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Age-related oxidative stress and antioxidant parameters in middle-aged and older European subjects: the ZENITH study

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 59, pages S58–S62 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

Oxidative stress has been reported to increase with ageing. However, the data in healthy humans remain controversial and studies in free-living elderly people are scarce. The objective of the present study was to compare age-related oxidative stress in late middle-aged and older free-living subjects.

Design:

The effect of ageing on oxidative stress and antioxidant parameters was investigated in 188 middle-aged subjects from Clermont-Ferrand (France) and Coleraine (UK), and in 199 older subjects from Grenoble (France) and Roma (Italy). Plasma thiol (SH) groups, define definition (TBAR's) and total glutathione (GSH), define definition (FRAP), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were measured at baseline of the ZENITH study.

Results:

Plasma SH groups and FRAP and, surprisingly, TBAR's were significantly lower in free-living older subjects compared to younger subjects (P<0.001, P<0.001, P<0.01, respectively), but there was no significant differences in GSH levels.

Conclusion:

European free-living healthy older do not appear to be exposed to an acute oxidative stress. However, the highly significant positive correlation between plasma SH group oxidation or decreased FRAP and ageing is predictive of an increased risk of oxidative stress in older subjects. Moreover, the comparison between middle-aged and older subjects regarding oxidative stress parameters suggests also a progressive and slow decline of antioxidant status in healthy free-living older elderly and underline the impact on life-style factors on successful ageing.

Sponsorship:

The ZENITH study is supported by the European Commission ‘Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources’ Fifth Framework Programme, Contract No: QLK1-CT-2001-00168.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr Catherine Garrel (Grenoble CH, France) and her technicians for determination of Blood Glutathione and TBAR's.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Nutrition Vieillissement et Maladies Cardiovasculaires, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Joseph Fourier, Domaine de la Merci, La Tronche, France

    M Andriollo-Sanchez, I Hininger-Favier & A M Roussel

  2. NICHE, Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, Biomedical Science, University of Ulster, Cromore road, Coleraine, Co Derry, Northern Ireland, UK

    J M O'Connor

  3. Centre de recherche en Nutrition Humaine d'Auvergne (CRNH), Unité Maladies Métaboliques et Micronutriments, INRA, Centre de Recherche de Clermont-Ferrand/Theix, St Genès-Champanelle, F-63122, France

    N Meunier & C Coudray

  4. National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research, Human Nutrition Unit (INRAN), Via Ardeatina, Rome, Italy

    E Venneria & G Maiani

Authors
  1. M Andriollo-Sanchez
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  2. I Hininger-Favier
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  3. N Meunier
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  4. E Venneria
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  5. J M O'Connor
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  6. G Maiani
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  7. C Coudray
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  8. A M Roussel
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to A M Roussel.

Additional information

Guarantor: AM Roussel.

Contributors: MAS performed subject recruitment and study follow up, IHF contributed to the study design and supervised stress oxidative measurements, NM and EV performed subject recruitment, JMO, GM, CC and AMR are team's leaders in the different centres. All authors contributed to finalisation of the manuscript.

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Andriollo-Sanchez, M., Hininger-Favier, I., Meunier, N. et al. Age-related oxidative stress and antioxidant parameters in middle-aged and older European subjects: the ZENITH study. Eur J Clin Nutr 59 (Suppl 2), S58–S62 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602300

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