Antioxidants supplementation in elderly cardiovascular patients

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Oxidative Stress Research

Background:

• The role of antioxidant supplementation in the elderly, particularly concerning cardiovascular health, remains a subject of ongoing debate.
• Oxidative metabolism plays a significant role in the progression of cardiovascular diseases, especially in aging populations.
• Understanding the benefit-risk relationship of antioxidants is crucial for optimizing therapeutic strategies in elderly patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of antioxidant supplementation on the biochemical profile related to oxidative metabolism in elderly cardiovascular patients.
• To determine if specific baseline levels of antioxidants influence treatment response.
• To assess the relationship between smoking status, oxidative stress markers, and antioxidant levels in this patient group.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 112 elderly cardiovascular patients who received daily supplementation of alpha-tocopherol (α-TP), beta-carotene (βC), and vitamin C for two months.
• Plasma concentrations of α-TP, βC, ubiquinol-10 (QH-10), glutathione, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were measured pre- and post-treatment.
• Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate treatment effects and identify factors influencing response, including baseline antioxidant levels and smoking status.

Main Results:

• Antioxidant supplementation increased plasma α-TP and βC levels significantly only in patients with low baseline concentrations (<18 μM for α-TP, <0.30 μM for βC).
• Ubiquinol-10, glutathione, and TBARS levels were not significantly affected by the supplementation.
• Overall oxidative metabolism, indicated by TBARS, showed a reduction, and basal TBARS/α-TP ratio was higher in smokers, correlating with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Conclusions:

• The efficacy of antioxidant supplementation in elderly cardiovascular patients is dependent on their baseline plasma levels of alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene.
• Smoking status is a significant factor associated with increased lipid peroxidation (higher TBARS/α-TP ratio) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
• These findings suggest a need for personalized antioxidant therapy strategies based on individual patient profiles and lifestyle factors.