Effect Of β-carotene, Vitamin E And C Supplementation On Cognitive Function And ATPase Activity In The Old People

Objective: To investigate the effect of β -carotene ( β -c), vitamin E (VE) and C (VC) supplementation on cognitive function, ATPase activity, and levels of plasma β -amyloid protein, estradiol and testosterone as well in the old people.Methods: This prospective study was designed for the supplemental trial. 300 old subjects aged of 60-75 y, 128 males and 172 females, were randomized into 5 groups. Each subject daily took 300mgVC+200mgVE +16.70mg β -C in the 1 group, or 300mgVC+200mgVE +8.35mg β -C in the 2 group, or 300mgVC+200mgVE +5.57mg β -C in the 3 group, or 300mgVC+200mgVE in the 4 group, or 5mg VE only a day in the 5 group. The trial lasted for 16 weeks. All subjects were asked to make a note of nutrient intake every day and handle it to investigators for home visits during the trial. Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Hasegawa Dementia Scale (HDS), Information-Memory -Concentration Test (IMCT) were used to evaluate the cognitive function of the elderly subjects befor and after the trial. ATPase activity of erythrocyte membrane, β -amyloid protein, estradiol and testosterone in plasma were determined by radiommunoassay with kits. All the data was analysised with SPSS 12.0.Results: After the trial, results showed that the average scores of the cognitive function evaluated by MMSE were 23.49 in the 1 group and 23.44 in the 2 group, much higher than one of group 5 (21.52), p<0.05. The average scores tested by HDS were 21.46 and 21.38 in the 1 and 2 groups after the trial, higher than those before the trial, and one of group 5 after the trial. Moreover, the scores obtained by IMCT was 23.79 in the 1 group, higher than one of group 5 (22.71), p<0.05.The activities of Na+-K+ATPase and Ca2+-Mg2+ATPase in erythrocyte membrane in the 1 groupincreased by 0.72μmol Pi/mg prot/hour and 0.85μmol Pi/mg prot/hour after the trial, much higher than those before the trial (0.46μmol Pi/mg prot/hour and 0.61μmol Pi/mg prot/hour), respectively, p<0.05. The level of estradiol in group 1 increased by 19.61 pg/ml higher than one of group 5 (16.48pg/ml) after the trial (p<0.05).Conclusion: The results showed that supplementation of β -carotene, vitamin E and C could improve cognitive function in the old people, and enhance ATPase activity in erythrocyte membrane and level...