Aging Aging

Assessing Antioxidant Status 1339Assessing Age-Related Changesin Antioxidant StatusThe FRASC Assay for Total Antioxidant Power and Ascorbic AcidConcentration in Biological FluidsIris F. F. Benzie and John J. Strain1. IntroductionThere is accumulating evidence that oxidative damage to protein, lipid, carbohydrateand DNA is an important cause and/or effect of cellular and subcellularchanges associated with disease, and is responsible for at least some ofthe physiological, but ultimately fatal, changes that accompany aging (1–8).Advancing age brings increasing risk of chronic degenerative disease includingcancer, cardiovascular disease, cataracts, and dementia (1–6,8). Immunestatus declines, with consequent increased risk of infection and, owing to acombination of physical and socioeconomic factors, nutritional status is oftenpoor in the elderly, increasing the likelihood of poor antioxidant status (9).Improved antioxidant status helps minimize oxidative damage, and this maydelay or prevent pathological change (8–22). This suggests the possible utilityof antioxidant-based dietary strategies for lowering risk of chronic, age-relateddisease (20–26). Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and vitamin E (mainly α-tocopherol)are dietary derived antioxidants of major physiological importance(25,27–31), but many other exogenous and endogenous antioxidants contributeto the overall antioxidant status of the body (20,23,26,31,32). It is not yetpossible to say that benefit to health is attributable to specific antioxidants atspecific intake or plasma levels. Indeed it is likely that an optimal level of eachantioxidant is required for maintenance of optimal health, that is, that an optimal“total” antioxidant status is desirable (23,27,33,34). In addition, the vitaminC to vitamin E ratio may be important, with risk of oxidative stress relatedFrom: Methods in Molecular Medicine, Vol. 38: Aging Methods and ProtocolsEdited by: Y. A. Barnett and C. R. Barnett © Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ133