title: Plasma Carotenoids, Tocopherols, and Retinol in the Age-Stratified (35-74 Years) General Population: A Cross-Sectional Study in Six European Countries.
abstract: Blood micronutrient status may change with age. We analyzed plasma carotenoids, α-/γ-tocopherol, and retinol and their associations with age, demographic characteristics, and dietary habits (assessed by a short food frequency questionnaire) in a cross-sectional study of 2118 women and men (age-stratified from 35 to 74 years) of the general population from six European countries. Higher age was associated with lower lycopene and α-/β-carotene and higher β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, α-/γ-tocopherol, and retinol levels. Significant correlations with age were observed for lycopene (r= -0.248), α-tocopherol (r= 0.208), α-carotene (r= -0.112), and β-cryptoxanthin (r= 0.125; allp< 0.001). Age was inversely associated with lycopene (-6.5% per five-year age increase) and this association remained in the multiple regression model with the significant predictors (covariables) being country, season, cholesterol, gender, smoking status, body mass index (BMI (kg/m²)), and dietary habits. The positive association of α-tocopherol with age remained when all covariates including cholesterol and use of vitamin supplements were included (1.7% vs. 2.4% per five-year age increase). The association of higher β-cryptoxanthin with higher age was no longer statistically significant after adjustment for fruit consumption, whereas the inverse association of α-carotene with age remained in the fully adjusted multivariable model (-4.8% vs. -3.8% per five-year age increase). We conclude from our study that age is an independent predictor of plasma lycopene, α-tocopherol, and α-carotene.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biological Chemistry and Nutrition, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart 70599, Germany. Wolfgang.Stuetz@uni-hohenheim.de.|Institute of Nutrition, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena 07743, Germany. Wolfgang.Stuetz@uni-hohenheim.de.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Stuetz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nutrition, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena 07743, Germany. Daniela.Weber@dife.de.|Department of Molecular Toxicology, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke (DIfE), Nuthetal 14558, Germany. Daniela.Weber@dife.de.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), BA Bilthoven 3721, The Netherlands. Martijn.Dolle@rivm.nl.
authors.forename: Martijn E T
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Dollé
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), BA Bilthoven 3721, The Netherlands. eugene.jansen@rivm.nl.
authors.forename: Eugène
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biomedical Aging Research, Leipold-Franzens-University, Innsbruck 6020, Austria. beatrix.grubeck@uibk.ac.at.
authors.forename: Beatrix
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Grubeck-Loebenstein
authors.affiliation: Institute for Nutritional Sciences and Physiology, University for Health Sciences, Hall in Tirol 6060, Austria. simone.fiegl@umit.at.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fiegl
authors.affiliation: Unit of Cellular Biochemistry and Biology, University of Namur, Namur 5000, Belgium. olivier.toussaint@fundp.ac.be.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Toussaint
authors.affiliation: BioTeSys GmbH, Esslingen 73728, Germany. j.bernhardt@biotesys.de.
authors.forename: Juergen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bernhardt
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biological Research and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation (NHRF), Athens 11635, Greece. sgonos@eie.gr.
authors.forename: Efstathios S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Gonos
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Bologna, Bologna 40126, Italy. claudio.franceschi@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Franceschi
authors.affiliation: Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw 02-093, Poland. e.sikora@nencki.gov.pl.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sikora
authors.affiliation: Molecular Toxicology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78457, Germany. maria.moreno-villanueva@uni-konstanz.de.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moreno-Villanueva
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biological Chemistry and Nutrition, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart 70599, Germany. breusing@uni-hohenheim.de.|Department of Applied Nutritional Science/Dietetics, Institute of Nutritional Medicine, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart 70599, Germany. breusing@uni-hohenheim.de.
authors.forename: Nicolle
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Breusing
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Toxicology, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke (DIfE), Nuthetal 14558, Germany. scientific.director@dife.de.|German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Munich-Neuherberg 85764, Germany. scientific.director@dife.de.|German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Berlin 13357, Germany. scientific.director@dife.de.|NutriAct-Competence Cluster Nutrition Research Berlin-Potsdam, Nuthetal 14458, Germany. scientific.director@dife.de.
authors.forename: Tilman
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grune
authors.affiliation: Molecular Toxicology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78457, Germany. alexander.buerkle@uni-konstanz.de.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bürkle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000072743:Beta-Cryptoxanthin / Q000097:blood; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D014975:Lutein / Q000097:blood; D000077276:Lycopene; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D024505:Tocopherols / Q000097:blood*; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood*; D065146:Zeaxanthins / Q000097:blood; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000097:blood; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000097:blood; D024504:gamma-Tocopherol / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000072743:Beta-Cryptoxanthin; D065146:Zeaxanthins; D019207:beta Carotene; D014801:Vitamin A; D002338:Carotenoids; C041635:alpha-carotene; D024504:gamma-Tocopherol; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D024505:Tocopherols; D000077276:Lycopene; D014975:Lutein
keywords: Europe; age; carotenoids; lycopene; micronutrients; plasma; retinol; tocopherols