Absorption and Distribution Kinetics of the 13C-Labeled Tomato Carotenoid Phytoene in Healthy Adults.

Although only differing from lycopene by 4 double bonds, phytoene exhibits markedly different kinetic characteristics in human plasma, providing insight into metabolic processes contributing to phytoene enrichment in plasma and tissues compared with lycopene. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01692340.