beta-carotene and Avitaminosis

In this article we review published studies on the role of serum micronutrient levels in the natural history of HIV infection. Specifically, we have focused on vitamins B12, E, A, and beta-carotene. Deficiencies of one or several of these vitamins have been associated with an accelerated progression of HIV infection to AIDS. Most investigators have used serum micronutrient levels as an indicator of vitamin nutriture. However, serum levels are not always the most sensitive or specific indicators of vitamin status. Nonetheless, serum vitamin levels are relatively easy to obtain and have been studied in various HIV-infected populations in individuals at different stages of disease. Low serum B12 levels have been associated with increased neurologic abnormalities, more rapid HIV disease progression, and increased AZT-related bone marrow toxicity. Low serum vitamin E levels have been associated with an increase in oxidative stress in HIV-infected individuals. However, early studies of vitamin E supplementation suggest that vitamin E may have important immunostimulatory properties. Studies of vitamin A deficiency in HIV-infected populations have shown that low serum vitamin A levels are associated with increased mortality, more rapid disease progression, and increased maternal-fetal transmission. However, there is little evidence that vitamin A supplementation, beyond the correction of deficiency, is beneficial in HIV infection. Finally, several clinical trials of beta-carotene supplementation have failed to show significant or sustained improvements in the immune response of patients with HIV infection or AIDS.

Topics: Avitaminosis; beta Carotene; Disease Progression; HIV Infections; Humans; Micronutrients; Nutrition Assessment; Nutritional Requirements; Vitamin A Deficiency; Vitamin B 12 Deficiency; Vitamin E Deficiency; Vitamins

Deficiencies of vitamin A, iron, and zinc are prevalent in women and infants in developing countries. Supplementation during pregnancy can benefit mother and infant.. We examined whether supplementation during pregnancy with iron and folic acid plus beta-carotene or zinc or both improves the micronutrient status of mothers and infants postpartum.. Pregnant women (n = 170) were supplemented daily only during pregnancy with beta-carotene (4.5 mg), zinc (30 mg), or both or placebo plus iron (30 mg) and folic acid (0.4 mg) in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Micronutrient status was assessed 1 and 6 mo postpartum.. Six months postpartum, plasma retinol concentrations were higher in the women who received zinc during pregnancy than in women who did not. Infants born to mothers supplemented with beta-carotene + zinc had higher plasma retinol concentrations, with the frequency of vitamin A deficiency reduced by >30% compared with the other 3 groups. Breast-milk beta-carotene concentrations were higher in all women supplemented with beta-carotene, but breast-milk retinol concentrations were higher only in women who received beta-carotene + zinc. Zinc concentrations did not differ among groups in mothers and infants.. Zinc supplementation during pregnancy improved the vitamin A status of mothers and infants postpartum, which indicates a specific role of zinc in vitamin A metabolism. Addition of both beta-carotene and zinc to iron supplements during pregnancy could be effective in improving the vitamin A status of mothers and infants.

Topics: Adult; Avitaminosis; beta Carotene; Birth Weight; Body Mass Index; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Indonesia; Infant, Newborn; Milk, Human; Nutritional Status; Pregnancy; Vitamin A; Zinc

Antioxidant vitamins such as alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E), ascorbic acid (vitamin C), and beta-carotene (provitamin A), play a significant role in protecting the body from an excess of free radicals. The vitamin content of the diet is thus very important.. To assess whether the dietary intake of vitamins A, C and E is adequate in a selected group of adolescents living in Warsaw.. The mean vitamin consumption was estimated using three-day dietary records whilst vitamin contents of selected foodstuffs were obtained from Food Composition Tables. Both were related to Polish nutrition standards applied to adolescents; i.e. EAR (Estimated Average Requirement) for vitamins A and C and AI (Adequate Intake) for vitamin E.. Dietary vitamin C in adolescents and vitamin E in girls were around 18-25% lower than that recommended. Diets that were deficient in vitamins C and E were recorded in 47% to 67% adolescents.. It is therefore necessary to increase the consumption of vegetables and fruit which provide a valuable dietary source for these vitamins.

Topics: Adolescent; Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Antioxidants; Ascorbic Acid; Avitaminosis; beta Carotene; Female; Fruit; Humans; Male; Nutritional Status; Poland; Recommended Dietary Allowances; Vegetables; Vitamin A; Vitamin E

Deficiencies of essential nutrients have been responsible for many epidemic outbreaks of deficiency diseases in the past. Large observational studies point at possible links between nutrition and chronic diseases. Low intake of antioxidant vitamins e. g. have been correlated to increased risk of cardiovascular diseases or cancer. The main results of these studies are indications that an intake below the recommendation could be one of the risk factors for chronic diseases. There was hardly any evidence that amounts above the RDA could be of additional benefit. Since observational studies cannot prove causality, the scientific community has been asking for placebo-controlled, randomized intervention trials (RCTs). Thus, the consequences of the epidemiological studies would have been to select volunteers whose baseline vitamin levels were below the recommended values. The hypothesis of the trial should be that correcting this risk factor up to RDA levels lowers the risk of a disease like CVD by 20 - 30 %. However, none of the RCTs of western countries was designed to correct a chronic marginal deficiency, but they rather tested whether an additional supplement on top of the recommended values would be beneficial in reducing a disease risk or its prognosis. It was, therefore, not surprising that the results were disappointing. As a matter of fact, the results confirmed the findings of the observational studies: chronic diseases are the product of several risk factors, among them most probably a chronic vitamin deficiency. Vitamin supplements could only correct the part of the overall risk that is due to the insufficient vitamin intake.

Topics: Antioxidants; Ascorbic Acid; Avitaminosis; beta Carotene; Cardiovascular Diseases; Chronic Disease; Dietary Supplements; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Humans; Male; Nutrition Policy; Prognosis; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Risk Factors; Vitamin E; Vitamins

Daily inclusion in the diet of Pskov GRES workers the drinks or kissels containing 2 g pectin per daily serving (cup) during 6 months was accompanied by a statistically significant decline of their supply with vitamins C, B2, A and beta-carotene. This is reflected both in reducing the average vitamin concentration in blood serum and in the increase of the quota of people with deficiency of several vitamins. Additional inclusion of 13 vitamins in these drinks and kissels, in a dose about 80% of the RDA, has prevented the deterioration of vitamin status.

Topics: Adult; Avitaminosis; beta Carotene; Beverages; Female; Humans; Industry; Male; Middle Aged; Pectins; Russia; Time Factors; Vitamins

Our objective was to describe the prevalence of low concentrations of retinol, beta-carotene, and vitamin E in a group of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected Latin American children and a comparison group of HIV-exposed, uninfected children. Our hypothesis was that the rates of low concentrations of these micronutrients would be higher in the HIV-infected group than those in the HIV-exposed, uninfected group. This was a cross-sectional substudy of a larger cohort study at clinical pediatric HIV centers in Latin America. Serum levels of micronutrients were measured in the first stored sample obtained after each child's first birthday by high-performance liquid chromatography. Low concentrations of retinol, beta-carotene, and vitamin E were defined as serum levels below 0.70, 0.35, and 18.0 micromol/L, respectively. The population for this analysis was 336 children (124 HIV-infected, 212 HIV-exposed, uninfected) aged 1 year or older to younger than 4 years. Rates of low concentrations were 74% for retinol, 27% for beta-carotene, and 89% for vitamin E. These rates were not affected by HIV status. Among the HIV-infected children, those treated with antiretrovirals were less likely to have retinol deficiency, but no other HIV-related factors correlated with micronutrient low serum levels. Low concentrations of retinol, beta-carotene, and vitamin E are very common in children exposed to HIV living in Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico, regardless of HIV-infection status.

Topics: Adolescent; Anti-Retroviral Agents; Argentina; Avitaminosis; beta Carotene; Brazil; Child; Child, Preschool; Cross-Sectional Studies; HIV; HIV Infections; Humans; Infant; Mexico; Micronutrients; Prevalence; Prospective Studies; Vitamin A; Vitamin A Deficiency; Vitamin E; Vitamin E Deficiency

The results of use of a treatment-and-prophylactic product "Solnyshko" in people's food as well as pharmacological preparations containing b-carotene and ascorbic acid were submitted. It was shown that at the use of the specified product and pharmacological preparations there is an authentic improvement of b-carotene and ascorbic acid supply.

Topics: Adult; Ascorbic Acid; Avitaminosis; beta Carotene; Dietary Proteins; Food, Fortified; Humans; Middle Aged

Inclusion of vitamin-containing soft drink and oil solution of beta-carotene in the diet of the 4-14 years old children suffering from gastrointestinal diseases lead to vitamin and antioxidant status improvement with simultaneous positive effects on their clinical condition. Polyhypovitaminosis frequency had decreased. Thus, there is every reason to fortify diets of the patients suffering from gastrointestinal diseases with vitamins-antioxidants.

Topics: Adolescent; Avitaminosis; beta Carotene; Beverages; Child; Child, Preschool; Chronic Disease; Duodenitis; Gastritis; Humans; Lipid Peroxidation; Vitamins

The comparative study of influence of two biologically active food additives with the different contents of vitamins is carried out: a drink "Zolotoi Shar", the dose of vitamins in which makes 50-90% from recommended daily consumption, and "Vitabalance 2000", the contents of vitamins in which at 2-17 of time exceeds need of organism. The use of both additives within 3 weeks resulted in increase of levels of vitamins C, A, E, B2, B6 and carotenoids in blood serum. However if in case of consumption of a drink an authentic level was reached only for vitamin C and beta-carotene, in a case "Vitabalance 2000" for all investigated vitamins except vitamin A. Thus, if the consumption of a drink has lowered frequency of deficiency of 3-4 vitamins, but has not allowed to liquidate it completely, in case of "Vitabalance 2000" consumption the simultaneous deficiency 3-4 vitamins. The received data allow to believe the biologically active food additives containing vitamins in amounts exceeding recommended consumption, are convenient for fast liquidation of hypovitaminoses, and the preparations containing vitamins in doses making 30-50% from need of organism, are acceptable for daily filling of insufficient consumption of vitamins with a usual diet for a long time.

Topics: Adenine; Adult; Ascorbic Acid; Ascorbic Acid Deficiency; Avitaminosis; beta Carotene; Beverages; Female; Food, Fortified; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Riboflavin; Time Factors; Vitamin A; Vitamin A Deficiency; Vitamin B Deficiency; Vitamins

The present study was aimed to determine the vitamin status of vitamins A, E, beta-carotene, B1, B2, B6, B12 and folate in plasma using HPLC and vitamins B1, B2 and B6 in erythrocytes using the apoenzyme stimulation test with the Cobas-Bio analyzer in 29 elderly type II diabetic women with (G1: n = 17, age: 68.6 +/- 3.2 years) and without (G2: n = 12, age: 71.8 +/- 2.7 years) diabetic polyneuropathy. The basic parameters as age, hemoglobin A1c, fructosamine and duration of the disease did not differ in both groups. Furthermore, retinopathy was assessed with fundoscopy and nephropathy with creatinine clearance. The creatinine clearance (G1: 50.6 +/- 3.4 vs. G2: 63.6 +/- 3.7 ml/min, 2p < 0.025) and the percentage of retinopathy (G1: 76.5% vs. G2: 16.7%, 2p = 0.002) were different indicating that G1 had significantly more severe late complications than G2. Current plasma levels of all measured vitamins (A, E, beta-carotene, B1, B2, B6, B12 and folate) and the status of B1, B2 and B6 in erythrocytes did not vary between the two groups (2p > 0.1). In summary, we found a lack of association between the actual vitamin condition in plasma and erythrocytes and diabetic neuropathy.

Topics: Aged; Avitaminosis; beta Carotene; Carotenoids; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Diabetic Neuropathies; Female; Folic Acid; Glycated Hemoglobin; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neurologic Examination; Pyridoxine; Riboflavin; Thiamine; Vitamin A; Vitamin B 12; Vitamin E; Vitamins

Patients with extensive small-bowel resection may experience malabsorption and nutrient deficiencies. We evaluated the ability to absorb fat and fat-soluble vitamins in a short-gut patient. For 18 wk after stopping intravenous lipid, while consuming a low-lactose, low-fat diet, he exhibited no clinical manifestations of essential fatty acid deficiency (EFAD). Serum 20:4n-6 (20:4 omega-6) and 18:2n-6 fatty acid concentrations were normal, whereas the concentration of 20:3n-9 remained less than or equal to 0.1% of total serum fatty acids. Although serum vitamin A was normal, beta-carotene was undetectable despite oral supplementation. Prothrombin time was elevated until parenteral vitamin K was given. This patient has fat absorption adequate to prevent EFAD but inadequate absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. In patients with short bowel, the requirements for parenteral lipids and fat-soluble vitamins should be determined independently.

Topics: Absorption; Adult; Avitaminosis; beta Carotene; Carotenoids; Fats; Fatty Acids, Essential; Humans; Infusions, Parenteral; Lipids; Male; Prothrombin Time; Short Bowel Syndrome; Solubility; Vitamin K; Vitamin K Deficiency

The serum of 392 French healthy children aged 1-16 years was analysed for vitamin A, vitamin E, beta-carotene and cholesterol contents. The study group consisted in 185 females and 207 males, living in the area of Tours, France. The mean serum values are 42.05 +/- 12.0 micrograms/dl for vitamin A, 572 +/- 381 micrograms/l for beta-carotene and 9.5 +/- 2.5 mg/l for vitamin E. According to sex distribution, mean values of studied micronutrients levels are higher in boys than in girls, but not significantly. Vitamin A and vitamin E serum levels increased with age. Vitamin E peripheral level is strongly correlated with total cholesterol serum value. The results are compared to those of underdeveloped countries children groups studies. At least, decreased vitamins levels are observed among five per cent of children and are examined as being at risk to develop a deficiency.

Topics: Adolescent; Avitaminosis; beta Carotene; Carotenoids; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; France; Humans; Infant; Male; Vitamin A; Vitamin E

Topics: Administration, Oral; Animals; Avitaminosis; beta Carotene; Carotenoids; Ethers, Cyclic; Intestines; Kidney; Liver; Lung; Rats; Spleen; Vitamin A; Xanthines