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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #209549
Title: Antioxidant Nutrients and Oxidative DNA Damage in Humans

Author
item Yeum, Kyung-Jin
item ALDINI, GIANCARLO - UNIV OF MILAN, ITALY
item Russell, Robert

Submitted to: Sight and Life Newsletter
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2007
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases related to aging, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. When the excessive amount of reactive oxygen species accumulates in vivo, it can cause oxidative damage to lipids, proteins and DNA. In particular DNA is one of the most biologically significant targets for reactive oxygen species. Even though there are several questions that remain to be answered, i.e. whether peripheral lymphocyte DNA damage reflects similar damage in the other target tissues and whether increased oxidative DNA damage in fact is directly associated with chronic disease development, currently available research studies indicates that either carotenoid rich fruits and vegetable diets, a combination of antioxidants or a combination of carotenoids can be protective against oxidative DNA damage rather than the use of a single antioxidant. On the other hand, we should be cautious about the possibility of over-dosing of individual antioxidants, which could cause an imbalance of our body’s antioxidant defense system.