EFFECTS OF SUPPLEMENTATION WITH A COMBINATION OF ANTIOXIDANT VITAMINSAND TRACE-ELEMENTS, AT NUTRITIONAL DOSES, ON BIOCHEMICAL INDICATORS AND MARKERS OF THE ANTIOXIDANT SYSTEM IN ADULT SUBJECTS
P. Preziosi et al., EFFECTS OF SUPPLEMENTATION WITH A COMBINATION OF ANTIOXIDANT VITAMINSAND TRACE-ELEMENTS, AT NUTRITIONAL DOSES, ON BIOCHEMICAL INDICATORS AND MARKERS OF THE ANTIOXIDANT SYSTEM IN ADULT SUBJECTS, Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 17(3), 1998, pp. 244-249
Objective: To test the impact of supplementation with nutritional dose
s of antioxidant nutrients on biochemical indicators of vitamin and tr
ace element levels. Design: A randomized double-blind trial was perfor
med comparing two groups receiving daily either a combination of vitam
ins (bera-carotene, 6 mg; vitamin C, 120 mg; and vitamin E, 30 mg) and
trace elements (zinc, 20 mg; and selenium, 100 mu g); or a placebo. S
ubjects: 401 subjects (166 males aged 45 to 60 years and 235 females a
ged 35 to 60 years). Measure of outcome: Biological markers of vitamin
and trace element status and free radical parameters were measured in
itially, 3 months, and 6 months after supplemention. Results: Mean ser
um concentrations of alpha-tocopherol, vitamin C, beta-carotene, zinc
and selenium increased significantly after 3 months of supplementation
in the group receiving multivitamins associated with minerals. At bas
eline, 18.2% of the men and 5.1% of the women had low concentrations o
f serum vitamin C (<20 mu mol/l); 2.4% of the men and 17% of the women
presented low concentrations of serum retinol (<1.4 mu mol/l); 18.7%
of men and 10% of women had serum beta-carotene <0.30 mu/mol/l. None o
f the study subjects had serum alpha-tocopherol concentrations below t
he limit cut-off point (<9.3 mu mol/l). Low serum zinc concentrations
(<10.7 mu mol/l) were found in 15.1% of men and 23.8% of women. Low se
rum selenium concentrations (<0.75 mu mol/l) were found in 6% of men a
nd 6.4% of women. A significant increase in plasma and red cell GPx ac
tivity was observed in groups receiving supplementation. No modificati
ons were observed after 6 months of supplementation for malondyaldehyd
e. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the efficacy of an intake of an
tioxidant vitamins and trace elements, given at nutritional doses, on
biochemical indicators of vitamin and trace elements status.