ANTIOXIDANT FORTIFIED MARGARINE INCREASES THE ANTIOXIDANT STATUS

Objective: To assess the effect of supplementation with an antioxidant fortified margarine on the body's antioxidant status and on parameter s of oxidative damage to lipids. Design: Single blind, placebo control led trial, two treatment groups balanced for sex, age and Quetelet Ind ex. Setting: Unilever Research Laboratorium, The Netherlands. Subjects : Thirty-one healthy adult volunteers accomplished the study. voluntee rs were recruited among inhabitants of the surrounding area of the res earch laboratory. Interventions: Volunteers consumed during the four w eeks either 15 g/d of an antioxidant fortified margarine (providing 12 1 mg vitamin C, 31 mg vitamin E, 2.7 mg alpha-carotene and 5.3 mg beta -carotene) or an ordinary margarine. Fasting blood samples were taken before and at the end of the study. Results: Consumption of the antiox idant fortified margarine significantly increased the levels of the su pplied antioxidants in plasma and LDL as compared to the changes found after consumption of the control margarine, with the largest increase s found in LDL levels of alpha-carotene (15.5-fold increase, 95% CI: 8 .4-27.8-fold) and beta-carotene (4.3-fold increase, 95% CI: 2.2-7.9-fo ld). this increased antioxidant status in the antioxidant fortified ma rgarine group resulted in a significantly increased total antioxidant activity of LDL and resistance of LDL to oxidation (lag time and rate of oxidation) as compared to baseline but not in comparison to the cha nges found in the control group. Conclusion: Consumption of moderate d oses of vitamin E, vitamin C, alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, suppli ed in a full-fat margarine and consumed as part of a normal diet, effe ctively increases the blood levels of these antioxidants.