Factors influencing blood concentration of retinol, α-tocopherol, vitamin C, and β-carotene in the French participants of the SU.VI.MAX trial

Abstract

Objectives:The data was collected during the inclusion step of the SUpplémentation en VItamines et Minéraux AntioXydants (SU.VI.MAX) study. This article deals with the study's first stage before any supplementation. The collected data shows factors influencing blood vitamin concentrations and may reflect the vitamin status of volunteers. Material and methods: A total of 12 741 volunteers were enrolled in the SU.VI.MAX study 7713 women 35-60 years of age and 5028 men 50-60 years of age. The serum concentrations of retinol, a-tocopherol, and b-carotene were measured by HPLC, and vitamin C concentration was measured by spectrofluorimetry using a Technicon continuous flow analysis apparatus. The volunteers recorded their 24 h diet by means of a specific terminal that was connected to the main central computer of the SU.VI.MAX study. Volunteers recorded the food they consumed daily and estimated its quantity by comparing pictures of dishes. Results: Retinol concentration was significantly higher in older volunteers, and was higher in male than in female volunteers. Smoking had no effect on serum retinol, but the latter was higher in the autumn than in the winter. Serum retinol concentrations were higher in the Southwest region and lower in the Ile-de-France and East-Centre regions. Serum a-tocopherol was slightly higher in older volunteers and also higher in male volunteers. Serum a-tocopherol was significantly lower in smokers, and former smokers showed intermediate levels. Like retinol, serum a-tocopherol was higher in the autumn, and higher in the Southwest as compared to the East-Centre Serum b-carotene was slightly higher in younger volunteers, and concentrations were higher in female than in male volunteers. Tobacco smoking decreased serum b-carotene, which was higher in the autumn, and higher in the East, West, and North regions. Serum vitamin C was higher in female volunteers, and was not age related. Serum vitamin C was lower in smokers, was season-dependant, but contrary to fat-soluble vitamins, concentrations were higher in the winter and spring. Serum vitamin C was higher in the Southeast and East-Centre, but lower in the North region. Conclusion: These results suggest that serum retinol concentrations depend on gender, age, seasons, and location of residence. Similarly, serum a-tocopherol concentrations were slightly influenced by age, but more by tobacco smoking, seasons, dietary intake, and location of residence. Serum concentrations of b-carotene depend on gender, age, smoking status, dietary intake, and location of residence. Serum vitamin C concentrations depend on gender, age, smoking status, seasons, dietary intake, and location of residence. Contrary to b-carotene, retinol concentrations were higher in male than in female volunteers. Such a reversed relation suggests a higher b-carotene-retinol conversion in male volunteers.

HPLC Assessment and Multivariate Predictability of Serum Retinol and α-Tocopherol Concentrations in Adult Female Subjects

“…In contrast, more substantial amounts of the variability in serum -tocopherol concentration could be explained by serum lipids concentrations, dietary and lifestyle factors. As in other studies we observed a high correlation between serum retinol and -tocopherol levels and serum total cholesterol concentration TChol [15,17,[40][41][42]. The correlation with TChol is well known and explained by the fact that -tocopherol circulates in blood as part of a lipoprotein complex [43,44].…”

“…Evidence of a relation between tobacco smoking and -tocopherol and retinol status is controversial. Some studies indicated that smokers had significantly lower serum levels of -tocopherol [15,30] or retinol [15,42,63] whereas others reported of no effect of tobacco smoking on their serum concentration [14,41,63,64,65].…”

“…Furthermore, the serum measures reflect concentrations at a single point in time. Whereas, daily and seasonal variation in blood retinol and -tocopherol concentrations are considerable [15,35,69]. In addition, many of the factors (physical activity, smoking, past dieting behaviours) relied on self-report.…”

“…It was observed that there are no straightforward associations between dietary intake of retinol and -tocopherol and their serum concentration due to individual differences in absorption, metabolism and tissue distribution of retinol and -tocopherol [12,13]. Several published reports have identified that intake of other nutrients, smoking, alcohol comsumption, plasma lipid profile, age and obesity affect serum concentrations of these vitamins [14][15][16][17][18]. Obesity is associated in some instances with lower levels of serum fat-soluble antioxidants [18,19].…”

Optogenetic control of chemokine receptor signal and T-cell migration

“…1 A and C). The t 1/2 value of rhodopsin chromophore formation (A500) is 2.7 min with 3.3 μM 11-cis-retinal (9), and both human blood and mouse blood contain ∼1 μM retinol (10,11), enabling the use of the opsin-receptor chimera as a new class of in vivo immunological tools that does not require supplementation with exogenous retinal cofactors.…”