Effects of passive smoking on serum levels of carotenoids and alpha-tocopherol.
To evaluate the effects of passive smoking identified by urine cotinine on serum carotenoids and alpha-tocopherol, we categorized 124 residents in a rural city of Japan into 4 groups by their urine cotinine/creatinine (Cot/Cr) ratio (u.d. (undetectable); low (0-50 ng/mg); moderate (50-120 ng/mg); high (> 120 ng/mg)) and compared the serum carotenoids and alpha-tocopherol levels among these groups. We identified passive smoking by low Cot/Cr ratio level. After controlling on related factors, men with low Cot/Cr ratio showed significantly lower serum zeaxanthin/lutein levels than men with u.d. Cot/Cr ratio. The difference was still marginally significant after excluding self-reported current smokers from the low Cot/Cr group. It is suggested that low level exposure to tobacco smoke, which has been reported to be equivalent to that for passive smokers, could be associated with decreased serum zeaxanthin/lutein levels in men.
Department of Public Health, Gifu University School of Medicine, Japan.
N
N
Takatsuka
N
N
Kawakami
Y
Y
Ito
M
M
Kabuto
H
H
Shimizu
D000368:Aged; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood*; D003367:Cotinine / Q000652:urine; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D014975:Lutein / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011897:Random Allocation; D012737:Sex Factors; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood*; D024341:Xanthophylls; D065146:Zeaxanthins; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D024341:Xanthophylls; D065146:Zeaxanthins; D019207:beta Carotene; D014810:Vitamin E; D002338:Carotenoids; D003404:Creatinine; D003367:Cotinine; D014975:Lutein