Antioxidants Flashcards
What are Reactive Oxygen Species?
toxic by-products of oxygen metabolism
Name some ROS:
Superoxide
Hydrogen peroxide
Hydroxyl radical
Nitric oxide
What is Oxidative Stress?
production of ROS is greater than the antioxidant defenses can consume them
Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury
most tissue damage occurs on re-exposure to oxygen after cardiac infarct or other ischemic event
ROS are believed to be involved in what diseases?
Cancer - oxidative damage to DNA
Atherosclerosis - ox of low density lipoprotein and its uptake by macrophages
Alzheimer’s disease - neuronal death from elevated NO and/or mitochondrial dysfunction
Aging - progressive decline in mitochondrial function
Vitamin E is what type of Antioxidant?
lipophilic
functions as a chain-breaking antioxidant that prevents propagation of the lipid carbon centered radicals of the Fatty Acid residues of membranes
What foods contain Vitamin E?
grains
wheat germ
nuts
vegetable oils
Vitamin E may contain a variety of ___ and ___ .
Tocopherols (w saturated side chains)
Tocotrienols (w 3 double bonds in side chains)
The tocopherol with the highest activity and is often called “natural” vitamin E
alpha-tocopherol
Absorption of Vitamin E:
where?
where does it go?
in what form?
Absorbed in the intestine and transferred to the liver
Chylomicrons (plasma lipoproteins)
Does Vitamin E protect against heart disease?
No good evidence.
Supplements not currently recommended.
Problem with ingesting too much Vitamin E?
Can compete with Vitamin K absorption (potential problem with anticoagulants).
The TUL is 1000 mg/day so other than that it is not very toxic despite being fat soluble.
Tolerable upper limit of Vitamin E
1000 mg/day
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for Vitamin E
15 mg/day
So, Vitamin E is important for protecting molecules in what type of environment? Hydrophilic/phobic
Example of where…
Hydrophobic environments
CNS