title: Oxidant stress, anti-oxidants and essential fatty acids in South Indian vegetarians and non-vegetarians.
abstract: Vegetarians are known to have a low incidence of cardiovascular diseases and lower blood pressure compared to non-vegetarians. The exact cause for this is not known. In the present study, it was found that, in general, vegetarians (female > males) have a higher concentrations of anti-oxidant enzymes: catalase and superoxide dismutase in their RBC membranes and lower levels of plasma lipid peroxides compared to non-vegetarians. Both male and female non-vegetarians were found to have a higher n-3/n-6 ratio compared to vegetarians. These results suggest that vegetarians have a higher anti-oxidant status and low levels of n-3 fatty acids. It remains to be seen whether this alterations in the oxidant and anti-oxidant status and n-3 concentrations explains the lower incidence of cardiovascular diseases and lower blood pressure in vegetarians.
authors.affiliation: EFA Sciences LLC, 1420 Providence Highway, Norwood, MA 02062, USA.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Manjari
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suresh
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Sailaja Devi
authors.forename: U N
authors.initials: UN
authors.lastname: Das
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001824:Body Constitution; D014676:Diet, Vegetarian; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential / Q000378:metabolism*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D008054:Lipid Peroxides / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D010949:Plasma / Q000737:chemistry; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D008054:Lipid Peroxides; D010088:Oxidoreductases