Effect of Two Natural Antioxidant Intervention on Plasma Vitamin C, E, and β-Carotene Concentrations of Apparently Healthy Adults in Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Immunologic functions particularly cell-mediated immunity declines with age, contributing to the increased incidence of infectious diseases in the elderly. The study looked at vitamin C, vitamin E, and β-carotene levels in plasma of 150 healthy adults of 96 men and 54 women aged between 30 and 74 years. The subjects were randomly grouped into three at baseline for further dietary studies, The antioxidant dietary supplements were either 1 capsule per day of antioxidant nutraceutical (Forever living product) (containing vitamin E 10 mg, vitamin C 60mg and β-carotene 2000 mcg of vitamin A, or cheap affordable indigenous antioxidant functional foods of equivalent vitamin composition of oranges, carrots, and soybean or bottled water, and the first dose was dispensed and followed up for six months. The result showed that the vit C, E and β-carotene concentration of antioxidant treated groups were positively influenced than the placebo group (Grp 1 (AT-P) 6m . Grp 3 (AT-F) 6m was affected more positively than the antioxidant Grp 2 (AT-N) 6m . Vitamin C, E, and β-carotene concentrations of the elderly are beyond reference/normal range of blood plasma. Plasma Vitamin C and β-carotene concentration of the female was higher than the male. The vitamin E concentration in blood plasma of male is higher compare to female. INTRODUCTIONImmunologic functions particularly cell-mediated immunity declines with age, contributing to the increased incidence of infectious diseases in the elderly. Cellular immune functions and health generally are compromised at older age due to severe nutritional deficiency. Nutrition may play a pivotal role in maintaining immune competence in older adults. The maintenance of immune cells and preserving their adequate function are strongly influenced by antioxidant/oxidant balance. Thus, the level of anti-oxidants in these cells plays a pivotal role in protecting them from oxidative stress [1]. Free radicals are incriminated in the pathogenesis of tissue injury in many diseases in ageing, as well as obstruction of normal physiological functions. They produce cellular injury by lipid peroxidation, enzyme activation, DNA damage and degradation of structural protein. The body has evolved multiple defence mechanism through antioxidants against free radicals, by preventing the formation of radicals (chain termination), scavenging them or promoting their decomposition [2]. This enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant includes Vitamin C, E, A, carotenoids, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx). New concept of the application/approach of antioxidant supplement has appeared as nutraceuticals, functional foods, nutritional therapy, and phytonutrients [3] [4]. Whole foods represent the simplest example of functional foods (carrots, orange, soybeans and avocado pear) because of their high contents of physiologically active components (β-carotene, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Lycopene respectively). They satisfactorily demonstrate a beneficial effect on one or more target function...

Comparative Study on Phytochemical Composition and <i>In Vitro</i> Radical Scavenging Activity of Ethanolic Extracts of <i>Landolphia</i> <i>lanceolata</i> and Nutraceutical-C24/7

“…Vitamin B 1 and vitamin B 2 act as coenzymes in dehydrogenase enzymes and redox reactions. Vitamin C is an oxygen scavenger, a good antioxidant and it can activate reduced α-tocopherol to get activated as an antioxidant α-tocopherol [33]. Vitamin C also reduces vitamin deficiencies diseases .…”