title: Lipid standardization of serum fat-soluble antioxidant concentrations: the YALTA study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Blood lipids can influence fat-soluble antioxidant concentrations and confound their interpretation as indicators of antioxidant intake status and disease risk.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objectives were to identify lipoproteins that can confound the interpretation of serum fat-soluble antioxidants, to evaluate the amount of the confounding, and to recommend a method for standardizing blood concentrations of fat-soluble antioxidants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Several methods of lipid standardization of fat-soluble antioxidants were evaluated in a large cohort of young adults with the use of both cross-sectional and longitudinal data analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tocopherol and carotenoid concentrations were associated with plasma total cholesterol and its components, LDL, HDL, and VLDL cholesterol (estimated as plasma total triacylglycerols/5), some of which were independent predictors for all of the fat-soluble antioxidants. Among supplement nonusers, the most amphipathic (polar) of the antioxidants (alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, and zeaxanthin plus lutein) and lycopene were associated strongly with these lipid fractions (R(2) = 0.09, 0.40). Consistent with a causal association in which blood antioxidant concentrations change as blood lipid concentrations change, similar relations were found for changes in blood antioxidant and lipid concentrations over a 7-y period. Concentrations of the remaining carotenoids (beta-cryptoxanthin, alpha-carotene, and beta-carotene) had a weaker association with plasma lipoproteins (R(2) < 0.06). Similar relations were found for supplement users.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The simultaneous adjustment of the concentrations of tocopherols, zeaxanthin plus lutein, and lycopene for VLDL, HDL, and LDL cholesterol is recommended. This method is practical and can provide a basis for the standardization of carotenoid and tocopherol concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 55455, USA. gross@epi.umn.edu
authors.forename: Myron
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: Xinhua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hannan
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Prouty
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Jacobs
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012995:Solubility; D024505:Tocopherols / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL; D002338:Carotenoids; D024505:Tocopherols