Totally unable to convert beta-caroten?

[Ippodrom47]

Hi! That's a copy of my post on Grant's forum. I really need some advice.
My December 2021 blood beta carotene test result was 527 (reference 100-850), that's after abstaining from all beta-carotene rich foods, such as carrots, squash, mangoes, tomatoes, spices and leafy greens for several months after a severe case of carotenemia. My skin color had become normal by that time. Since then, I've been eating mainly buckwheat, white rice and noodles, white meat and some beef and eggs, a bit of nuts and seeds, bananas.

My beta-carotene as of March 8th, 2022 is 562, so it's gone a bit higher, despite the fact I consume only trace amounts from the aforementioned diet.

Is it possible that my body simply refuses to convert any beta-carotene to retinol, so it just stays in my blood, making me feel like crap? I don't think I have a vitamin B12 deficiency, given the fact I eat meat on a regular basis (although not too much due to hemochromatosis issues).

 

[youngsinatra]

In humans the main site of carotenoid and β-carotene storage is the adipose tissue. Retinol esters are primarily stored in the liver.

Some people who do vitamin A elimination frequently observe even higher serum vitamin A levels than their baseline level after 4-6 months into the process, as the bodily stores are slowly released and gotten rid off through the biliary system.

Do you measured your serum vitamin A aswell?

 

[Ippodrom47]

Do you measured your serum vitamin A aswell?

Yep, my serum retinol and retinil palmitate were okay. I know that measuring blood vitamin A levels is not reliable. Also, I had vitamin A toxicity several years ago from eating too much beef and chicken liver and cod liver, and then I exacerbated that by eating lots of carrots and greens. Prior to that, I had no issues with either retinol or carotene. Thanks!

 

[aliml]

The BCO1 gene produces the enzyme responsible for converting beta-carotene into vitamin A, which is enhanced by the presence of bile salts and thyroxine. A missense mutation in this enzyme leads to elevated beta-carotene levels and mild vitamin A deficiency.

Beta-carotene 15,15'-dioxygenase - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[aniciete]

Is it possible that my body simply refuses to convert any beta-carotene to retinol, so it just stays in my blood, making me feel like crap? I don't think I have a vitamin B12 deficiency, given the fact I eat meat on a regular basis

Have you figured this out?

 

[Ippodrom47]

Have you figured this out?

Still struggling, unfortunately. Do you happen to have a similar issue?

 

[aniciete]

Yes I think I have issues with beta carotene and possibly retinol. My calluses are orange and I have flaky skin that gets worse whenever I consume anything with a decent amount of carotene. I’ve never had blood panels done but around 1.5 years ago I was eating lots of carrots and sweet potatoes. I stopped sweet potatoes a year ago and switched to eating upwards to a pound of beef liver a week. This winter is when I started having most of my issues accelerate.

 

[youngsinatra]

Yes I think I have issues with beta carotene and possibly retinol. My calluses are orange and I have flaky skin that gets worse whenever I consume anything with a decent amount of carotene. I’ve never had blood panels done but around 1.5 years ago I was eating lots of carrots and sweet potatoes. I stopped sweet potatoes a year ago and switched to eating upwards to a pound of beef liver a week. This winter is when I started having most of my issues accelerate.

For how long did you consume a pound of beef liver per week?

I know someone who came off the paleolithic ketogenic diet (PKD) by paleomedicina, who recommend up to 400g of beef liver per week.

He told me that he felt well for a few weeks and then something felt off, but he continued on it for almost 6 months. Until all hell broke loose in terms of symptoms and health problems.
He had a very high serum retinol on his blood test and is on a low-vitamin A diet since then.

 

[aniciete]

For how long did you consume a pound of beef liver per week?

I know someone who came off the paleolithic ketogenic diet (PKD) by paleomedicina, who recommend up to 400g of beef liver per week.

He told me that he felt well for a few weeks and then something felt off, but he continued on it for almost 6 months. Until all hell broke loose in terms of symptoms and health problems.
He had a very high serum retinol on his blood test and is on a low-vitamin A diet since then.

Probably almost 2 months last year and then I transitioned into eating 4oz twice a week, so half a pound. I think I didn’t notice any negatives because I was living in the desert at the time and was in the sun everyday. As soon as November hit, I moved up north and I started having more and more problems. I started getting them from milk, cheese, eggs, and liver was the worst. Even a 1-2oz piece of liver would make me have dark under eye circles and chills within 15 mins of eating it. Flakiness everywhere, facial redness, fatigue, low cognitive function, cold hands and feet, and when I make a fist my hand doesn’t return to its normal color for more than 5 seconds.

 

[youngsinatra]

Probably almost 2 months last year and then I transitioned into eating 4oz twice a week, so half a pound. I think I didn’t notice any negatives because I was living in the desert at the time and was in the sun everyday. As soon as November hit, I moved up north and I started having more and more problems. I started getting them from milk, cheese, eggs, and liver was the worst. Even a 1-2oz piece of liver would make me have dark under eye circles and chills within 15 mins of eating it. Flakiness everywhere, facial redness, fatigue, low cognitive function, cold hands and feet, and when I make a fist my hand doesn’t return to its normal color for more than 5 seconds.

***t, I know those symptoms too well.

 

[aniciete]

***t, I know those symptoms too well.

Any advice on what I should do next?

 

[Ippodrom47]

Probably almost 2 months last year and then I transitioned into eating 4oz twice a week, so half a pound. I think I didn’t notice any negatives because I was living in the desert at the time and was in the sun everyday. As soon as November hit, I moved up north and I started having more and more problems. I started getting them from milk, cheese, eggs, and liver was the worst. Even a 1-2oz piece of liver would make me have dark under eye circles and chills within 15 mins of eating it. Flakiness everywhere, facial redness, fatigue, low cognitive function, cold hands and feet, and when I make a fist my hand doesn’t return to its normal color for more than 5 seconds.

Hi! Are you on a low-vit A diet right now? Were you getting those symptoms after just a single egg, for instance?

 

[maillol]

The BCO1 gene produces the enzyme responsible for converting beta-carotene into vitamin A, which is enhanced by the presence of bile salts and thyroxine. A missense mutation in this enzyme leads to elevated beta-carotene levels and mild vitamin A deficiency.

Beta-carotene 15,15'-dioxygenase - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Fascinating. If you have a gene report the relevant SNP is rs6564851.

Common SNP rs6564851 in the BCO1 Gene Affects the Circulating Levels of β-Carotene and the Daily Intake of Carotenoids in Healthy Japanese Women

The circulating levels of β-carotene are modulated not only by sex, but also by autosomal gene variations and fruit intake. The aim of this study was to investigate the interactions between β-carotene metabolism-related gene single nucleotide ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

"The average concentrations of serum β-carotene in the rs6564851 GG homozygotes (the SNP of the BCO1 gene) in total, males and females were significantly higher than those in the T allele carriers (p = 0.003, 0.039 and 0.027, respectively), showing that the GG homozygotes had a 2-fold higher serum β-carotene level compared with that of T allele carriers."

Turns out this is me, I am a GG carrier.

 

[Ippodrom47]

Fascinating. If you have a gene report the relevant SNP is rs6564851.

Common SNP rs6564851 in the BCO1 Gene Affects the Circulating Levels of β-Carotene and the Daily Intake of Carotenoids in Healthy Japanese Women

The circulating levels of β-carotene are modulated not only by sex, but also by autosomal gene variations and fruit intake. The aim of this study was to investigate the interactions between β-carotene metabolism-related gene single nucleotide ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

"The average concentrations of serum β-carotene in the rs6564851 GG homozygotes (the SNP of the BCO1 gene) in total, males and females were significantly higher than those in the T allele carriers (p = 0.003, 0.039 and 0.027, respectively), showing that the GG homozygotes had a 2-fold higher serum β-carotene level compared with that of T allele carriers."

Turns out this is me, I am a GG carrier.

I'm GT heterozygous for it.