Antioxidants
Prevention and Treatment of Alzheimer Disease and Aging: Antioxidants
1: Mini Rev Med Chem. 2007 Feb;7(2):171-80.
Prevention and treatment of Alzheimer disease and aging: antioxidants.
- Liu Q, Xie F, Rolston R, Moreira PI, Nunomura A, Zhu X, Smith MA, Perry G.
Department of Ophthalmology, University of California-San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive #0946, La Jolla, CA 92093-0946, USA. quliu@ucsd.edu
There is considerable evidence showing that oxidative damage is one of the earliest neuronal and pathological changes of Alzheimer disease and many, if not all, of the etiological and pathological causes of the disease are related, directly or indirectly, to free radical production and oxidative damage. Here we summarize the current body of knowledge suggestive that oxidative damage is, if not the key factor, certainly a major factor in Alzheimer disease. As such, therapeutic modalities encompassing antioxidants may be an effective approach to the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and delay the aging process.
PMID: 17305591 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Influence of habitual diet on antioxidant status: a study in a population of vegetarians and omnivores
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition advance online publication 14 February 2007; doi: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602615
Influence of habitual diet on antioxidant status: a study in a population of vegetarians and omnivores
Guarantor: IR Rowland.
Contributors: The study was designed and supervised by IRR, YAB, SH, JP, JF. IB contributed to statistical design and PJR contributed to nutritional assessment design. SH was the primary conduct of this study and carried out the blood sample analyses, data interpretation and preparation the manuscript. All authors contributed to the revision of this manuscript.
S Haldar1, I R Rowland1, Y A Barnett1,3, I Bradbury1, P J Robson1,4, J Powell2 and J Fletcher2
- 1Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine, County Londonderry, UK
- 2Unilever Research, Colworth Laboratory, Sharnbrook, Bedford, UK
- 3College of Science and Technology, The Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Campus, Nottingham, UK
- 4Division of Population Health and Information, Alberta Cancer Board, Calgary, AB, Canada
Correspondence: Dr S Haldar, Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine, County Londonderry, BT52 1SA, UK. E-mail: s.haldar@ulster.ac.uk
Received 3 July 2006; Revised 15 November 2006; Accepted 15 November 2006; Published online 14 February 2007.
Abstract
Background:
Antioxidant status can be used as a biomarker to assess chronic disease risk and diet can modulate antioxidant defence.
Objective:
To examine effects of vegetarian diet and variations in the habitual intakes of foods and nutrients on blood antioxidants.
Subjects and Setting:
Thirty-one vegetarians (including six vegans) and 58 omnivores, non-smokers, in Northern Ireland.
Design:
A diet history method was used to assess habitual diet. Antioxidant vitamins, carotenoids, uric acid, zinc- and ferric-reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) were measured in fasting plasma and activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) and level of reduced glutathione (GSH) were measured in erythrocytes.
Results:
Vegetarians had approximately 15% higher levels of plasma carotenoids compared with omnivores, including lutein (P
0.05), 
-cryptoxanthin P
0.05), lycopene (NS), 
-carotene (NS) and 
-carotene (NS). The levels/activities of all other antioxidants measured were similar between vegetarians and omnivores. Total intake of fruits, vegetables and fruit juices was positively associated with plasma levels of several carotenoids and vitamin C. Intake of vegetables was positively associated with plasma lutein, 
-cryptoxanthin, 
-carotene and 
-carotene, whereas intake of fruits was positively associated with plasma 
-cryptoxanthin. Intake of tea and wine was positively associated with FRAP value, whereas intake of herbal tea associated positively with plasma vitamin C. Intakes of meat and fish were positively associated with plasma uric acid and FRAP value.
Conclusions:
The overall antioxidant status was similar between vegetarians and omnivores. Good correlations were found between intakes of carotenoids and their respective status in blood
Fruit and vegetable consumption, intake of micronutrients, and benign prostatic hyperplasia in US men
1: Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Feb;85(2):523-9.
Fruit and vegetable consumption, intake of micronutrients, and benign prostatic hyperplasia in US men.
Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
BACKGROUND: Nutrients with antioxidant properties or that influence cell growth and differentiation might reduce the risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). OBJECTIVE: The objective was to evaluate the association of fruit, vegetable, and micronutrient intakes with BPH. DESIGN: The participants were members of the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study and were aged 46-81 y in 1992. In 1992 and biennially thereafter, the men reported having surgery for an enlarged prostate, and in 1992 and on 3 subsequent questionnaires they completed the American Urological Association symptom index (AUASI). BPH cases were men who reported having surgery or who had an AUASI score of 15-35 (n = 6092). Control subjects were men who had not had surgery and never had an AUASI score >7 (n = 18 373). Men with a score of 8-14 were excluded (n = 7800). Intakes of fruit, vegetables, and antioxidants were assessed with a food-frequency questionnaire in 1986. We calculated odds ratios (ORs) of BPH and 95% CIs using logistic regression. RESULTS: Vegetable consumption was inversely associated with BPH (fifth compared with first quintile-OR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.80, 0.99; P for trend = 0.03), whereas fruit intake was not. Consumption of fruit and vegetables rich in beta-carotene (P for trend = 0.004), lutein (P for trend = 0.0004), or vitamin C (P for trend = 0.05) was inversely related to BPH. With increasing vitamin C intake from foods, men were less likely to have BPH (P for trend = 0.0009). Neither alpha- nor gamma-tocopherol intake from foods was associated with BPH (P for trend = 0.05 and 0.84, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that a diet rich in vegetables may reduce the occurrence of BPH.
PMID: 17284753 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Watercress supplementation in diet reduces lymphocyte DNA damage and alters blood antioxidant status in healthy adults.
1: Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Feb;85(2):504-10.
Watercress supplementation in diet reduces lymphocyte DNA damage and alters blood antioxidant status in healthy adults.
Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, Centre for Molecular Biosciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine, N Ireland, United Kingdom. c.gill@ulster.ac.uk
BACKGROUND: Cruciferous vegetable (CV) consumption is associated with a reduced risk of several cancers in epidemiologic studies. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of watercress (a CV) supplementation on biomarkers related to cancer risk in healthy adults. DESIGN: A single-blind, randomized, crossover study was conducted in 30 men and 30 women (30 smokers and 30 nonsmokers) with a mean age of 33 y (range: 19-55 y). The subjects were fed 85 g raw watercress daily for 8 wk in addition to their habitual diet. The effect of supplementation was measured on a range of endpoints, including DNA damage in lymphocytes (with the comet assay), activity of detoxifying enzymes (glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase) in erythrocytes, plasma antioxidants (retinol, ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol, lutein, and beta-carotene), plasma total antioxidant status with the use of the ferric reducing ability of plasma assay, and plasma lipid profile. RESULTS: Watercress supplementation (active compared with control phase) was associated with reductions in basal DNA damage (by 17%; P = 0.03), in basal plus oxidative purine DNA damage (by 23.9%; P = 0.002), and in basal DNA damage in response to ex vivo hydrogen peroxide challenge (by 9.4%; P = 0.07). Beneficial changes seen after watercress intervention were greater and more significant in smokers than in nonsmokers. Plasma lutein and beta-carotene increased significantly by 100% and 33% (P < 0.001), respectively, after watercress supplementation. CONCLUSION: The results support the theory that consumption of watercress can be linked to a reduced risk of cancer via decreased damage to DNA and possible modulation of antioxidant status by increasing carotenoid concentrations.
PMID: 17284750 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Antioxidants and other nutrients do not interfere with chemotherapy or radiation therapy and can increase kill and increase survival,
1: Altern Ther Health Med. 2007 Jan-Feb;13(1):22-8.
Antioxidants and other nutrients do not interfere with chemotherapy or radiation therapy and can increase kill and increase survival, part 1.
Simone Protective Cancer Institute in Lawrenceville, NJ, USA.
PURPOSE: Some in the oncology community contend that patients undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy should not use food supplement antioxidants and other nutrients. Oncologists at an influential oncology institution contended that antioxidants interfere with radiation and some chemotherapies because those modalities kill by generating free radicals that are neutralized by antioxidants, and that folic acid interferes with methotrexate. This is despite the common use of amifostine and dexrazoxane, 2 prescription antioxidants, during chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. DESIGN: To assess all evidence concerning antioxidant and other nutrients used concomitantly with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy, the MEDLINE and CANCERLIT databases were searched from 1965 to November 2003 using the words vitamins, antioxidants, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Bibliographies of articles were searched. All studies reporting concomitant nutrient use with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy (280 peer-reviewed articles including 62 in vitro and 218 in vivo) were indiscriminately included. RESULTS: Fifty human clinical randomized or observational trials have been conducted, involving 8,521 patients using beta-carotene; vitamins A, C, and E; selenium; cysteine; B vitamins; vitamin D3; vitamin K3; and glutathione as single agents or in combination. CONCLUSIONS: Since the 1970s, 280 peer-reviewed in vitro and in vivo studies, including 50 human studies involving 8,521 patients, 5,081 of whom were given nutrients, have consistently shown that non-prescription antioxidants and other nutrients do not interfere with therapeutic modalities for cancer. Furthermore, they enhance the killing of therapeutic modalities for cancer, decrease their side effects, and protect normal tissue. In 15 human studies, 3,738 patients who took non-prescription antioxidants and other nutrients actually had increased survival.
PMID: 17283738 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
A relationship between basal level of antioxidants (vitamins A, C and E and uric acid) and oxidative DNA damage was assessed.
Marek Foksinski1, Daniel Gackowski1, Rafal Rozalski1, Agnieszka Siomek1, Jolanta Guz1, Anna Szpila1, Tomasz Dziaman1 and Ryszard Olinski1 
(1) |
Dept. of Clinical Biochemistry, Collegium Medicum Nicolaus Copernicus University, Karlowicza 24, 85-092 Bydgoszcz, Poland |
Received: 28 July 2006 Accepted: 21 December 2006 Published online: 30 January 2007
Abstract
Background Vitamins A, E and C, and uric acid, which can scavenge free radicals should also protect DNA from the damage. It is reasonable to assume that agents that decrease oxidative DNA damage should also decrease subsequent cancer development.
Aim of the study A relationship between basal level of antioxidants (vitamins A, C and E and uric acid) and oxidative DNA damage was assessed. For the first time, the broad spectrum of oxidative DNA damage biomarkers: urinary excretion of 8-oxodG, 8-oxoGua and 5HMUra as well as the level of oxidative DNA damage in leukocytes was analyzed in healthy subjects (n = 158).
Methods Using HPLC prepurification/isotope dilution GC/MS methodology, we examined the amount of oxidative DNA damage products excreted into urine and the amount of 8-oxodG in leukocytes’ DNA (with HPLC/EC technique). The level of antioxidant vitamins and uric acid was estimated by HPLC technique with fluorimetric and UV detection.
Results Analyses of relationship between the most common antioxidants (vitamins A, C, E and uric acid) and oxidative DNA damage products reveal weak, statistically significant negative correlation between retinol and all the measured parameters except 5HMUra. Vitamin C negatively correlates with urinary excretion of 8-oxodG and 8-oxoGua. Uric acid revealed statistically significant negative correlation with 8-oxodG in cellular DNA and urinary excretion of 5HMUra, while α-tocopherol correlates negatively only with 8-oxodG in cellular DNA. Good, significant (P < 0.0001), positive correlation (r = 0.61) was noted between urinary levels of the base, 8-oxoGua and the deoxynucleoside, 8-oxodG.
Conclusion Our results suggest that oxidative DNA damage shows limited but significant response to antioxidants analyzed in this study and is more affected by many other cellular functions like antioxidant enzymes or DNA repair enzymes as well as genetics.
Keywords oxidative DNA damage - DNA repair - antioxidant vitamins
Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) as a relevant marker of neuronal degeneration
1: Bratisl Lek Listy. 2006;107(9-10):384-94.
The role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.
Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.
Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) as a relevant marker of neuronal degeneration. However it plays an important role not only in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases but also in other critical disorders like heart diseases, carcinogenesis and others. Oxidative stress is also associated with normal aging. In this review we discuss a crucial question: to what extent oxidative stress may be a causative factor in pathogenesis of AD type of neurodegeneration. The results of several recent epidemiological studies appeared to be controversial at this point. It is believed that antioxidant therapies may have beneficial effects at least in delaying disease progression and appearance of AD specific clinical symptoms. Since there is no cure for AD recently, healthy life style and antioxidants enriched nutrition (or even antioxidant therapy) may provide an effective way of fighting against this deleterious disease (Ref. 102).
PMID: 17262991 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Intakes of Antioxidants in Coffee, Wine, and Vegetables Are Correlated with Plasma Carotenoids in Humans
© 2004 The American Society for Nutritional Sciences J. Nutr. 134:562-567, March 2004
Human Nutrition and Metabolism
Intakes of Antioxidants in Coffee, Wine, and Vegetables Are Correlated with Plasma Carotenoids in Humans1
Arne Svilaas2, Amrit Kaur Sakhi*,2, Lene Frost Andersen*,2, Tone Svilaas, Ellen C. Ström, David R. Jacobs, Jr.*,
, Leiv Ose and Rune Blomhoff*,3
Lipid Clinic, Medical Department, Rikshospitalet, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; * Institute for Nutrition Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; and 
Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
The consumption of fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of major chronic degenerative diseases. The active compounds and the mechanisms involved in this protective effect have not been well defined. The objective of this study was to determine the contribution of various food groups to total antioxidant intake, and to assess the correlations of the total antioxidant intake from various food groups with plasma antioxidants. We collected 7-d weighed dietary records in a group of 61 adults with corresponding plasma samples, and used data from a nationwide survey of 2672 Norwegian adults based on an extensive FFQ. The total intake of antioxidants was 
17 mmol/d with ß-carotene, 
-tocopherol, and vitamin C contributing <10%. The intake of coffee contributed 
11.1 mmol, followed by fruits (1.8 mmol), tea (1.4 mmol), wine (0.8 mmol), cereals (i.e., all grain containing foods; 0.8 mmol), and vegetables (0.4 mmol). The intake of total antioxidants was significantly correlated with plasma lutein, zeaxanthin, and lycopene. Among individual food groups, coffee, wine, and vegetables were significantly correlated with dietary zeaxanthin, ß-carotene, and 
-carotene. These data agree with the hypothesis that dietary antioxidants other than the well-known antioxidants contribute to our antioxidant defense. Surprisingly, the single greatest contributor to the total antioxidant intake was coffee.
Serum Levels of Micronutrients, Antioxidants and Total Antioxidant Status Predict Risk of Breast Cancer in a Case Control Study
2002 The American Society for Nutritional Sciences J. Nutr. 132:303-306, 2002
Research Communication
Serum Levels of Micronutrients, Antioxidants and Total Antioxidant Status Predict Risk of Breast Cancer in a Case Control Study1
Simon Ching, David Ingram*, Roland Hahnel
, John Beilby and Enrico Rossi2
Department of Clinical Biochemistry, PathCentre, Nedlands, Western Australia, 6009, * Breast Centre, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and 
Centre for Molecular Immunology and Instrumentation, University of Western Australia, QE II Medical Centre, Nedlands, Western Australia, 6009
2To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: ric.rossi@health.wa.gov.au .
We performed a case control study to assess the association between serum micronutrient and antioxidant levels and the risk of breast cancer. Newly diagnosed breast cancer cases were recruited before any treatment and matched with controls randomly selected from the electoral roll. Blood samples were collected from 153 breast cancer cases and 151 controls. Serum samples were analyzed for retinol, 
-tocopherol, lycopene, 
- and ß-carotene by HPLC, and total antioxidant status by the Trolox-equivalent antioxidant assay. Serum albumin, bilirubin and uric acid levels were also determined. After adjustment for age at menarche, parity, dietary fat and alcohol intake, we observed the following reductions in odds ratios for breast cancer risk comparing the highest with the lowest quartiles: 0.47 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.24, 0.91] for ß-carotene; 0.53 (CI 0.28, 1.01) for retinol; 0.50 (CI 0.26, 0.97) for bilirubin and 0.47 (CI 0.24, 0.94) for total antioxidant status. We conclude that increased serum levels of ß-carotene, retinol, bilirubin and total antioxidant status are associated with reductions in breast cancer risk.
Dietary Modification and Moderate Antioxidant Supplementation Differentially Affect Serum Carotenoids, Antioxidant Levels and Markers of Oxidative Stress in Older Humans
2003 The American Society for Nutritional Sciences J. Nutr. 133:3117-3123, October 2003
Human Nutrition and Metabolism
Dietary Modification and Moderate Antioxidant Supplementation Differentially Affect Serum Carotenoids, Antioxidant Levels and Markers of Oxidative Stress in Older Humans1,2
Jerusha L. Nelson3, Paul S. Bernstein*,3, Matthew C. Schmidt, Mark S. Von Tress
and E. Wayne Askew
Division of Foods and Nutrition, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84115; * The Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112; and 
Alcon Research, Fort Worth, TX 76134
Oxidative stress is thought to be a factor in the progression of chronic diseases, and even the aging process itself. We examined the effect of two moderate vitamin, mineral and phytochemical supplements and a dietary intervention on markers of oxidative stress and antioxidant status in older humans. Subjects (n = 60, 65–85 y old) were enrolled in a 5-wk, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. The subjects were randomly assigned to a group with one of four interventions: antioxidant supplement capsule, antioxidant supplement tablet, high carotenoid diet or placebo. Postintervention serum levels of some of the supplemented carotenoids and 
-tocopherol were higher in all treated groups compared with the placebo group and with preintervention levels within groups. Markers of oxidative stress or antioxidant capacity were not significantly different from preintervention levels, although the diet and supplement capsule groups had lower levels of some of those markers than the placebo group postintervention. The results suggest that both moderate antioxidant supplementation and a diet high in carotenoids elevate serum carotenoids and antioxidant levels in an older adult population, although with different specific effects.
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1: Br J Nutr. 2004 Jan;91(1):91-100. |
Erratum in:
Br J Nutr. 2004 Apr;91(4):655-6.
Antioxidant supplementation preserves antioxidant response in physical training and low antioxidant intake.
Palazzetti S, Rousseau AS, Richard MJ, Favier A, Margaritis I.
Laboratoire Physiologie des Adaptations, Performance Motrice et Sante, Universite de Nice-Sophia-Antipolis, France.
The present controlled-training double-blind study (supplemented (S) group, n 7; placebo (P) group, n 10) was designed to investigate whether an antioxidant mixture (Se 150 microg, retinyl acetate mg, ascorbic acid 120 mg, alpha-tocopheryl succinate 20 mg) would allow overloaded triathletes to avoid adaptation failure in the antioxidant system [corrected]. Dietary intakes were recorded. The supplement of Se, and vitamins A and E provided 100 % of the French RDA. Four weeks of overloaded training (OT) followed 4 weeks of normal training (NT). After NT and OT, biological studies were conducted at rest and after a duathlon test (run 5 km, cycle 20 km, run 5 km). During the 4-week period of NT, blood levels of GSH levels increased in response to supplementation (P<0.05) and remained elevated during OT. Plasma glutathione peroxidase activity was significantly higher in the S group in all situations after NT and OT (P<0.01). The S group had increased erythrocyte Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase activity in response to OT (P<0.05). Supplementation significantly reduced (P<0.05) the magnitude in duathlon-induced creatine kinase isoenzyme MB mass increase, which tended to be higher with OT (P=0.09). We conclude that the antioxidant mixture helped to preserve the antioxidant system during an OT-induced stress in subjects with initially low antioxidant intakes. Effects of supplementation during NT and/or OT are shown mostly by the alleviated muscle damage. The effects of the antioxidant mixture were observed for doses that can be provided by a diversified and well-balanced diet. The maintenance of normal nutritional status with regard to the antioxidant intake (Se, vitamins C and E) plays a key role in antioxidant adaptive effects during NT and OT.
Publication Types:
Clinical Trial • Randomized Controlled Trial
PMID: 14748941 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
