Having yellow feet is generally due to an excess of carotenoids in the body. On rare occasions, it may be due to pathological situations.
Carotenes are pigments present in many foods, especially yellow or red fruits and vegetables such as carrots, oranges, sweet potatoes, etc. and yellow feet are usually due to hypercarotinemia (excess carotene in the body). The most common is that it is a benign disease, a transitory state with no other significance than aesthetics. On rare occasions, it can be due to pathological situations, although we insist that the most common is that it is a benign disease.
What Causes The Yellow Color Of The Feet
We do not have to lose our cool when we realize that we have a yellowish coloration on our feet, since in most cases it does not indicate any serious pathology. It is a disorder that does not entail any symptoms apart from that yellowish coloration, which usually affects the soles of the feet and hands, without staining the mucous membranes or the sclera of the eyes, etc.
Main Causes Of Hypercarotinemia Or Yellow Feet
- Primary, due to increased intake of carotenes.
- Secondary, due to underlying diseases that increase blood carotenes, such as hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, nephrotic syndrome, renal failure, liver dysfunction, and anorexia nervosa.
In hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, and liver dysfunction, hypercarotinemia is caused by the conversion of beta-carotene to retinol and the associated increase in serum lipids. In nephrotic syndrome, the cause must be sought in the increase in serum lipids; and in renal failure in the decrease in the excretion of carotenes.
Anemia can also cause this yellowish coloration but it is usually paler and less conspicuous.
Diagnosis And Treatment
In the event that we observe this change in color on the soles of the feet or hands, the first thing to do is to stay calm since it is normal for it to be due to the intake of carotenoids and it is a situation that does not carry any health risk. What we do recommend is to visit the doctor so that, after anamnesis and review of the diet, they can detect if it is due to an excessive intake of carotenes and rule out a secondary cause through laboratory tests or other complementary tests and, if this is detected secondary cause, to be able to indicate the most appropriate treatment.
There are some home remedies such as soaking your feet for at least 20 minutes in warm water with bicarbonate or hydrogen peroxide, but what is medically recommended is that you go to the doctor's office in a calm and leisurely manner, without stress or urgency because, as we remark, it is an overall benign situation.
What you should know…
- If we observe this change in color on the soles of the feet or hands, the first thing to do is to stay calm since it is normal for it to be due to the intake of carotenoids and it is a situation that does not carry any health risk.
- Carotenes are pigments present in many foods, especially yellow or red fruits and vegetables such as carrots, oranges, sweet potatoes, etc. and yellow feet are generally due to hypercarotinemia (excess carotene in the body).
- Anemia can also cause this yellowish coloration but it is usually paler and less conspicuous.
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