title: Antioxidant intake from diet and supplements and elevated serum C-reactive protein and plasma homocysteine concentrations in US adults: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association of antioxidant intakes from diet and supplements with elevated blood C-reactive protein (CRP) and homocysteine (Hcy) concentrations.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study. The main exposures were vitamins C and E, carotene, flavonoid and Se intakes from diet and supplements. Elevated blood CRP and Hcy concentrations were the outcome measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  The US population and its subgroups.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included 8335 US adults aged ≥19 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2002.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this US population, the mean serum CRP concentration was 4·14 (95 % CI 3·91, 4·37) mg/l. Intakes of vitamins C and E and carotene were inversely associated with the probability of having serum CRP concentrations >3 mg/l in multivariate logistic regression models. Flavonoid and Se intakes were not associated with the odds of elevated serum CRP concentrations. The mean plasma Hcy concentration was 8·61 (95 % CI 8·48, 8·74) μmol/l. Intakes of vitamins C, E, carotenes and Se were inversely associated with the odds of plasma Hcy concentrations >13 μmol/l after adjusting for covariates. Flavonoid intake was not associated with the chance of elevated plasma Hcy concentrations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that high antioxidant intake is associated with lower blood concentrations of CRP and Hcy. These inverse associations may be among the potential mechanisms for the beneficial effect of antioxidant intake on CVD risk mediators in observational studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Connecticut, 3624 Horsebarn Road Extension Unit 4017, Storrs, CT 06269-4017, USA.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Floegel
authors.forename: Sang-Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: von Ruesten
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Chin E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Won O
authors.initials: WO
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Sung I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pischon
authors.forename: Ock K
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Chun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D012643:Selenium / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014481:United States; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005419:Flavonoids; D014815:Vitamins; D006710:Homocysteine; D014810:Vitamin E; D002338:Carotenoids; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D012643:Selenium; D001205:Ascorbic Acid