Supplements & functional ingredients
In these and other markets around the world, the growing consumption of carotenoid supplements is based on a growing body of research that shows these ancient and versatile secondary metabolites play key roles in nature and in human health. According to ‘Molecular Basis for Nutrition and Aging’ by a team at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Soroka Medical Centre in Israel, more than 750 different carotenoids have so far been identified in animals, plants, macroalgae, fungi and many prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms. According to the WHO, which collected data from its health evidence network, antioxidants are an important component in general health. The human body needs oxygen, but certain chemical processes can create oxygen free radicals that damage cells, contribute to ageing and play a role in the onset of diseases such as arteriosclerosis and cancer. Among the most effective protective agents against oxygen-free radicals is beta- carotene, a well-known carotenoid. However, according to a recent review co-authored by Bohm, ‘Health-promoting Biological Actions of Carotenoids: Mechanisms for and Contributions to Reduced Risk’, it is not only their antioxidant properties that make carotenoids a source of health benefits. “Although the possible health benefits of carotenoids are still usually attributed to direct antioxidant mechanisms, which are very difficult to demonstrate in vivo, there may be other mechanisms that create these health benefits, such as pro-oxidant mechanisms, enhancement of gap junctional intercellular communication, modulation of signalling pathways or immune function, and absorption of visible light, and all these may interact,” the review states. “The biological actions of carotenoids may be due to some extent to apocarotenoids and other carotenoid derivatives, which can be present at low levels in foods and formed in the body,” it continues. The effect on cardiovascular health is particularly significant, given that cardiovascular diseases are among the biggest killers on the planet. According to the US CDC, one person dies every 36 seconds in the US from cardiovascular disease, and around 659,000 people die from heart disease each year, accounting for one in every four deaths.
Arteriosclerosis, which occurs when the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients from the heart to the rest of the body become thick and stiff, thereby restricting blood flow to organs and tissues, is among the major threats against which carotenoids have shown to be effective.
Oxidative stress is universally accepted as a key factor in the pathogenesis of all major diseases, including those of the cardiovascular system. It activates transcriptional messengers, such as nuclear factor-kB, which tangibly contributes to endothelial
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dysfunction, the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis, irreversible damage after ischemic reperfusion, and even arrhythmia, such as atrial fibrillation. Nevertheless, although there is a clear connection between oxidative stress and cardiovascular disease, no specific therapeutic interventions are currently in place to tackle this key problem. It is left to consumers to choose a diet and a supplement regimen rich in antioxidants. Short-term dietary intervention trials have indicated that diets rich in fruit and vegetables can reduce coronary risk factors and reduce cardiovascular mortality, with the abundant, plant- derived, fat-soluble pigments in carotenoids shown to be particularly effective. “Vitamins and carotenoids have multiple roles both as participants in many important metabolic processes throughout the body and to counter the oxidative stress resulting from normal metabolism and daily exposure to environmental agents,” says a study by Itakura Hiroshige of the Ibaraki Christian University in Japan. “Epidemiological studies have consistently indicated that the consumption of vegetables and fruits is inversely related to the incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and cancer. Marine animals supply astaxanthin which is a carotenoid and antioxidant.” The results of the study, entitled ‘Multivitamin and Carotenoid Supplements’, showed evidence that the consumption of marine animals producing astaxanthin inhibits low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation and, therefore, might contribute to the prevention of atherosclerosis.
A multi-faceted compound As the study by Hiroshige suggests, different types of carotenoid may have different effects. The most widely known carotenoids are astaxanthin, Beta- Carotene (-carotene), canthaxanthin, lycopene, zeaxanthin, annatto and lutein. All of these are widely used in human food, animal feed, dietary supplements, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, though their range of health-giving properties varies. “Carotenoids differ in their biological activities,” observes Bohm. “One reason is the number of conjugated double bonds within the molecule. Another reason is the oxygen-containing substituents. We made comparisons of antioxidant activity of various carotenoids by using several assays. Depending on the assay used, the carotenoids showed significantly different activities.” Another paper co-authored by Bohm, entitled ‘Comparative antioxidant activities of carotenoids measured by ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), ABTS bleaching assay (aTEAC), DPPH assay and peroxyl radical scavenging assay’, showed
25 37%
Europe is the largest consumer of carotenoids in the global market, followed by the US (27%) and China (22%).
360 Research Reports
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