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Published on: June 28, 2024
α-Tocopherol supplementation reduces biomarkers of oxidative stress in children with Down syndrome: a randomized
S Mustafa Nachvak1, T Reza Neyestani2, S Ali Mahboob3
11] Faculty of Public Health, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran [2] Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
Insights
Supplementing Down syndrome (DS) children with antioxidants like alpha-tocopherol and alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) may reduce oxidative stress. Alpha-tocopherol showed a significant decrease in DNA damage markers compared to placebo.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Genetics
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Down syndrome (DS) is the most common chromosomal abnormality, associated with intellectual disability and oxidative stress.
- Elevated oxidative stress in DS may be linked to cognitive impairments.
- Dietary antioxidant supplementation is a potential intervention, but previous results have been inconsistent.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of alpha-tocopherol and alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) supplementation on oxidative stress biomarkers in children with Down syndrome.
Main Methods:
- 93 children with DS (ages 7-15) were randomized into groups receiving alpha-tocopherol, ALA, or placebo for 4 months.
- A control group of 26 healthy siblings was included.
- Oxidative stress was measured using serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8OHdG).
Main Results:
- DS children exhibited higher baseline oxidative stress than controls.
- Urinary 8OHdG levels significantly decreased in both alpha-tocopherol and ALA groups compared to baseline.
- Alpha-tocopherol supplementation resulted in significantly lower final urinary 8OHdG levels compared to the placebo group.
Conclusions:
- Alpha-tocopherol supplementation may help reduce DNA-level oxidative stress in children with Down syndrome.
- Further research is warranted to confirm the efficacy of ALA and long-term effects.
Background:
Down syndrome (DS) is the most common human chromosomal abnormality. It is characterized by mental retardation and several metabolic disturbances, including elevated oxidative stress, which may be causally linked. Treatment with dietary antioxidants has been suggested as a potential method to alleviate the oxidative damage and retardation of DS patients, but prior supplementation work has been equivocal.
Aim:
To evaluate the effects of supplementation with antioxidants α-tocopherol and α-lipoic acid (ALA) on oxidative stress biomarkers in DS children.
Methods:
Ninety-three DS children aged 7-15 years from both sexes were randomly allocated to three groups: α-tocopherol (400 IU/day), ALA (100 mg/day) and placebo. The intervention period was 4 months. A healthy control group consisted 26 non-DS siblings. Serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8OHdG) were used as biomarkers of oxidative stress.
Results:
DS children had greater levels of baseline oxidative stress than their siblings. Moreover, males had greater levels of 8OHdG than females (P<0.001) but there was no significant association between age and biomarkers of oxidative stress. Serum levels of TBARS did not change significantly over time, or relative to placebo. Although urinary 8OHdG concentrations decreased significantly in both α-tocopherol and ALA, groups compared with the baseline levels (P<0.001), mean final levels of urinary 8OHdG concentrations differed significantly only between α-tocopherol and placebo groups (P<0.01).
Conclusions:
α-Tocopherol supplementation of the diets of DS children may attenuate oxidative stress at the DNA level.
