Age, sex, cigarette smoking and indices of free radical activity in healthy humans.

Abstract

This study of normal subjects describes an age related increase in malondialdehyde levels, the rate of which is influenced by sex and smoking status. In humans, plasma thiol levels decrease with increasing age, females have higher red cell glutathione and there is a significant inverse relationship between red blood cell superoxide dismutase and glutathione levels. Furthermore, cigarette smoking increases plasma malondialdehyde levels. With the considerable current interest in free radicals, it is important to identify factors which influence the indices used to assess free radical activity in disease states.