Vitamin in the Body
Various genetic, lifestyle, and dietary habits affect vitamin status and serum blood concentrations of vitamins in the body. Demographic factors including age and gender also play a role in how different bodies metabolize or absorb various nutrients. The current study by Faure, et al. used data collected in the large-scale official French report Supplementation en Vitamines et Mineraux Antioxydants, known as SUVIMAX. Data was gathered from the first phase of the SUVIMAX study, or before the subjects took any supplements. This was to assess lifestyle, diet, and demographic factors that may affect participants' serum vitamin status. The SUVIMAX study included a total of 12, 741 persons, 7,713 of whom were women aged 35-60, and the remainder included men aged 50-60.
Subjects were told to record their daily intake of food using a computerized recording method. Researchers measured serum concentrations of vitamins including retinol, alpha-tocopherol, and beta-carotene using HPLC; spectrofluroimetry was used to measure serum vitamin C levels.
Results showed wide differences between male and female participants and also revealed the variable effects of factors like age, lifestyle, and diet. In particular, serum retinol concentrations varied from season to season and also depending on the participant's place of residence. For example, serum beta-carotene, retinol, and alpha-tocopherol levels rose in autumn months. Vitamin C serum concentrations were higher in the winter and spring.
Male participants revealed higher serum retinol concentrations than females, although male and female respondents already differed in terms of age. Younger respondents did have higher levels of beta carotene. Smoking had a stronger effect on lowering serum levels of vitamin C and beta-carotene than on retinol. In some cases, smoking tobacco had a strong effect on lowering serum levels of vitamins. In short, the current research suggests connections between lifestyle habits, age, and diet on blood concentrations of vitamins and can be used for health care workers to advise patients on their diet and lifestyle choices.
Works Cited
Faure, H., Preziosi, P., Roussel, a.M., Bertrais, S., Galan, P., Hercberg, S., Favier, a. "Factors influencing blood concentration of retinol, alpha-tocopherol, vitamin C, and beta-carotene in the French participants of the SU.VI.MAX trial." European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2006 Jun; 60(6):706-17. Retrieved Feb 17, 2007 from PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?itool=abstractplus&db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=abstractplus&list_uids=16391586
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