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C-reactive protein concentration and concentrations of blood vitamins, carotenoids, and selenium among United States adults

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 57, pages 1157–1163 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: To examine the relationships between circulating concentrations of C-reactive protein and concentrations of retinol, retinyl esters, vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, and selenium.

Design: Cross-sectional study using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III (1988–1994) data.

Setting: United States population.

Subjects: Up to 14 519 US noninstitutionalized civilian men and women aged ≥20 y.

Results: C-reactive protein concentration (dichotomized at the sex-specific 85th percentile) was inversely and significantly associated with concentrations of retinol, retinyl esters, vitamin C, α-carotene, β-carotene, cryptoxanthin, lutein/zeaxanthin, lycopene, and selenium after adjustment for age, sex, race or ethnicity, education, cotinine concentration, body mass index, leisure-time physical activity, and aspirin use.

Conclusions: These results suggest that the inflammatory process, through the production of reactive oxygen species, may deplete stores of antioxidants. Whether increased consumption of foods rich in antioxidants or supplementation with antioxidants can provide health benefits to people characterized by elevated C-reactive protein concentrations may be worthy of further study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA

    E S Ford & D M Mannino

  2. Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    S Liu

  3. Division of Adult and Community Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA

    W H Giles

  4. Division of Prevention Research and Analytic Methods, Epidemiology Program Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA

    S J Smith

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  1. E S Ford
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  2. S Liu
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  3. D M Mannino
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  4. W H Giles
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Contributions

Guarantor: E Ford.

Contributors: EF conceived the topic of the paper, conducted the analyses, and wrote the paper. SL participated in the planning of the analyses. SL, DMM, WHG, and SJS reviewed the manuscript for critical content.

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Correspondence to E S Ford.

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Ford, E., Liu, S., Mannino, D. et al. C-reactive protein concentration and concentrations of blood vitamins, carotenoids, and selenium among United States adults. Eur J Clin Nutr 57, 1157–1163 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601667

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