Evaluation of Antioxidant Status and Correlation among Antioxidant Indices in Female College Students

Abstract

This study was done to evaluate the antioxidant status of female college students by determining their intakes and plasma levels of antioxidnt vitamins(vitamin C, A and E) and total antioxidant status(TAS). Subjects were 46 healthy female college students aged 20 - 29 years. Body composition was determined by a multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis. Dietary intakes were examined by 24hr record method and nutrients intakes were analyzed by the Computer Aided Nutritional analysis program for professional(CAN-pro). Plasma vitamin C level were measured by spectrophotometric method and retinol, β-carotene, α-tocopherol were measured by HPLC. Plasma TAS was mea- sured with a Randox kit using the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity(TEAC) method. Daily energy and protein intakes of the female college students were 1670.5kcal(83% of RDA) and 63.3g(115.1% of RDA), respectively. However their intakes of Ca and Fe were below 75% of RDA. Their intakes of vitamin A and C were 596.6μgRE (85.2% of RDA) and 71.0mg(101.4% of RDA), respectively. Plasma levels of vitamin C, retinol, β-carotene and α-tocopherol were 14.7mg/L, 0.7mg/L, 0.2mg/L and 9.1mg/L, respectively which were within normal range. There was no subject with deficiency or marginal level in plasma vitamin A and C. However 1.6% of the subjects had below adequate level in vitamin E. Plasma TAS level was 1.2mmol/L. Correlation data showed that all plasma antioxidant vitamins were positively correlated with plasma TAS. Overall data indicate that the antioxidant status of female college students were pretty good. However it might be necessary to educate them to eat more fruits and vegetables for pre- venting many chronic diseases in a later life. (J Community Nutrition 5(1) : 13 ~ 20, 2003)