Lee Swanson Research Update

Carotenes Linked to Lower Heart Disease Deaths

February 2008

A study published in the February issue of the Journal of Nutrition finds that increased consumption of alpha- and beta-carotene in the diet may reduce the risks of heart disease deaths by about 20%.

Researchers from the University of Minnesota, Wageningen University, the Netherlands’ National Institute for Public Health and the Environment and the German Institute for Human Nutrition assessed the potential benefits of various antioxidant nutrients for cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in 559 elderly men participating in the Zutphen Elderly Study. Over 15 years of follow-up, 197 men had died from CVD. The men were free of chronic diseases at the start of the study.

Researchers report that an increased intake of alpha-carotene was associated with a 19% reduction in the risk of CVD mortality, while beta-carotene was linked to a 20% reduction, after adjusting the results for potential confounding factors, such as age and smoking.

"In conclusion, dietary intakes of alpha-carotene and beta-carotene are inversely associated with CVD mortality in elderly men," wrote the study's authors.

Journal of Nutrition 138:344-350, 2008

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