PLASMA ANTIOXIDANT MICRONUTRIENTS LEVEL OF APPARENTLY HEALTHY ADULTS AFTER A DIETARY INTERVENTION BASED ON AGE AND GENDER IN NASARAWA STATE UNIVERSITY, KEFFI, NIGERIA

Abstract

Immunologic functions particularly cell-mediated immunity declines with age, contributing to the increased incidence of infectious diseases in the elderly. The study looked at vitamin C, vitamin E, and β-carotene levels in plasma of 150 healthy adults of 96 men and 54 women aged between 30 and 74 years. The subjects were randomly grouped into three at baseline for further dietary studies. either 1 capsule per day of antioxidant nutraceutical (Forever living product) (containing vitamin E 10 mg, vitamin C 60mg and β-carotene 2000 mcg of vitamin A, or cheap affordable indigenous antioxidant functional foods of equivalent vitamin composition of oranges, carrots, and soybean or bottled water, and the first dose was dispensed and followed up for six months. The result showed that the vit C,E and β-carotene concentration of antioxidant treated groups were positively influenced than the placebo group (Grp 1 (AT-P)6m. Grp 3 (AT-F)6m was affected more positively than the antioxidant Grp 2 (AT-) 6m. Vitamin C, E, and β-carotene concentrations of the elderly are beyond reference/normal range of blood plasma. Plasma Vitamin C and β-carotene concentration of the female was higher than the male. There vitamin E concentration in blood plasma of male is higher compare to female