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Antioxidant dietary supplements enhance DNA repair capacity in free‐living humans
Author(s) -
Neuhouser Marian L.,
Gu J.,
Schmezer P.,
Ulrich C.,
White E.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.445.3
Subject(s) - comet assay , antioxidant , vitamin c , food science , dna damage , antioxidant capacity , oxidative stress , vitamin e , vitamin , medicine , chemistry , biochemistry , dna
Dietary antioxidants, particularly from dietary supplements, provide protection against free radical‐induced oxidative stress. We used the comet assay (single cell gel electrophoresis) on viable lymphocytes from fasting blood to assess DNA damage and repair capacity in users of antioxidant dietary supplements in Washington State. Participants (n = 121) were aged 50–74 years, 55.4% male, 93% never/former smokers and 64.5% were overweight/obese. Detailed inventories obtained information on supplement use; 85.9% reported using at least one antioxidant‐containing dietary supplement; over half used > one supplement; 8.3% were long‐term high‐dose users of either vitamin C or E (defined as ≥ 1000 mg of vitamin C or 800 IU vitamin E/day for ≥ 5 years). In multivariate‐adjusted regression models, the highest doses of supplemental vitamin C, E or beta‐carotene (vs. no supplements) were associated with enhanced DNA repair capacity (all p< 0.05). Associations were attenuated when antioxidants from food + supplements were considered. Long term use (> 5 years) of vitamins C or E was associated with better DNA repair capacity. Compared to non‐users of dietary supplements, long‐term users of vitamin C or E had a 1.7 fold (p = 0.007) and 1.5 fold (p = 0.01) increases in DNA repair capacity, respectively. Conclusion: use of DNA antioxidant dietary supplements may enhance DNA repair capacity. Supported by R03CA105336,R01CA74846.