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PubMed1996

In vitro measurement of beta-carotene cleavage activity: methodological considerations and the effect of other carotenoids on beta-carotene cleavage.

In view of controversies about assessment of the beta-carotene cleavage activity, methodological aspects and problems of the dioxygenase assay are described. Using rat and hamster intestinal preparations the method was optimized on retinal formation, the only cleavage product we could demonstrate. It appeared that the cell fraction with the highest cleavage activity was the 9,000 g supernatant (S-9). Maximal retinal formation was obtained with SDS, taurocholate and egg lecithin in the buffer and 3 micrograms beta-carotene dissolved in acetone. Ethanol, THF/DMSO (1:1) or propylene glycol as solvent for beta-carotene reduced retinal formation to 55, 24, and 19%, respectively. Retinal formation increased proportionally with the amount of protein S-9 used and was linear up to 40-60 minutes of incubation. Incubation with alpha-carotene or beta-cryptoxanthin resulted in a retinal formation of 29 and 55% of the amount formed from beta-carotene. Addition of 9 micrograms of lutein to an incubation with 3 micrograms beta-carotene reduced retinal formation, while lycopene had no effect. In conclusion, the beta-carotene cleavage assay with S-9 as enzyme source described in this report, seems a useful tool to study (dietary) determinants of beta-carotene cleavage activity, but for other purposes adaptation of the method is required.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Do hydroxy-carotenoids prevent coronary heart disease? A comparison between Belfast and Toulouse.

High intakes of antioxidants in fruit, vegetables and wine are thought to protect against coronary heart disease (CHD). Because people in Toulouse have a much lower incidence of CHD compared with Belfast, the plasma concentrations of antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids in the two populations have been compared. The major difference was in some of the plasma carotenoids. Hydroxy-carotenoids were twice as high in Toulouse in both sexes, notably lutein which occurs principally in dark green vegetables and beta-cryptoxanthin which occurs chiefly in citrus fruits. In addition, alpha-carotene was 50% higher in Toulouse, gamma-tocopherol was 50% higher in Belfast. Other plasma vitamins and carotenoids were not significantly different. If antioxidants play a role in preventing CHD, then the hydroxy-carotenoids are major candidates for further investigation.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Determination of carotenoids in vegetable foods and plasma.

In this paper a HPLC method for the determination of lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and lycopene in mixed vegetables and fruit and in human plasma is described. The carotenoids were well separated and the separation was achieved within fifteen minutes using a HPLC system consisting of a 5 microns Vydac 201TP54C18 column, an UV detector, methanol-tetrahydrofuran (95:5 v/v) as mobile phase and a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min. The validity of the separation method was determined by evaluating the linearity of the calibration graphs of each carotenoid (between 0.1 and 1.0 microgram/ml for all compounds except lycopene between 0.1 and 0.8 microgram/ml, r = 0.999) and the accuracy of the chromatographic response (CV < 10%). The reproducibility of the retention times was also good. In the foods samples the extraction procedure was very effective whereas, the saponification step significantly damaged some of the carotenoids. In the plasma the extraction and separation of these compounds were also effective and the qualitative data obtained comparable with those reported in literature. The use of echinenone as internal standard helped to improve quality control.

Carotenoids↗
PubMed1998

Impact of LDL carotenoid and alpha-tocopherol content on LDL oxidation by endothelial cells in culture.

Carotenoids and alpha-tocopherol are dietary, lipophilic antioxidants that may protect plasma lipoproteins from oxidation, a process believed to contribute to atherogenesis. Previous work demonstrated that after the Cu(II)-initiated oxidation of human low density lipoprotein (LDL) in vitro, carotenoids and alpha-tocopherol were destroyed before significant lipid peroxidation took place, and that alpha-tocopherol was destroyed at a much faster rate than were the carotenoids. Additionally, in vitro enrichment of LDL with beta-carotene, but not with lutein or lycopene, inhibited LDL oxidation. In the present studies the impact of LDL carotenoid and alpha-tocopherol content on LDL oxidation by human endothelial cells (EaHy-1) in culture was assessed. LDL isolated from 11 individual donors was incubated at 0.25 mg protein/mL with EaHy-1 cells in Ham's F-10 medium for up to 48 h. Formation of lipid hydroperoxides was assessed by chemical analysis and the contents of lutein, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. The extent of lipid peroxidation correlated with the endogenous alpha-tocopherol content of the LDL but not with its content of carotenoids. As in the Cu(II)-initiated system, carotenoids and alpha-tocopherol were destroyed before significant peroxidation took place, but, in the cell-mediated system, alpha-tocopherol and the carotenoids were destroyed at comparable rates. Also, like the Cu(II)-initiated oxidation, enrichment of the LDL with beta-carotene protected it from oxidation by the endothelial cells. However, enrichment with either lutein or lycopene actually enhanced the cell-mediated oxidation of the LDL. Thus, the specific content of carotenoids in low density lipoprotein (LDL) clearly modulates its susceptibility to oxidation, but individual carotenoids may either inhibit or promote LDL oxidation.

Carotenoids↗
PubMed2002

Lymphocyte oxidative DNA damage and plasma antioxidants in Alzheimer disease.

CONTEXT: A large body of experimental evidence suggests that in Alzheimer disease (AD) pathogenesis an important role is played by oxidative stress, but there is still a lack of data on in vivo markers of free radical-induced damage. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a marker of oxidative damage to DNA, in peripheral lymphocytes; to measure plasma concentrations of several nonenzymatic antioxidants; and to assess the relationships between any observed changes in lymphocyte DNA 8-OHdG content and plasma antioxidant levels in patients with AD and healthy aged control subjects. SUBJECTS: Forty elderly outpatients with AD and 39 healthy age- and sex-matched controls were studied. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The level of 8-OHdG was determined in DNA extracted from lymphocytes and plasma levels of vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, and carotenoids (zeaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein, and alpha- and beta-carotene) were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: Lymphocyte DNA 8-OHdG content was significantly higher and plasma levels of antioxidants (with the exception of lutein) were significantly lower in patients with AD compared with controls. In patients with AD, a significant inverse relationship between lymphocyte DNA 8-OHdG content and plasma levels of lycopene, lutein, alpha-carotene, and beta-carotene, respectively, was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Markers of oxidative damage are increased in AD and correlate with decreased levels of plasma antioxidants. These findings suggest that lymphocyte DNA 8-OHdG content in patients with AD reflects a condition of increased oxidative stress related to a poor antioxidant status.

8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine↗
PubMed1998

Cruciferous vegetables in relation to renal cell carcinoma.

Little is known about the possible role of diet in the development of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). A population-based case-control study was conducted in non-Asians of Los Angeles; it included 1,204 RCC patients and an equal number of neighborhood controls matched to the index cases by sex, date of birth (within 5 years) and ethnicity. Information on intake frequencies of food groups rich in vitamins A and C, various carotenoids and nitrosamines or their precursors was collected through in-person, structured interviews. After adjustment for non-dietary risk factors including level of education, obesity, history of hypertension, cigarette smoking and regular use of analgesics and amphetamines, there were strong inverse associations between cruciferous and dark green vegetable intakes and RCC risk (both p values for linear trend < 0.001). In terms of nutrients, there were significant inverse associations of RCC risk with consumption of a variety of carotenoids including alpha-carotene (p < 0.001), beta-carotene (p = 0.004), beta-cryptoxanthin (p = 0.01) and lutein (p = 0.005). However, after adjustment for these nutrients, we still observed a significant residual effect of cruciferous vegetables, suggesting that other substances present in these vegetables may be responsible, at least partially, for the observed reduction in risk of RCC. Dietary nitrosamines and their precursors were not related to RCC risk.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Reproducibility of erythrocyte polyamine measurements and correlation with plasma micronutrients in an antioxidant vitamin intervention study.

Erythrocyte polyamine measurements have been previously investigated as candidate biomarkers for hyperproliferation and recently as a potential intermediate endpoint in clinical chemoprevention trials with difluoromethylornithine, an inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis. This study was performed to determine the reproducibility of erythrocyte polyamine measurements and their possible correlation with plasma micronutrients in seven healthy adults in an antioxidant vitamin intervention study. As part of this cross-over intervention study, three subjects took beta-carotene (31.4 mg/day) plus D-alpha-tocopherol acetate (720 IU/day) supplements during the first 3 months and four subjects took the supplements during the second 3 months. Heparinized blood samples were collected at baseline and every month over total 6 months for simultaneous determination of erythrocyte polyamines and plasma micronutrients by the high-performance liquid chromatographic method. For all the measures of erythrocyte polyamines the intraindividual variation was smaller than that between subjects, and three or four measurements required to accurately characterize long-term erythrocyte polyamines for an individual. The intra-class correlations were moderately high for all erythrocyte polyamine measurements, indicating a good reproducibility for intra-individual erythrocyte polyamine measurements. Based on monthly values, significant inverse correlations were found between erythrocyte spermidine and the plasma levels of retinol (r = -0.50) and lutein (r = -0.52). There were also significant inverse associations between erythrocyte spermine and plasma levels of alpha-tocopherol (r = -0.29), lutein (r = -0.44), lycopene (r = -0.29), beta-cryptoxanthin (r = -0.30), and total carotenoids (r = -0.29). The effects of supplementation upon the associations between erythrocyte polyamines and plasma nutrient levels were additionally addressed. The results indicate an acceptable longitudinal reproducibility of erythrocyte polyamine measurements, support the hypothesis that erythrocyte polyamine measurements may be correlated with plasma levels of certain nutrients, and suggest a further biomarker application in cancer prevention trials involving dietary modifications or specific relevant micronutrients.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Effect of carotenoids and ascorbic acid of Japanese persimmons on cellular lipid peroxidation in HepG2 cells.

In this experiment, we examine the functional property of carotenoids; beta-cryptoxanthin (Cry), zeaxanthin (Zea), beta-carotene (Car)) and ascorbic acid (AsA). The accumulation amounts of Cry, Zea and Car in HepG2 cells cultured in the high concentration medium were larger than that in a low concentration. Further those accumulation amounts in long incubation time within 24 hours were greater than that in a shorter time. When the added carotenoid concentration, with or without hydrogen peroxide, increased from 0 to 5 microM in the culture medium, the thiobarbituric acid reaction substance (TBARS) values in the HepG2 cells decreased significantly (p < 0.05). The decrease of TBARS values shows the antioxidative property of the carotenoids. When AsA and Tocopherol(Toc) were added to the medium from 0 to 20 microM, the TBARS values, with or without hydrogen peroxide, decreased significantly with increasing concentrations of AsA and Toc respectively (p < 0.05). The decreased amount of TBARS in 5 microM Cry compared with control(0 microM) was the largest among 6 antioxidants (Cry, Car, Zea, Retinol(Ret), AsA, Toc) used in this experiment.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed2003

Vitamin and carotenoid intake and risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.

Our objective was to examine prospectively the intake of vitamins A (including retinol and total vitamin A), C and E; folate; total carotene; and several individual carotenoids (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin and lutein/zeaxanthin) in relation to incidence of SCC of the skin in 2 large cohorts of men and women. We used a prospective cohort study design with up to 14 years of follow-up in women and 10 years in men. Diet was measured with FFQs every 2-4 years; cases of SCC of the skin were ascertained on biennial questionnaires and confirmed by medical records. Participants were female nurses and male health professionals, from the Nurses' Healthy Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study in the United States, without a history of any cancer in 1982 (n = 85,944 women) and 1986 (n = 43,867 men). Follow-up response was achieved for over 90% of potential person-years. Relative risks and 95% confidence intervals for development of SCC of the skin are reported. We recorded 369 cases of SCC in women and 305 cases in men. After multivariate adjustment for various known behavioral, sun-exposure and sun-sensitivity risk factors for SCC, there were no significant inverse associations between these dietary factors and SCC incidence. No evidence was found that vitamins A, C and E; folate; or carotenoids play an important protective role against incident SCC.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Intakes of vitamins A, C and E and folate and multivitamins and lung cancer: a pooled analysis of 8 prospective studies.

Intakes of vitamins A, C and E and folate have been hypothesized to reduce lung cancer risk. We examined these associations in a pooled analysis of the primary data from 8 prospective studies from North America and Europe. Baseline vitamin intake was assessed using a validated food-frequency questionnaire, in each study. We calculated study-specific associations and pooled them using a random-effects model. During follow-up of 430,281 persons over a maximum of 6-16 years in the studies, 3,206 incident lung cancer cases were documented. Vitamin intakes were inversely associated with lung cancer risk in age-adjusted analyses; the associations were greatly attenuated after adjusting for smoking and other risk factors for lung cancer. The pooled multivariate relative risks, comparing the highest vs. lowest quintile of intake from food-only, were 0.96 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.83-1.11) for vitamin A, 0.80 (95% CI 0.71-0.91) for vitamin C, 0.86 (95% CI 0.76-0.99) for vitamin E and 0.88 (95% CI 0.74-1.04) for folate. The association with vitamin C was not independent of our previously reported inverse association with beta-cryptoxanthin. Further, vitamin intakes from foods plus supplements were not associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer in multivariate analyses, and use of multivitamins and specific vitamin supplements was not significantly associated with lung cancer risk. The results generally did not differ across studies or by sex, smoking habits and lung cancer cell type. In conclusion, these data do not support the hypothesis that intakes of vitamins A, C and E and folate reduce lung cancer risk.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed2005

Regucalcin stimulates osteoclast-like cell formation in mouse marrow cultures.

The effect of regucalcin, a regulatory protein in intracellular signaling, on osteoclastic cell formation in mouse bone marrow culture is investigated. The bone marrow cells were cultured for 7 days in an alpha-minimal essential medium containing either vehicle or regucalcin (10(-10)-10(-8)M). Osteoclast-like cell formation was estimated by staining for tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP), a marker enzyme of osteoclasts. The presence of regucalcin (10(-10)-10(-8)M) caused a remarkable increase in osteoclast-like multinucleated cells (MNCs). The effect of regucalcin in stimulating osteoclast-like cell formation was significantly inhibited in the presence of calcitonin (CT; 10(-9)M), 17beta-estradiol (10(-9)M), beta-cryptoxanthin (CX; 10(-6)M), or zinc sulfate (10(-4)M), which is an anti-bone resorbing factor. The effect of regucalcin on osteoclast-like cell formation was not significantly blocked in the presence of cycloheximide, an inhibitor of protein synthesis, or 5,6-dichloro-1-beta-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole (DRB), an inhibitor of transcriptional activity. The effect of parathyroid hormone (10(-7)M), 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (10(-7)M), prostaglandin E(2) (10(-5)M), or tumor necrosis factor-alpha (10 ng/ml) in increasing osteoclast-like cell formation was significantly enhanced in the presence of regucalcin (10(-8)M). Moreover, when rat femoral-diaphyseal or -metaphyseal tissues were cultured for 48 h in the presence of regucalcin (10(-10)-10(-8)M), the diaphyseal or metaphyseal calcium content was significantly decreased in the presence of regucalcin (10(-10)-10(-8)M) in vitro. The consumption of glucose and the production of lactic acid in culture medium by the diaphyseal or metaphyseal tissues was significantly raised in the presence of regucalcin (10(-10)-10(-8)M). This study demonstrates that regucalcin directly stimulates osteoclast-like cell formation in mouse marrow culture in vitro, and that the protein stimulates bone resorption in rat femoral tissues in vitro.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Biological activity of carotenoids in red paprika, Valencia orange and Golden delicious apple.

Carotenoid fractions were extracted from red paprika, Valencia orange peel and the peel of Golden delicious apple. Thus, hypophasic carotenoids of paprika (PM1), orange (PM3) and apple (PM4), and epiphasic extractions of paprika (PM2) and apple (PM5) were obtained by extraction, saponification and partition between MeOH-H(2)O (9:1) (hypophasic) and hexane (epiphasic). A high content of capsanthin was quantified in hypophasic carotenoids (PM1) from red spice paprika, whereas the hypophasic fractions from orange (PM3) and apple (PM4) were mainly composed of violaxanthin, zeaxanthin and lutein. On the other hand, a high content of beta,beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin was found in epiphasic fractions (PM2 and PM5). The extracts were studied for their anti-Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), cytotoxic, multidrug resistance (MDR) reversal and radical scavenging activity. Among five PM extracts and beta,betacarotene, PM4 showed potent anti-H. pylori activity (MIC(50) = 36 microg/mL), comparable to metronidazole (MIC(50) = 45 microg/mL). The extracts were inactive against HIV. PM3 and PM4 showed slightly higher cytotoxic activity against three human tumor cell lines (squamous cell carcinoma HSC-2, HSC-3, submandibular gland carcinoma HSG) and human promyelocytic leukemic HL-60 cells than against three normal human oral cells (gingival fibroblast HGF, pulp cell HPC, periodontal ligament fibroblast HPLF), suggesting a tumor-specific cytotoxic activity. PM1, PM3 and PM4 displayed much higher MDR-reversing activity than (+/-)-verapamil. ESR spectroscopy demonstrated that PM1-5 and beta,beta-carotene produced little or no detectable radical under alkaline conditions and did not scavenge the O(2) (-) produced by the hypoxanthine and xanthine oxidase reaction. On the other hand, PM1 and PM2 scavenged efficiently 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, whereas singlet oxygen was also quenched efficiently by PM5 and PM2. The data suggest the potential importance of carotenoids as possible anti-H. pylori and MDR reversal agents. The active principles in the carotenoid extract might differ, depending upon the types of fruits and vegetables.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2005

Characterization of carotenoids and carotenoid esters in red pepper pods (Capsicum annuum L.) by high-performance liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry.

Carotenoids and carotenoid esters were extracted from red pepper pods (Capsicum annuum L.) without saponification. Among the 42 compounds detected, 4 non-esterified, 11 mono- and 17 diesters were characterized based on their retention times, UV/Vis spectra and their fragmentation patterns in collision-induced dissociation experiments in atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (APCI-MS). Positive and negative ion mode measurements were used for the characterization of major and minor carotenoids and their esters. Capsanthin esterified with lauric, palmitic and myristic acids represented the predominant compounds in the red pepper extracts. Additionally, three beta-cryptoxanthin and one zeaxanthin monoester were tentatively identified in red pepper pods for the first time. Furthermore, the specific fragmentation patterns of capsanthin-laurate-myristate and capsanthin-myristate-palmitate were used for the distinction of both regioisomers. The results obtained from LC-DAD-APCI-MSn experiments demonstrated that the carotenoid profile of red pepper pods is considerably more complex than considered hitherto.

Atmospheric Pressure↗
PubMed1998

Carotenoid determination in biological microsamples using liquid chromatography with a coulometric electrochemical array detector.

Numerous epidemiological studies have linked carotenoids to cancer preventive processes, thereby increasing interest in levels of these micronutrients in human tissue and serum. Conventional analyses of these biological tissues employ liquid chromatography (LC) with ultraviolet and visible absorbance (UV-VIS) detection. However, this type of carotenoid analysis does not provide adequate sensitivity for very small sample sizes, such as microscale biopsies, when only small quantities of tissue are available. Electrochemical detection (ECD) is a useful alternative to conventional UV-VIS detection methods for LC analysis of carotenoids in cases where high sensitivity is necessary. Both hydrocarbon (beta-carotene and alpha-carotene) and oxygenated carotenoids (lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-cryptoxanthin) were detected at electrical potential settings between 220 and 520 mV. The generated electrochemical array data (hydrodynamic voltammograms) can be used to identify carotenoids as well as to differentiate between trans and cis configurations. Detection limits for beta-carotene by ECD were measured at 10 fmol representing approximately a 100- to 1000-fold increase over conventional LC-UV-VIS techniques. The developed methodology was applied successfully to microscale analysis of biological tissues.

Carotenoids↗
PubMed1979

Separation and identification of the carotenoid pigments of stigmata isolated from light-grown cells of Euglena gracilis strain Z.

Thin layer chromatography of the carotenoid pigments of stigmata isolated from light grown cells of Euglena gracilis strain Z resolved 29 compounds, of which 16 could be eluted and their absorption spectra recorded. Seven of these compounds were identified by a combination of co-chromatography with authentic compounds and by chemical tests, one of these compounds (beta-carotene) was further identified by mass spectrometry. The major carotenoids were found to be beta-carotene, diatoxanthin and diadinoxanthin which together comprised approximately 60% of the stigma pigments. In addition significant quantities of canthaxanthin, echinenone and cryptoxanthin were isolated and a possible carotenoid ester was detected. The results of this analysis are compared with those of previous workers and the significance of the findings is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

The carotenoids of Flavobacterium strain R1560.

The main carotenoid of Flavobacterium strain R1560 has been identified as (3R,3'R)-zeaxanthin. Also present were small amounts of 15-cis-phytoene, phytofluene, "zeta-carotene" (7,8,7',8'-tetrahydro-psi, psi-carotene plus 7,8,11,12-tetrahydro-psi, psi-carotene), neurosporene, lycopene, beta-zeacarotene, gamma-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, rubixanthin, 3-hydroxy-beta-zeacarotene and several apo-carotenals. Zeaxanthin production was inhibited by nicotine (10 mM), and lycopene and rubixanthin accumulated. The biosynthesis of zeaxanthin is discussed in terms of pathways and also of "half-molecule" reaction sequences. The presence of zeaxanthin may be a characteristic of a group of Flavobacterium species, and may thus be useful in the taxonomic classification of these organisms.

Carotenoids↗
PubMed1996

A rapid method for separation of plasma low and high density lipoproteins for tocopherol and carotenoid analyses.

Ultracentrifugation (UC) is the method most often employed for separation and quantification of lipoproteins. Because this procedure requires expensive laboratory equipment, a large volume of fresh sample and an inordinate amount of time, it may not be ideal for routine clinical/experimental use. The aim of the current study was to evaluate a method which combines selective precipitation (HDL-P) and immunoseparation (LDL-I) for the rapid and reliable isolation of high density lipoproteins (HDL) and low density lipoproteins (LDL) specifically for vitamin E and carotenoid determination within these fractions. Cholesterol and triacylgylcerol concentrations within the HDL and LDL were also determined to enable expression of vitamin E and carotenoid concentrations per gram of lipid. Isolation of lipoproteins by UC was used as the reference method (HDL-UC/LDL-UC). There were no significant differences between methods for alpha- and gamma-tocopherol in LDL and HDL. Carotenoids measured in HDL and LDL were comparable between the methods. The exception was higher lutein/zeaxanthin concentration in HDL-P and LDL-I compared to HDL-UC and LDL-UC, respectively. Additionally, lycopene concentration was significantly lower in LDL-I compared to LDL-UC. In comparing vitamin E and carotenoid values in lipoproteins separated from fresh and frozen plasma by the direct method, there was no difference in alpha-tocopherol or the majority of carotenoids measured. In conclusion, a combination of selective precipitation and immunoseparation of fresh or frozen plasma for subsequent alpha- and gamma-tocopherol analyses provides an accurate and reliable alternative to lipoprotein separation by UC. Additionally, carotenoid concentrations in HDL separated by selective precipitation and analyses of alpha- and beta-carotenes and beta-cryptoxanthin in LDL separated by immunoseparation are also reliable, while lycopene and lutein/zeaxanthin concentrations in LDL-I are not readily comparable to LDL-UC.

Blood Specimen Collection↗
PubMed2003

Carotenoid and vitamin E status are associated with indicators of sarcopenia among older women living in the community.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Oxidative stress may play a role in the pathogenesis of sarcopenia, and the relationship between dietary antioxidants and sarcopenia needs further elucidation. The aim was to determine whether dietary carotenoids and alpha-tocopherol are associated with sarcopenia, as indicated by low grip, hip, and knee strength. METHODS: Cross-sectional analyses were conducted on 669 non-disabled to severely disabled community-dwelling women aged 70 to 79 who participated in the Women's Health and Aging Studies. Plasma carotenoids and alpha-tocopherol were measured. Grip, hip, and knee strength were measured, and low strength was defined as the lowest tertile of each strength measure. RESULTS: Higher plasma concentrations of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, and lutein/zeaxanthin were associated with reduced risk of low grip, hip, and knee strength. After adjusting for potential confounding factors such as age, race, smoking, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and plasma interleukin-6 concentrations, there was an independent association for women in the highest compared with the lowest quartile of total carotenoids with low grip strength [Odds Ratios (OR) 0.34, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.20-0.59], low hip strength (OR 0.28, 95% CI 0.16-0.48), and low knee strength (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.27-0.75), and there was an independent association for women in the highest compared with the lowest quartile of alpha-tocopherol with low grip strength (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.24-0.78) and low knee strength (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.29-0.95). CONCLUSIONS: Higher carotenoid and alpha-tocopherol status were independently associated with higher strength measures. These data support the hypothesis that oxidative stress is associated with sarcopenia in older adults, but further longitudinal and interventional studies are needed to establish causality.

Aged↗