Am J Clin Nutr. 2006;83(1):163-9.
Modification of lymphocyte DNA damage by carotenoid supplementation in
postmenopausal women.
Zhao X, Aldini G, Johnson EJ, Rasmussen H, Kraemer K, Woolf H,
Musaeus N, Krinsky NI, Russell RM, Yeum KJ.
Jean Mayer USDA-Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University,
Boston, MA 02111, USA.
BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress has been implicated in the
pathogenesis of chronic diseases related to aging such as cancer and
cardiovascular disease. Carotenoids could be a part of a protective strategy to
minimize oxidative damage in vulnerable populations, such as the elderly.
OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to determine the protective effect of carotenoids
against DNA damage. DESIGN: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
intervention study was conducted. Thirty-seven healthy, nonsmoking
postmenopausal women aged 50-70 y were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 groups and
were instructed to consume a daily dose of mixed carotenoids (beta-carotene,
lutein, and lycopene; 4 mg each), 12 mg of a single carotenoid (beta-carotene,
lutein, or lycopene), or placebo for 56 d. Plasma carotenoid concentrations
were analyzed by using HPLC, and lymphocyte DNA damage was measured by using a
single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay. RESULTS: At day 57, all
carotenoid-supplemented groups showed significantly lower endogenous DNA damage
than at baseline (P < 0.01), whereas the placebo group did not show any
significant change. Significantly less (P < 0.05) endogenous DNA damage was
found as early as day 15 in the mixed carotenoid (P < 0.01) and
beta-carotene (P < 0.05) groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that
carotenoid supplementation decreases DNA damage and that a combination of
carotenoids (4 mg each of lutein, beta-carotene, and lycopene), an intake that
can be achieved by diet, or a larger dose (12 mg) of individual carotenoids
exerts protection against DNA damage.