• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.330-337
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to investigate the nutritional status of antioxidant vitamins in relation to serum malondialdehye(MDA) level in postmenopausal women with common occurance of cardiovascular disease(CVD). Data about general characteristics including smoking, drinking and exercise status, dietary intake and serum level of antioxidant vitamins, and serum MDA level were collected from eighty-five postmenopausal women. Mean serum MDA level was 1.62$\pm$0.03nmol/ml, and general characteristics and serum lipid profiles were not significantly different among the three group: low MDA(<1.45nmol/ml), midium MDA(1.45-1.74nmol/ml) and high MDA($\geq$1.74nmol/ml). Total mean vitamin A intake was 472.8$\pm$37.7RE, 68% of RDA, vitamin C intake was 134.3$\pm$8.7mg, 192% of RDA and vitamin E intake was 8.6$\pm$0.5mg, 86% of RDA for Korean. In takes of antioxidant vitamins from the diet were not significantly different among the three groups. However significant negative correlation(r=-0.242, p<0.05) was observed between vitamin E intake and serum MDA level in total subjects. Total mean serum vitamin A, $\beta$-carotene and vitamin C level were 0.59$\pm$0.01$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml, 0.25$\pm$0.01$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml and 9.02$\pm$0.28$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml, respectively. Total mean serum vitamin E and vitamin E/total cholesterol level were 9.15$\pm$0.42$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml and 4.09$\pm$0.17$\mu\textrm{g}$/mg, respectively. Serum antioxidant vitamins levels were not significantly different among the three groups. However serum vitamin C and E level were negatively correlated to serum MDA level. We can conclude that it will be helpful for postmenopausal women with common occurance of CVD to improve nutritional status of antioxidant vitamins by increasing intakes of antioxidant vitamins, especially vitamin C and E. (Korean J Nutrition 34(3) : 330~337, 2001)

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.167-178
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• 2000

The effect of oral vitamin e (800IU/day) and C (500mg/day) supplementation for 10 days and/or smoking cessation for 5 days on oxidative damage to the red blood cells (RBC) of male smokers (22.2$\pm$0.2 years old) was studied. RBC were tested for their ability to protect against smoking-induced oxidative damage by measuring heme proteins (carboxyhemoglobin, hemoglobin, methemoglobin, oxyhemoglobin), hemolysis and thiobarbiturinc acid reactive substances (TBARS). Plasma levels of vitamin c, A, E, $\beta$-catotene, total cholesterol, glutamic pyruvic transaminase(GPT) and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase(GOT) were also analyzed. In experiment one, a comparison was made of heme proteins and lipid damage to RBC, plasma antioxidant status (indexed by plasma levels of vitamin C, E, A and $\beta$-carotene) between smokers(n=56) and non-smokers (n=16). No differences were found in plasma antioxidant status, heme protein damage and TBARS concentration of RBC. In experiment two, 46 fasting male smokers from experiment one were divided into 4 groups. The groups were smoking with placebo group(SP, n=14), smoking cessation with vitamins supplementatin group (SV, n=13), smoking cessation with placebo group (NSP, n=9) and smoking cessation with vitamins supplementation group (NSV, n=10). After supplementing antioxidant vitamins, significant increases were seen in plasma vitamins supplementation group (NSV, n=10). After supplementing antioxidant vitamins, significant increases were seen plasma vitamin C (p<0.05) and vitamin E levels (p<0.05). The plasma vitamin E level was highest in the NSV group. Vitmain E and C supplementation provided some protection against heme proteins and lipid damage by lowering methemoglobin, hemolysis and TBARS concentration of RBC. Smoking cessation significantly decreased TBARS of RBC and plasma total cholesterol concentration. Supplementing vitamin E and C with smoking cessation considerably lowered plasma total cholesterol. These results point to a special association among smoking, oxidative damage and plasma antioxidant vitamin status. They indicate that increases in plasma antioxidant status can be detected after the supplementation of vitamin C and E and that smoking cessation had an additional effect on plasma vitamin E level. The present data suggest that improved antioxidant status induced by antioxidant supplementation or smoking cessation may help prevent oxidative damage in smokers.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.775-780
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• 1999

We investigated the effects of antioxidant vitamins supplementation on antioxidative status and plasma lipid profile in female Korean non-insulin diabetes mellitus(NIDDM) patients. Forty-five patients were groups by types of vitamin to take into three groups-Vitam in E group(400IU/day, n=15), Vitamin C group (1,000mg/day, n=15) and Vitamin E plus C group (400 IU plus 1,000mg/day). Supplementation period was 4 weeks. After vitamins supplementation, plasma vitamin E concentration significantly increased in vitamin E and vitamin E + C group, but plasma retinol concentration were not affected by vitamin E or vitamin C supplementation. And plasma levels of lipid peroxide measured as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances(TBARS), indicator of lipid peroxidation and increased susceptibility of LDL towards lipid peroxidation, were significantly decreased in all three groups after vitamins supplementation. Also catalase activities in erythrocytes were significantly decreased after antioxidant vitamin supplementation in all subjects. And after vitamins supplementation, post prandial 2 hour glucose and total cholesterol levels was decreased in all subjects. And after vitamins supplementation, post prandial 2 hour glucose and total cholesterol levels was decreased in all patients, especially there was a significant difference in vitamin C, Vitamin E + C group. In this study, antioxidant vitamins supplementation might have a protective function against the free radical-mediated lipid peroxidation and decrease the plasma total cholesterol levels in Korean female NIDDM patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.257-264
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• 1999

This study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between the life style and the nutritional status of serum antioxidant vitamins and lipids in university male and female students. 48 male and 49 female students attending Andong university, aged between 18 and 25 years, were selected. Questions about the life styles including dietary intakes, food habits, smoking, drinking alcohol, exercise, stress were answered. And serum levels of antioxidant vitamins and lipids were determined. Average serum levels of total cholesterol, LDL C, HDL C, and triglyceride in male and female subjects were 158.6$\pm$32.7, 177.3$\pm$33.8; 86.4$\pm$26.0, 109.0$\pm$31.2; 46.0$\pm$10.7, 49.9$\pm$12.4; 131.2$\pm$22.5, 91.7$\pm$ 38.6mg/dl respectively. Average serum levels of antioxidant vitamin A, E and C in male and female subjects were 42.6$\pm$12.3, 31.4$\pm$9.8 g/dl, 1.11$\pm$0.38, 1.15$\pm$0.29mg/dl and 164.66 $\pm$65.01, 220.06$\pm$80.11 g/dl respectively. There was no significant difference between smoking habits and either serum lipids or antioxidant vitamins level. The serum vitamin C level of drinkers was significantly lower(p=0.038), but serum lipids(total cholesterol, LDL C, and triglyceride) were higher than non alcoholic subjects. The subjects with severe stress had lower in HDL C and higher in atherogenic index than others. This result indicates that oxidative stress may be increased in stressful environment from undesirable life styles and influence the status of serum lipid and antioxidant vitamins.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2003

This study was done to evaluate the antioxidant status of female college students by determining their intakes and plasma levels of antioxidnt vitamins (vitamin C, A and E) and total antioxidant status (TAS). Subjects were 46 healthy female college students aged 20 - 29 years. Body composition was determined by a multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis. Dietary intakes were examined by 24hr record method and nutrients intakes were analyzed by the Computer Aided Nutritional analysis program for professional (CAN-pro). Plasma vitamin C level were measured by spectrophotometric method and retinol, ${\beta}$-carotene, ${\alpha}$-tocopherol were measured by HPLC. Plasma TAS was measured with a Randox kit using the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) method. Daily energy and protein intakes of the female college students were 1670.5㎉ (83% of RDA) and 63.3g (115.1% of RDA), respectively. However their intakes of Ca and Fe were below 75% of RDA. Their intakes of vitamin A and C were 596.6 ${\mu}$ gRE (85.2% of RDA) and 71.0mg (101.4% of RDA), respectively. Plasma levels of vitamin C, retinol, ${\beta}$-carotene and ${\alpha}$-tocopherol were 14.7mg/L, 0.7mg/L, 0.2mg/L and 9.1mg/L, respectively which were within normal range. There was no subject with deficiency or marginal level in plasma vitamin A and C. However 1.6% of the subjects had below adequate level in vitamin E. Plasma TAS level was 1.2mmol/L. Correlation data showed that all plasma antioxidant vitamins were positively correlated with plasma TAS. Overall data indicate that the antioxidant status of female college students were pretty good. However it might be necessary to educate them to eat more fruits and vegetables for preventing many chronic diseases in a later life. (J Community Nutrition 5(1) : 13∼20, 2003)

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.754-761
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• 2001

Effects of dietary fatty acids and vitamin E on antioxidant vitamin status were studied in rat brain sections. Sources of dietary fat(10t%) were safflower oil(SO) poor in $\omega$3 fatty acid and mixed oil (MO) with computer-adjustd fatty acid ratios(AA/DHA=1.4, $\omega$6/$\omega$3=6.3, P/M/S=1.0/1.5/1, AA=2.%)with (ME) and without(MO) vitamin E(500mg/kg diet). Rats were fed the three kinds of diet from 3-4 wks prior to the conception. At the age of 3 & 9wks of the 2nd generation rat, antioxidant vitamins were measured in frontal cortex(FC), corpus striatum (CS), cerebellum(CB) and hippocampus(HP) using a multiwavelength, reverse phase gradient HPLC system. The levels of antioxidant vitamins converged to the similar value in all groups at 9 wks of age. Retinol, lycopene and cryptoxanthin levels of all experimental groups were found to be the highest in hippocampus at both 3 & 9wks of age. The levels of vitamin E appeared to be higher in the order of HP>CS-CB>FC in MO & ME. Beta-carotene and retinol showed the lowest level in hippocampus of vitamin E supplemented groups, even though vitamin E level tended to be higher in other sections. It seemed that vitamin E has an inhibitory action on the uptake of beta-carotene or acts as a preferred antioxidant to beta-carotene in certain section of the brain. By improving fatty acid balance (AA/DHA = 1.4, $\omega$6/$\omega$3=6.3, P/M/S=1.0/1.5/1, AA = 2%), the levels of vitamin E, retinol, lycopene & beta=carotene tended to be higher in MO than in SO, although crytoxanthin became lower at 3wks of age. In short, dietary fatty acids and vitamin E have different influence on antioxidant vitamin status in different rat brain sections. The higher levels of antioxidant vitamins in hippocampus should be pursued further in relation to behavioral development of rats.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.159-168
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• 1997

This study was done to compare the nutritional status of antioxidant vitamins between college women smokers and nonsmokers. Dietary intakes and serum levels of antioxidant vitamins were determined in 33 smokers and 42 nonsmokers residing in the Seoul area. Dietary intakes of vitamin A and C were determined by a quick and convenient dietary intake method. Serum vitamin C level was measured by 2, 4-dinitrophenylhydrazine method and serum levels of vitamin A and E were measured by HPLC. The mean A intake of nonsmokers and smokers was 504.3$\mu$gR.E./day and 450. 4$\mu$gR.E./day and the mean vitamic C intake of nonsmokers and smokers was 51.6mg/day and 50.2mg/day, reapectively. There was no difference in the dietary intakes of antioxidant vitamins between smokers and nonsmokers. The serum vitamin A level, 0.71mg/1 in nonsmokers was not significantly different from that of 0.74mg/1 in smokers. However, the serum vitamin C level, 7.94mg/1 in smokers was 15% lower(p$\ll$0.05) than that of 9.30mg/1 in nonsmokers. The serum vitamin E level, 18.15mg/1 in smoders was also 34% lower(p$\ll$0.05) than that of 27.58mg/1 in nonsmokers. There was no significant correlation between dietary intakes and serum levels of vitamin A and C for both smokers and nonsmokers. These results suggest that cigarette smokers need more dietary intakes of vitamin C and E than do nonsmokers to reach the same serum level.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.103-109
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• 2004

Body antioxidant status is an important factor for the prevention of many chronic diseases in the elderly. This study was done to investigate antioxidant status and its relationship to immune response by measuring plasma cytokine (IL-2 and IL-6) levels in elderly women. Subjects were 76 elderly women aged over 60 years, visiting Jangwhi Social Welfare Center of Seongbook-Gu in Seoul. Subjects were divided into 3 groups according to age (< 65, 65 - 74, > 75). Dietary intakes were assessed by semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires (SFFQ). Plasma vitamin C level was measured by 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine method and plasma levels of vitamin E, A and ${\beta}$-carotene were measured by HPLC. Plasma levels of IL-2 and IL-6 were determined with a solid phase sandwich enzyme linked-immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA) using commercial kits. The average intakes of antioxidant vitamins were 96.3mg (137.5% of RDA) for vitamin C and 523.3 ${\mu}$gRE (74.8% of RDA) for vitamin A in elderly women. All of the average plasma levels of antioxidant vitamins were within normal range. However the percentage of the elderly women with deficiency plus marginal values were 7.9% in vitamin C, 9.2% in vitamin A and 7.9% in vitamin E. Plasma levels of IL-2 and IL-6 were 27.1${\pm}$7.1pg/ml and 5.9${\pm}$5.3pg/ml in elderly women. Correlation data showed that plasma IL-2 level was negatively correlated with plasma vitamin C level. In addition, IL-6 level was also negatively correlated with plasma vitamin C, A and E levels, respectively. There was a significant positive correlation between erythrocyte thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance(TB-ARS) level and plasma IL-2 or IL-6 levels. In addition, erythrocyte TBARS level showed a significant positive correlation with plasma total antioxidant status (TAS) level and a significant negative correlation with plasma vitamin C level. Overall results might imply that the decreased levels of antioxidant vitamins result in an increase in oxidative stress and thereby increase cytokine production such as IL-2 and IL-6. However further research is required to elucidate these relationships.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.1197-1203
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• 1998

This study was conducted to investigate serum lipids and antioxidant vitamins status of male patients with cerebrovascular disease. The study consisted of 16 hospital patients(57.8$\pm$13.7 years) at 3 General Hospitals in Taegu who suffer from cerebrovascular disease and 21 healthy adults(55.5$\pm$7.2 years). The results were as follows: The systolic blood pressure of the patients(150.0$\pm$13.7mmHg) was sig nificantly higher than healthy control(126.0$\pm$17.4mmHg). In patients the percentages of drinking alcohol(more than 5 times/week) and smoking were also higher. And the patients had more stress than control. Total calorie, protein, carbohydrate, vitamin B1 and niacin intakes were significantly lower in the patients. The energy nutrients consumption reached the recommended level in all subjects who were investigated. HDL cholesterol(24.99 vs 37.86mg/dl) and vitamin E(12.94 vs 20.88mg/L) level showed significantly lower, but triglyceride level(175.50 vs 117.69mg/dl), total cholesterol/HDL cho lesterol(6.22 vs 4.39) and atherogenic index(5.22 vs 3.39) were significantly higher in the patient group. Therefore, it might be expected that refraining from drinking alcohol and smoking, and that having proper exercise and certain other healthy living habits which can decrease stress in addition suitable consumption of antioxidant vitamins can prevent the occurrence of cerebrovascular disease.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.24-29
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• 1999

This study was conducted of investigate the antioxidant vitamins and serum lipids status of 23 healthy female subjects and 22 female patients suffering from cerebrovascular disease hospitalized at any of three of general hospitals in Taegu. The systolic blood pressure of patients suffering from cerebrovascular disease(151.4$\pm$30.2mmHg) was significantly higher than healthy controls(129.7$\pm$17.8mmHg). The frequency of drinking alcohol and smoking in patients was also higher. Analysis of patient and control dietary intakes revealed that all subjects were consuming the minimed recommended energy-nutrient levels. HDL-cholesterol(26.15 vs 37.74mg/dl), serum vitamin E(12.69 vs 17.74mg/l) and vitamin C(65.59 vs 152.50ug/dl) levels were significantly lower, but triglyceride(221.01 vs 87.30 mg/dl) and total-cholesterol / HDL-cholesterol levels(5.98 vs 4.89)were significantly higher in the patient group. According to the results of this study, it is expercted that refraining from smoking and drinking alcohol, cultivating healthy living habits which can decrease stress, and maintaining suitable levels of serum antioxidant vitamins can prevent the occurrence of cerebrovascular disease.