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Relation between C-reactive protein and serum and dietary antioxidants in older adults at increased risk for

Lenka Humenikova1, Gail Gates

  • 1Department of Nutritional Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA. lenka.humenikova@okstate.edu

Journal of Nutrition for the Elderly
|April 7, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Serum antioxidants, not dietary ones, predict inflammation marker C-reactive protein (CRP) in older adults at cardiovascular disease risk. This finding highlights the importance of circulating antioxidant levels for cardiovascular health.

Area of Science:

  • Nutrition Science
  • Cardiovascular Health
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of mortality.
  • Inflammation, indicated by C-reactive protein (CRP), is a key factor in CVD.
  • Antioxidants play a role in mitigating oxidative stress, which is linked to inflammation and CVD.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between serum and dietary antioxidant levels and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations.
  • To examine these relationships in middle-aged and older adults with increased cardiovascular disease risk.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III (NHANES III).
  • Included adults aged 40 and above at elevated risk for cardiovascular disease.
  • Employed multiple logistic regression analysis to assess the relationship between antioxidants and CRP.

Main Results:

  • Serum antioxidant levels were significant predictors of detectable CRP concentrations (R2 = 0.07; p < 0.001).
  • Other cardiovascular disease risk factors also predicted detectable CRP.
  • Dietary antioxidants, with the exception of vitamin C, did not significantly predict CRP levels.

Conclusions:

  • Serum, but not dietary, antioxidants are associated with inflammation markers in at-risk older adults.
  • Findings suggest circulating antioxidant status may be more relevant to inflammation than dietary intake alone.
  • Further research into the mechanisms linking serum antioxidants and CRP is warranted for cardiovascular health strategies.

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