Antioxidants for lung function?
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
Results of a study "strongly suggest that beta-carotene protects against the decline in forced expiratory volume (FEV) over an eight-year period in the general population, and that beta-carotene and vitamin E are protective in heavy smokers," A. Guenegou, French National Health Institute INSERM, et al., state in the April issue of Thorax. The study followed 535 French subjects age 20-44 over eight years, 40% of whom were non-smokers. FEV was used as an endpoint since oxidative stress is thought to cause airway obstruction and thus lower FEV. An increase of beta-carotene was linked to slower FEV decline, though no association was found for alpha-carotene, vitamin A or vitamin E. Heavy smokers (> 20 cigarettes/day) with low levels of beta-carotene or vitamin E had the steepest FEV decline...