Positive Health Online

Abstract

SCROFANO and colleagues, Laboratory for Nutrition and Vision Research, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston MA 02111 USA studied the effect of diet, age and sex upon levels of vitamins A, E, C, cholesterol, glucose and glycohaemoglobin in male and female mice fed control (C ) and 50% calorie restricted (R) diets .

Background

Methodology

Results

Control-fed animals tended to have higher levels of plasma vitamin C (50-71%), cholesterol (23-71%), glucose (38-81%) and glycohaemoglobin (50%). These diet differences varied with the age and sex of the animals. Plasma vitamin A levels were lower only in R males vs. C males (50%). The authors describe novel sex-related differences in levels of plasma vitamin A (2-fold higher in C male mice than in C or R female mice). Ageing is associated with trends towards lower levels of plasma vitamin C (14-25%), glucose (34-36%) and glycohaemoglobin (47-57%) from 4.5 to 23 months of age. These age differences, however, depended upon the diet and sex of the animals.

Conclusion

These data suggest that lower plasma levels of glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin and cholesterol may be causally related to the life extension noted in R animals, since elevated levels of these moieties have been related to ageing. As oxidative stress is thought to be causally related to ageing, it would appear unlikely that vitamins A, E and C are causally related to R-induced life-extension.Scrofano MM et al. The effects of aging and calorie restriction on plasma nutrient levels in male and female Emory mice.. Mech Ageing Dev 105(1-2): 31-44. Sep 15 1998.

References