Journal article

Publication year: 1994

Pages: 306-310

Journal: International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research

Volume number: 64

Issue number: 4

ISSN: 0300-9831

eISSN: 1664-2821

Publisher: Hogrefe

Abstract: 
The antioxidant capacity in malnutrition - as far as it is related to vitamins - was studied by determining the plasma concentrations of the most prominent antioxidant vitamins (retinol, tocopherols, carotenoids, cryptoxanthine, lycopene, and ubiquinone-10) in marasmic (M; n=15), severe marasmic (SM; n=8), kwashiorkor (KW; n=12), and normally nourished (CO; n=18) children in Nigeria. Retinol was found to be reduced in severe marasmic children when compared to focal controls (medians and interquartile ranges; SM: 155 mu g/l, 117-178 mu g/l; CO: 281 mu/l 209-413 mu g/l; p < 0.005). A strong correlation between plasma retinol and retinol binding protein could be found in all groups (SM: r=0.79; M: r=0.93; KW: r=0.80; CO: r=0.70). The tocopherol/lipid-ratio was lowered in kwashiorkor (median 0.48 mg/g, interquartile range 0.41-0.66 mg/g). A sufficient tocopherol status was only found in one child with kwashiorkor: alpha-Carotene, beta-carotene, cryptoxanthine and lycopene were below the detection limits in most of the malnourished children. Plasma ubiquinone-10 was significantly higher in kwashiorkor (median 1.05 mu g/ml, interquartile range 0.88-1.17 mu g/ml) than in all other groups (CO: 0.71 mu g/ml, 0.55-0.99 mu g/ml: M: 0.72 mu g/ml, 0.65-0.83 mu g/ml; SM: 0.89 mu g/ml, 0.61-0.83 mu g/ml). It is concluded that a depletion of antioxidant vitamins is present in malnourished Nigerian children, especially pronounced in the kwashiorkor syndrome. The mechanisms lending to elevated plasma ubiquinone-10 in kwashiorkor require further studies. (C) 1994 Hogrefe and Huber Publishers

Harvard Citation style: Becker, K., Boetticher, D. and Leichsenring, M. (1994) Antioxidant vitamins in malnourished Nigerian children, International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research, 64(4), pp. 306-310

APA Citation style: Becker, K., Boetticher, D., & Leichsenring, M. (1994). Antioxidant vitamins in malnourished Nigerian children. International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research. 64(4), 306-310.