title: Effects of supplemental beta-carotene, cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption on serum carotenoids in the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study.
abstract: We determined whether serum carotenoid or retinol concentrations were altered by beta-carotene supplementation in the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study and whether such effects were modified by alcohol consumption or cigarette use. Participants in this substudy were 491 randomly selected men aged 58-76 y from the metropolitan Helsinki study center [237 receiving supplemental beta-carotene (20 mg/d) and 254 not receiving such supplementation]. Dietary carotenoids, retinol, and alcohol, and serum beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol, retinol, and cholesterol were assessed at baseline. After an average of 6.7 y of supplementation, serum was collected and carotenoid, retinol, and alpha-tocopherol concentrations were determined by HPLC. Serum carotenoid fractions were highly correlated with each other (P < or = 0.0001). Compared with the unsupplemented group, the beta-carotene group had significantly higher serum concentrations of beta-carotene (1483%), alpha-carotene (145%), and beta-cryptoxanthin (67%) (P < or = 0.0001). Retinol concentrations were 6% higher (P = 0.03) and lutein was 11% lower (P = 0.02) in the supplemented group. Serum lycopene, zeaxanthin, and alpha-tocopherol did not differ according to beta-carotene-supplementation status. Although these beta-carotene-group differences were not significantly altered by amount of alcohol consumption, higher consumption (> 12.9 g/d, median) was related to lower (10-38%) concentrations of carotenoids, particularly beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, and beta-cryptoxanthin, in both the supplemented and unsupplemented groups. Smoking status did not significantly influence the supplementation-related differences in serum carotenoid and retinol values but concentrations of carotenoids were generally highest in participants who quit smoking while in the study and lowest in current smokers of > or = 20 cigarettes/d. This study showed that serum concentrations of non-beta-carotene carotenoids are altered by long-term beta-carotene supplementation and confirms the adverse effects of alcohol and cigarette smoking on serum carotenoids.
authors.affiliation: National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Albanes
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Virtamo
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rautalahti
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pietinen
authors.forename: O P
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Heinonen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010919:Placebos; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood*; D014026:Nicotiana; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D019207:beta Carotene; D002338:Carotenoids