Decrease in serum levels of advanced glycation end-products by short-term lifestyle modification in non-diabetic...

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) play an important role in development of atherosclerosis in diabetes and uremic diseases. However, there is currently little information available on the effects of lifestyle modification on circulating AGEs in subjects without these diseases.

Serum levels of Nepsilon-(carboxymethyl) lysine (CML), pentosidine, derivatives of reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs), adipokines, and renal function were determined in forty-seven middle-aged females. Among them, seventeen participated in a 12-week lifestyle modification (LM) program and twelve age-matched subjects were assigned to a control group. The LM program consisted of an initial educational session and encouragement.

At baseline, serum HDL-cholesterol was correlated with CML level (P=0.003), whereas body fat mass (P=0.012) and fat consumption (P=0.007) were correlated with pentosidine levels. After intervention, significant reductions were observed in the LM group in body fat, serum HDL-cholesterol, CML, and pentosidine. Of note, in the LM group, average number of steps in daily walking was significantly correlated with decrease in CML level (P=0.044). Decrease in pentosidine level exhibited significant positive correlations with reduction in body weight (P=0.007) and body fat mass (P=0.038).

The present findings suggest lifestyle modification as a promising approach to reducing circulating AGE levels even in healthy middle-aged females with neither overt diabetes nor renal dysfunction.