title: Exhaled ethane and antioxidant vitamin supplements in active smokers.
abstract: To determine the effect of nutritional agents on lipid peroxidation, 10 smokers were given 6 mg beta carotene, 200 IU vitamin E, and 250 mg vitamin C 4 times daily for 3 weeks. Lipid peroxidation was assessed by measuring baseline and postsupplementation levels of exhaled ethane. There was a 29% decrease in mean (+/-SD) exhaled ethane (4.06 +/- 1.49 vs 2.90 +/- 1.29 pmol.kg-1.min-1), with individual levels decreasing in 8 of the 10 smokers (p < 0.05, Wilcoxon sign rank test). Three nonsmokers had very low baseline levels of ethane that did not change with supplementation. Ethane production correlated with active (packs per day) and lifelong (pack-years) tobacco consumption. Also, a strong correlation was found between the decline in ethane output after micronutrient supplementation and the presupplement FEV1. Therefore, antioxidant vitamin supplementation resulted in attenuation of smoking-related lipid peroxidation, and the decreases in ethane production appears to be associated with preserved lung function.
authors.affiliation: Arizona Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine, Tucson, USA.
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Do
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Garewal
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Clements
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Habib
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D001944:Breath Tests; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D004980:Ethane / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012119:Respiration; D012907:Smoking / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology; D014815:Vitamins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019207:beta Carotene
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D014815:Vitamins; D019207:beta Carotene; D014810:Vitamin E; D002338:Carotenoids; D004980:Ethane; D001205:Ascorbic Acid