The relationship of antioxidants with aging

Abstract

Objective: In this study, it was aimed to investigate the changing levels of antioxidants along with aging. Malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant (TAS) levels, and paraoxanase (PON) and arylesterase enzyme activities were examined as well as Coenzyme Q10, that has an immense role in production of ATP and, in fact, is a potent antioxidant with a lipophillic structure Methods: Research included 160 men and women whose ages differ from 20 to 70 years old and also live in Gaziantep area. Research was done by dividing subjects into 3 age groups: 50 people belonged to 20–30, 75 people to 31–50 and 35 people to 51–70 age group. Groups were constituted from people who are non-obese and who do not have any physical complaints. In taken plasma samples coenzyme Q10, MDA and TAS levels, PON and arylesterase enzyme activities were measured. The measurements were performed as follows: MDA by using thiobarbituric acid method, TAS, PON and arylesterase with spectrophotometric methods, and coenzyme Q10 with HPLC method were measured. Results: A correlation was found between age and coenzyme Q10 in our study (p<0.001). Coenzyme Q10 was found to be increased with aging. Statistically significant and negative linear relationship was found between coenzyme Q10, MDA levels, and PON and arylesterase activities (p<0.01, p<0.001). Conclusion: Despite the aging, the antioxidant system in healthy people works to protect the body from the endogenous or exogenous oxidants. However, levels of antioxidants cannot compansate with the rising oxidant levels in case of an illness. Aging is not a disease itself, but the process of aging is accelerated by a disease.