• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.374-382
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• 2004

The concern of the antioxidant micronutrient status in normal healthy people, including antioxidant trace minerals such as Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe and Se is focused since systemic oxidation is involved in various chronic diseases. In the present study, we evaluated the concentration of trace minerals (Cu, Zn, Mn, and Fe) which are considered as potential antioxidant minerals in plasma, red blood cells (RBCs) and urine in normal healthy Korean subjects. The 760 subjects (male 341, female 419; mean age 54.2 $\pm$ 18.9) were recruited from the rural, urban and metropolitan city in South Korea. Dietary intake was evaluated using 24-hours recall for general major nutrient intake assessment. The trace elements (Cu, Zn, Mn, and Fe) concentrations in plasma, RBCs, and urine were measured by inductively coupled plasma spectrophotometer (ICP) and atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). Cu and Zn levels in plasma, RBCs and urine in normal healthy South Koreans were within the normal range of those mineral levels, but Mn and Fe levels were higher compared to the normal range of those mineral levels. None of the selected trace mineral levels in plasma and RBC's was lower than the normal range value. The results showed that Zn and Cu levels in plasma and RBC's in Korean were within the normal range, and plasma and urinary Mn and Fe levels were higher than the normal reference values. Potential antioxidant trace mineral (Cu, Mn, Zn and Fe) levels in Koreans are within or a bit higher than the normal range.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.299-305
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• 2012

Yam has been recognized having the beneficial effects for the prevention of various diseases, such as cancer, immunity, infection and obesity etc. There is increasing consideration to supplement the antioxidant nutrients to make up the lack of the antioxidant nutrient intakes. No study has been reported for the analysis of antioxidant mineral contents and comparison to dietary recommended intake for the sense of health promotion. In our study, we analyzed the contents of antioxidant trace elements (Zn, Mn, Fe, Cu and Se) and Cr contents in cultivated Korean yam powders for evaluation of nutrient intake aspects. We collected the commercial yam powders from six different cultivated areas in the South Korea and measured antioxidant minerals (Zn, Mn, Fe, Cu and Se) and Cr contents using trace element-free plasma spectrometer (ICP) or atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS) after dry-ashing and then wet-acid digestion. The accuracy of mineral analysis method was confirmed by the mineral analysis of standard reference material. Each analyzed element contents in yam were compared to dietary reference intakes of Koreans (KDRIs). The average levels of trace elements (Zn, Mn, Fe, Cu, Se and Cr) in yam powders were 18.3, 11.9, 36.0, 3.7, 1.9 and 1.27 ${\mu}g/g$ yam powder, respectively. The intakes of Zn, Fe, Cu and Se of which KDRIs is determined, are accounted as being up to 23.8%, 55.6%, 32.5% and 236% recommended intake (RI) of KDRIs, if daily yam supplementation (50 g) of commercial instruction would be considered. The intake of Mn is about 25% adequate intake (AI) of KDRIs with the daily supplementation of yam powder. Most of mineral intakes from daily yam supplementation were with the range of non-detectable to <10% upper limit (UL) level, which is very much safe. The study results show that daily supplementation of Korean yam power is beneficial to provide the supplemental nutrient intake and also is safe, if the suggested dosage would be considered.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between obesity and, erythrocyte SOD (superoxide dismutase) activity and serum antioxidant mineral (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn and Se) concentrations of adolescents. Subjects were assigned to one of two groups such as obese ($BMI{\geq}25$, 32 boys, 24 girls) and normal group (18.5 < BMI < 23, 27 boys, 30 girls) Subjects were evaluated based on anthropometric measurements, 24-hr dietary recalls and blood analysis. The mean age of the total subjects was 13.8 years. The mean weight (p < 0.001), BMI (p < 0.001) and body fat (p < 0.001) of obese were higher than those of normal group. There was no significant difference in nutrient intake between obese and normal groups. SOD activity of obese group was not significantly different from normal groups, in both males and females. However, in the males, serum Cu concentration of obese were significantly lower than those of normal group. In the females, Serum Mn concentration of obese were significantly lower then those of normal group. In the correlation analysis, BMI of the subjects had significantly negative correlations with serum Cu, Zn and Mn. To summarize the results, increase of obesity may lead to decrease of serum antioxidant minerals such as Cu, Zn and Mn.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.10
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• pp.1052-1060
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• 2003

Poor dietary habits and inadequate nutrient intakes are of concern in the elderly, even it is worse in rural areas. In the present study, we conducted the anthropometric measurement and the dietary intakes including macronutrients, minerals and vitamins to assess the nutrient intakes and nutritional risk in elderly people in rural kyungpook province in South Korea. Subjects (n = 168, mean age, 67.3 yrs) were interviewed using d general questionnaire and 3 days of 24-hours recall for dietary intake. Nutrient intakes were analyzed using CAN-pro soft program and compared to Korean RDA and nutrition reference values (NRV). The anthropometric measurement showed that the weight and the height of the subjects in the rural area were below the average of the same age of Korean elderly people. The energy and protein intakes were 85％ and 90％ of Korean RDA, respectively. The intakes of lipid, cholesterol and dietary fiber were 62％, 40％ and 22％ of NRV for Korean adults. Main sources for protein and lipid intakes came from the vegetable sources and this pattern was more prominent in female elderly people. Ca intake was half of Korean RDA (56％), while P intake was 132％ of Korean RDA. For the antioxidant trace mineral (Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, and Se) intakes, Fe and Zn intakes were 78％ and > 103％ of Korean RDA. Cu, Mn and Se intakes were > 113％, > 275％, and > 185％ of Korean NRV. Thiamin, niacin and vitamin C intakes were above Korean RDA, but the intakes of vitamin A and riboflavin were 88％ and 63％ of Korean RDA, respectively. On summarizing the results of the present study, the elderly people in rural area consume less lipid, cholesterol, Ca, and dietary fiber. Ca intake is lower, while P intake is higher, and this would be the potential risk for bone health. Also, Na intake was high, which can be the potential risk for the cardiovascular disease prevailance. Vitamin intakes were fairly good status, excepting riboflavin. Antioxidant mineral intakes were much higher than Korean NRV, unexpectedly. The results suggest that the elderly people in rural area have inadequate intakes of protein, lipid, dietary fiber and Ca, which mainly should be supplied from animal products. Recommendations to increase diet variety would be emphasized for this nutritionally poor-conditioned subjects, specially including animal food products and high dietary fiber food.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.9
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• pp.898-907
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• 2003

Antioxidative function of uncooked powdered food (Sangsik) was evaluated in rats consuming nutritionally unbalanced diet including 1％ cholesterol, high proportion of animal lipids (lard : soybean oil : 8 . 2) , sub-optimal levels of vitamin and mineral mixture along with 0.5% ethanol in drinking water. The uncooked powdered food tested in the present study was a mixture composed of 42 kinds of plant foods (cereals, legumes, seaweeds, vegetables, and fruits) supplemented with vitamins and minerals, and dietary fiber. Control rats were fed the semi-purified diet based on the AIN-93G composition, and nutritionally unbalanced rats were divided into 3 groups, and fed one of the following diets with 0.5% ethanol in drinking water for 5 weeks : unbalanced control diet (UC) ,20% Sangsik powder supplemented diet (S20), and 40% Sangsik powder supplemented diet (S40) . Food efficiency ratio was significantly higher in rats fed S40 compared to the value for rats fed UC (p < 0.05). Hepatic level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) was significantly lower in rats fed UC compared to that for control rats (p < 0.05) , and was not influenced by dietary supplementation of the Sangsik powder. Hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was significantly higher in rats fed UC compared to that for control rats (p < 0.05) , and significantly reduced in rats fed S20 or S40 compared to the value for unbalanced control rats. Feeding unbalanced control diet significantly reduced the ratio of hepatic GSH-Px ＋ catalase/SOD activities compared to the value for control rats, and this decrease in the ratio of antioxidant enzyme activities was reversed by adding the Sangsik powder to the diet at 20% (p <0.05) . Based on the results of antioxidant enzyme activities, feeding uncooked powdered diet appears to provide a favorable environment for body's antioxidative defense mechanism. Serum levels of Fe and Cu were significantly lower in rats fed the Sangsik powder supplemented diets compared to the value for unbalanced control rats (p < 0.05) , and levels of Se, Mn, and Zn were also tended to be decreased by dietary supplementation of the Sangsik powder. These results postulate the possibility that ingredients used in the uncooked powdered food may decrease the bioavailability of trace elements in rats.