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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #150077
Title: MODERATE ANTIOXIDANT SUPPLEMENTATION HAS NO EFFECT ON BIOMARKERS OF OXIDANT DAMAGE IN HEALTHY MEN WITH LOW FRUIT AND VEGETABLE INTAKES

Author
item JACOB, ROBERT - WESTERN HNRC
item AIELLO, GIOVANNA - WESTERN HNRC
item STEPHENSON, CHARLES - WESTERN HNRC
item BLUMBERG, JEFFREY - HNRCA
item MILBURY, PAUL - HNRCA
item WALLOCK, LYNN - CHILDREN'S HOSP, OAKLAND
item AMES, BRUCE - CHILDREN'S HOSP, OAKLAND

Submitted to: Journal of Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/13/2002
Publication Date: 3/1/2003
Citation: JACOB,R.A., AIELLO,G.M., STEPHENSON,C.B., BLUMBERG,J.B., MILBURY,P.E., WALLOCK,L.M., AMES,B.N., MODERATE ANTIOXIDANT SUPPLEMENTATION HAS NO EFFECT ON BIOMARKERS OF OXIDANT DAMAGE IN HEALTHY MEN WITH LOW FRUIT AND VEGETABLE INTAKES, JOURNAL OF NUTRITION, 2003:133:740-3.

Interpretive Summary: Epidemiological studies show that increased consumption of fruits and vegetables are associated with a decreased risk of chronic degenerative diseases including cardiovascular disease and cancer. Antioxidants in fruits and vegetables may decrease the risk of chronic diseases by protecting DNA, lipids, and proteins against oxidative damage that appears to initiate or promote processes linked to these conditions. We studied biomarkers of oxidative injury in healthy men whose typical diet contained few fruits and vegetables and who were either smokers or non-smokers. The subjects were randomized to receive either a placebo or supplement containing vitamins C and E and folic acid. One biomarker of lipid peroxidation was found to be significantly greater in the smokers than non-smokers. The supplement increased blood levels of vitamins C and E but had no effect on the biomarkers of oxidative stress which were determined. Thus, in healthy young men, the endogenous antioxidant defense system and a modest intake of dietary antioxidants appear adequate to minimize levels of oxidant damage as detected by current methods.

Technical Abstract: To determine the effect of moderate antioxidant intake on biomarkers of oxidant damage, we assessed in vivo lipid and protein oxidation in 75 healthy men (age 20-50 y) who were randomized to receive a daily placebo or antioxidant supplement (250 mg vitamin C, 30 mg all-rac-alpha-tocopherol, and 400 ug folic acid) with their usual diet for 90d. Fasting blood and urine specimens were taken at baseline (T-0) and the end of the study (T90) for determination of plasma and urine TBARS, plasma protein carbonyls, and urine F2-total and 8-isoprostanes. Urine TBARS was the only marker which showed a significant difference (P<0.05) at T-0 between the 39 non-smokers (mean±sd = 1.91±0.39) and 36 smokers (2.19±0.74 umol/g creatinine). Supplement treatment significantly increased plasma ascorbate and tocopherol, but had no effect on the four oxidant biomarkers, mean±sd at T-0 and T90 being: 0.43±0.14 and 0.46±0.17 uM for plasma TBARS; 0.47±0.22 and 0.47±0.26 nmol protein carbonyls/mg protein; and 16.7±11.2 and 19.1±19.3 ng F2-isoprostanes/mg creatinine. Moderate antioxidant intake similar to that obtained from high fruit and vegetable consumption did not reduce markers of oxidant damage in healthy men, or the markers were not sufficiently sensitive to detect a difference.