Serum concentrations of carotenoids and vitamins A, E, and C in control subjects from five European countries

• Published in: British journal of nutrition Vol. 85; no. 2; pp. 227 - 238
• Main Authors: Olmedilla, Begoña, Granado, Fernando, Southon, Susan, Wright, Anthony J. A., Blanco, Inmaculada, Gil-Martinez, Enrique, Berg, Henk van den, Corridan, Bernice, Roussel, Anne-Marie, Chopra, Mridula, Thurnham, David I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.02.2001
• Subjects: Adult; alpha-tocopherol; Analysis of Variance; ascorbic acid; Ascorbic Acid - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Blood; blood lipids; blood serum; body weight; Cardiovascular diseases; Carotenoids; Carotenoids - blood; cholesterol; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Cross-Sectional Studies; Europe; European control subjects; Female; France; Fruits; gender differences; Great Britain; hemoglobin; Human physiology applied to population studies and life conditions. Human ecophysiology; Humans; Ireland; Logistic Models; Male; Males; Medical sciences; men; Middle Aged; Netherlands; nutritional status; Nutritional survey. Food supply and nutritional requirement; Reference Values; Sex Factors; Spain; Tocopherol; triacylglycerols; United Kingdom; Vegetables; vitamin A; Vitamin A - blood; vitamin content; Vitamin E; Vitamin E - blood; Vitamins; women; Xanthophylls; Netherlands; Europe; Ireland; United Kingdom; France; Northern Ireland; Spain; Great Britain; European control subjects; Carotenoids; Tocopherol; Vitamins; Micronutrient; Human; Ascorbic acid; Vitamin; α-Tocopherol; Antioxidant; Carotenoid; Nutritional status; Quantitative analysis; Blood plasma; Retinol
• ISSN: 0007-1145; 1475-2662
• DOI: 10.1079/BJN2000248

High intakes of fruits and vegetables, or high circulating levels of their biomarkers (carotenoids, vitamins C and E), have been associated with a relatively low incidence of cardiovascular disease, cataract and cancer. Exposure to a high fruit and vegetable diet increases antioxidant concentrations in blood and body tissues, and potentially protects against oxidative damage to cells and tissues. This paper describes blood concentrations of carotenoids, tocopherols, ascorbic acid and retinol in well-defined groups of healthy, non-smokers, aged 25–45 years, 175 men and 174 women from five European countries (France, UK (Northern Ireland), Republic of Ireland, The Netherlands and Spain). Analysis was centralised and performed within 18 months. Within-gender, vitamin C showed no significant differences between centres. Females in France, Republic of Ireland and Spain had significantly higher plasma vitamin C concentrations than their male counterparts. Serum retinol and α-tocopherol levels were similar between centres, but γ-tocopherol showed a great variability being the lowest in Spain and France, and the highest in The Netherlands. The provitamin A: non-provitamin A carotenoid ratio was similar among countries, whereas the xanthophylls (lutein, zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin) to carotenes (α-carotene, β-carotene, lycopene) ratio was double in southern (Spain) compared to the northern areas (Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland). Serum concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin were highest in France and Spain; β-cryptoxanthin was highest in Spain and The Netherlands; trans-lycopene tended to be highest in Irish males and lowest in Spanish males; α-carotene and β-carotene were higher in the French volunteers. Due to the study design, the concentrations of carotenoids and vitamins A, C and E represent physiological ranges achievable by dietary means and may be considered as ‘reference values’ in serum of healthy, non-smoking middle-aged subjects from five European countries. The results suggest that lutein (and zeaxanthin), β-cryptoxanthin, total xanthophylls and γ-tocopherol (and α- : γ-tocopherol) may be important markers related to the healthy or protective effects of the Mediterranean-like diet.