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Longitudinal association of serum carotenoids and tocopherols with hostility: the CARDIA Study

Tetsuya Ohira1, Atsushi Hozawa, Carlos Iribarren

  • 1Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454-1015, USA. Jacobs@epi.umn.edu

American Journal of Epidemiology
|October 12, 2007
PubMed

Insights

High hostility is linked to lower levels of key serum carotenoids, potentially explaining its association with increased cardiovascular disease risk. This finding highlights the role of antioxidants in the hostility-heart disease connection.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular epidemiology
  • Nutritional science
  • Psychosomatic medicine

Background:

  • Hostility is a personality trait linked to higher coronary heart disease risk.
  • The relationship between hostility and antioxidants, potential atherosclerosis mediators, is not well-understood.
  • Antioxidants like carotenoids and tocopherols play roles in cellular protection.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between hostility and serum antioxidant levels.
  • To determine if hostility predicts future antioxidant concentrations.
  • To explore potential mediating pathways between hostility and cardiovascular risk.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of data from 3,579 young adults in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study.
  • Measurement of serum carotenoids and tocopherols at baseline and 7 years.
  • Assessment of hostility at baseline and 5 years, using analysis of covariance for adjusted comparisons.

Main Results:

  • High hostility scores at baseline predicted lower serum levels of alpha-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, and total carotenoids at 7 years.
  • No significant association was found between hostility and serum lycopene or tocopherols.
  • Baseline antioxidant levels did not predict future hostility scores.

Conclusions:

  • High hostility is associated with future decreases in specific serum carotenoid levels.
  • These findings suggest that reduced carotenoid levels may partially mediate the link between hostility and cardiovascular risk.
  • Further research into antioxidant interventions for individuals with high hostility may be warranted.

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