involved in converting beta-carotene to vitamin A, can lead to hypercarotenemia alongside vitamin A deficiency, even with high intake. Some familial cases showing a dominant inheritance pattern have been reported.

Other Contributing Factors

Fat Intake: Increased fat consumption can enhance the absorption of fat-soluble beta-carotene from food.
Breastfeeding: Human milk contains carotene, which can contribute to higher serum levels in breastfed infants.

Carotenemia vs. Jaundice: A Comparison

Distinguishing between carotenemia and jaundice is important because jaundice can signal a serious medical problem. The key differences are highlighted below.


Feature	Carotenemia	Jaundice
Skin Color	Yellow-orange pigmentation.	Distinctly yellow pigmentation.
Sclera (Whites of Eyes)	Unaffected; remain white.	Affected; turn yellow (icterus).
Oral Mucosa	Unaffected.	Affected; can turn yellow.
Cause	Excessive dietary beta-carotene or underlying metabolic issues.	Excess bilirubin, often from liver disease.
Associated Symptoms	Asymptomatic, aside from skin discoloration.	Often accompanied by other symptoms like fatigue, nausea, or dark urine.
Serology	High serum beta-carotene, normal liver function tests.	High serum bilirubin, often abnormal liver function tests.

Conclusion

Elevated beta-carotene levels are most often a harmless result of eating large amounts of foods rich in this pigment. For most individuals, reducing intake of these foods resolves the skin discoloration. However, it's important to recognize that underlying medical conditions like hypothyroidism, diabetes, liver disease, or kidney disease can also cause carotenemia. Rare genetic conditions affecting beta-carotene conversion are also possible. Anyone with persistent skin discoloration should consult a healthcare provider to rule out serious issues like jaundice and determine the specific cause. For further reading on beta-carotene metabolism, refer to the National Institutes of Health website.

Note: While dietary intake is generally safe, high-dose beta-carotene supplements should be used cautiously, especially by smokers, due to potential links to increased cancer risk in some studies.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most common cause is excessive and prolonged dietary intake of beta-carotene-rich foods such as carrots, sweet potatoes, and leafy greens.

The key difference is that carotenemia only causes yellowing of the skin, especially on the palms and soles, while jaundice also causes yellowing of the sclera (the whites of the eyes).

High beta-carotene levels from dietary intake are generally considered harmless. However, high-dose beta-carotene supplements have been linked to increased cancer risk in smokers and individuals with a history of asbestos exposure.

Several medical conditions can cause high beta-carotene levels, including hypothyroidism, diabetes, liver disease, and kidney disease.

For diet-induced carotenemia, reducing the intake of beta-carotene-rich foods and supplements will cause the levels to drop over several weeks to months.

Diet-induced carotenemia in infants, often caused by pureed vegetables, is benign and resolves once the dietary intake is normalized.

Yes, some rare genetic disorders involving mutations in the BCO1 gene can lead to an inability to convert beta-carotene to vitamin A, causing it to accumulate.