GLUTATHIONE AND MORBIDITY IN A COMMUNITY-BASED SAMPLE OF ELDERLY

This study examined the association of blood glutathione level, a pote ntial marker of physiological/functional aging, with a number of biome dical/psychological traits in a subgroup (N = 33) of a representative sample of community-based elderly. Higher glutathione levels were asso ciated with fewer number of illnesses (p < 0.05), higher levels of sel f-rated health (p < 0.01), lower cholesterol (p < 0.05), lower body ma ss index, and lower blood pressures. Subjects with diagnoses of arthri tis, diabetes, or heart disease (as assessed by physicians) had at lea st marginally significant lower glutathione levels than those who were disease free. Glutathione, together with age and a measure of suppres sed anger, accounted for 39% of the variance of an index of morbidity. Glutathione, by itself, accounted for 24% of the variance. To our kno wledge, this is the first evidence of an association of higher glutath ione levels with higher levels of physical health in a sample of commu nity-based elderly. Further studies in large samples are needed to inv estigate glutathione as a potential overall health risk factor for mor bidity among the elderly.