Influence of dietary carotenoids on biomarkers of cardiometabolic risk in peri- and post-menopausal women

Background: peri- and post-menopausal women exhibit a high tendency towards obesity and visceral fat deposition, which increases car-diometabolic risk. Objective: to evaluate through a prospective nutritional study the effect of carotenoid consumption on cardiometabolic risk biomarkers in periand post-menopausal women. Material and methods: twelve peri- and post-menopausal women without previous symptoms of cardiovascular disease, but with some cardiometabolic risk factor, were recruited. Their diet was supplemented during 4 weeks with orange-carrot juice, tomato juice, and boiled spinach, providing 415 mg of total carotenoids/week (carotenes, cryptoxanthin, lycopene, and lutein + zeaxanthin). At the beginning (T-I) and at the end (T-F) of the intervention period blood samples were drawn to measure biochemical parameters, oxidative stress, inflammation and endothelial function biomarkers, and plasma carotenoid levels. Results: at T-F a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in LDL-cholesterol and atherogenic index, and an increase in HDL-cholesterol were observed. Plasma carotenoids increased significantly (p < 0.05) from 0.56 mu g/mL at T-I to 1.22 mu g/mL at T-F. Concurrently, a shift in oxidative stress and inflammation biomarkers was detected, with a decrease in plasma C-reactive protein and malonaldehyde levels, and an increase in adiponectin. However, endothelial dysfunction biomarkers (sVCAM and sICAM) and total antioxidant capacity remained unchanged. Conclusions: dietary supplementation with carotenoids leads to an increase in plasma carotenoids, a decrease in atherogenic dyslipidemia, and an improvement in oxidative stress and inflammation biomarkers, which indicates a reduction in cardiometabolic risk.