LEVELS OF LIPID-PEROXIDATION AND ANTIOXIDANTS IN VEGETARIANS

Age dependence of lipid peroxidation levels estimated as conjugated di enes (CD) of plasma fatty acids-was investigated in vegetarian and non vegetarian males and females aged 11-14, 15-18, 19-39 and 40-60 years. The increase of CD levels with age was found in probands on both type s of nutrition up to the age of 40 years. In the first three age group s, lipid peroxidation was insignificantly lower in vegetarians when co mpared to nonvegetarians. The increase of conjugated dienes was on the level of significance (p < 0.05) in the oldest vegetarians vs nonvege tarians. Therefore, content of defense parameters - antioxidative vita min and enzyme - was estimated in blood of vegetarians aged 40-60 year s. Significantly higher levels of vitamin C and catalase activity were found in vegetarians (C - 63.6 and 86.5 mu mol/l; CAT - 1497 and 1313 U/ml for males and females, respectively) when compared to nonvegetar ians (C - 41.3 and 54.4 mu mol/l; CAT - 1192 and 1086 U/ml). A signifi cant negative linear correlation (p < 0.001) for CD-C and CD-CAT was f ound in both sexes of vegetarians and in nonvegetarian females (p < 0. 05 for nonvegetarian males), Important finding is a more pronounced in vegetarians (2.5-3.4 times higher slope of regression lines) indicati ng positive effect of vegetarian nutrition on efficiency of protection system.