The regular supplementation with an antioxidant mixture decreases oxidative stress in healthy humans. Gender effect.
BACKGROUND
Antioxidant consumption is claimed to be associated with improved antioxidant defenses and with the prevention of free radical-associated diseases. We evaluated if the regular supplementation with an antioxidant mixture modified oxidative stress parameters in healthy humans.


METHODS
Malondialdehyde (MDA), vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), beta-carotene, and ubiquinol-10 were determined in plasma by HPLC; plasma 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were evaluated fluorometrically. The supplement contained 106 IU vitamin E, 10 mg beta-carotene, 60 mg coenzyme Q-10, and 40 microg selenium.


RESULTS
After a 10-day wash out period, 16 healthy, free-living adults (31-48 years old; 9 women, 7 men) consumed the supplement daily during 30 days. At day 20, plasma concentration of vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), beta-carotene, and ubiquinol-10 increased 45%, 66%, and 104%, respectively, over baseline values. Plasma MDA concentrations were reduced at days 20 (25%) and 30 (32%). Plasma TBARS concentrations decreased steadily during the treatment, reaching at day 30 an 11% decrease compared to baseline. Segregating by gender, both MDA and TBARS plasma concentrations were higher in men than in women at baseline. However, such differences disappeared after 30 days of supplementation.


CONCLUSIONS
The observed modifications in variables associated with oxidative stress are indicative of an effective antioxidant action of the used mixture of lipid soluble compounds, and gender differences suggest that men should optimize their antioxidants defenses earlier in life than women.
Actis-Goretta
Lucas
L
Fisicoquímica-PRALIB (CONICET), Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, 1113-Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Carrasquedo
Fernando
F
Fraga
Cesar G
CG
D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D012643:Selenium / Q000494:pharmacology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology
D000975:Antioxidants; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D019207:beta Carotene; D014451:Ubiquinone; D014810:Vitamin E; D008315:Malondialdehyde; C026663:ubiquinol-10; D012643:Selenium