August 31/Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week --  Researchers detail in "Supplementation of Ascorbic Acid and Alpha-tocopherol is Useful to Preventing Bone Loss Linked to Oxidative Stress in Elderly," new data in sugar acids. According to a study from Mexico, "To determine the effect of ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol on oxidative stress and bone mineral density (BMD) in elderly people. A double-blind, controlled clinical assay was carried out in a sample of 90 elderly subjects divided into three age-paired random groups with 30 subjects in each group."

"Group Tx0 received placebo, group Tx1 received 500mg of ascorbic acid and 400 IU of alpha-tocopherol, whereas group Tx2 received 1,000mg of ascorbic acid and 400 IU of alpha-tocopherol, for a 12-month period. We measured thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), total antioxidant status (TAS), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutation peroxidase (GPx); BMD was obtained on DXA of hip and spine before and after the 12-month treatment period with supplementation of vitamins C and E. We found a positive correlation between hip-BMD and SOD (r=0.298, p<0.05) and GPx (r=0.214, p<0.05). Also, a significantly lower decrease of LPO (p <0.05) was observed as linked with hip bone loss in the Tx2 group than in the Tx0 group," wrote M. Ruiz-Ramos and colleagues, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico.

The researchers concluded, "Our findings suggest that that administration of 1,000mg of ascorbic acid together with 400 IU of alpha-tocopherol could be useful in preventing or aiding in the treatment of age-related osteoporosis."

Ruiz-Ramos and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging ("Supplementation of Ascorbic Acid and Alpha-tocopherol is Useful to Preventing Bone Loss Linked to Oxidative Stress in Elderly," Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging, 2010;14(6):467-72).

For more information, contact M. Ruiz-Ramos, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Unidad de Investigacion en Gerontologia, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Mexico DF, Mexico.

From the September 7, 2010, Prepared Foods E-dition