title: Effects of a carrot juice intervention on plasma carotenoids, oxidative stress, and inflammation in overweight breast cancer survivors.
abstract: Evidence suggests that higher plasma carotenoid concentrations are protective in relation to breast cancer recurrence. This simple randomized carrot juice intervention study was designed to test the hypothesis that daily intake of 8 ounces of fresh BetaSweet (anthocyanin-rich) or Balero orange carrot juice would increase plasma total carotenoid concentrations to levels previously shown to be associated with reduced breast cancer recurrence. It was hypothesized that regular carrot juice intake would be associated with reductions in oxidative stress (8-iso-PGF2α) and inflammation (thromboxane B2, prostaglandin E2 metabolites, and hsC-reactive protein). Sixty-nine overweight breast cancer survivors consumed fresh carrot juice made from study-provided carrots for 3 wk. Total plasma carotenoids increased by 1.65 and 1.38 umol/L for the BetaSweet and Balero carrot juice, respectively. Rise in total plasma carotenoids for the overall sample was inversely associated with 8-iso-PGFα (OR: 0.13; 95% CI: 0.20 to 0.75; no differences were shown by carrot variety. These results suggest daily intake of fresh carrot juice is a simple and effective approach to increasing plasma total carotenoids and in turn reducing oxidative stress, but not inflammatory markers, in women previously treated for breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA.
authors.forename: Amy C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Butalla
authors.forename: Tracy E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Crane
authors.forename: Bhimanagouda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.forename: Betsy C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Wertheim
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Cynthia A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Thomson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000872:Anthocyanins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis; D001628:Beverages; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood*; D018552:Daucus carota / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control; D050177:Overweight / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D035281:Plant Tubers / Q000737:chemistry; D011454:Prostaglandins A / Q000097:blood; D017741:Survivors
chemical_list: C117466:8-isoprostaglandin A2; D000872:Anthocyanins; D015415:Biomarkers; D011454:Prostaglandins A; D002338:Carotenoids