TY - JOUR T1 - Plasma Carotenoids, Tocopherols, and Retinol in the Age-Stratified (35-74 Years) General Population: A Cross-Sectional Study in Six European Countries. AU - Stuetz,Wolfgang, AU - Weber,Daniela, AU - Dollé,Martijn E T, AU - Jansen,Eugène, AU - Grubeck-Loebenstein,Beatrix, AU - Fiegl,Simone, AU - Toussaint,Olivier, AU - Bernhardt,Juergen, AU - Gonos,Efstathios S, AU - Franceschi,Claudio, AU - Sikora,Ewa, AU - Moreno-Villanueva,María, AU - Breusing,Nicolle, AU - Grune,Tilman, AU - Bürkle,Alexander, Y1 - 2016/09/30/ PY - 2016/07/19/received PY - 2016/09/26/revised PY - 2016/09/27/accepted PY - 2016/10/6/entrez PY - 2016/10/6/pubmed PY - 2017/5/26/medline KW - Europe KW - age KW - carotenoids KW - lycopene KW - micronutrients KW - plasma KW - retinol KW - tocopherols JF - Nutrients JO - Nutrients VL - 8 IS - 10 N2 - Blood micronutrient status may change with age. We analyzed plasma carotenoids, α-/γ-tocopherol, and retinol and their associations with age, demographic characteristics, and dietary habits (assessed by a short food frequency questionnaire) in a cross-sectional study of 2118 women and men (age-stratified from 35 to 74 years) of the general population from six European countries. Higher age was associated with lower lycopene and α-/β-carotene and higher β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, α-/γ-tocopherol, and retinol levels. Significant correlations with age were observed for lycopene (r = -0.248), α-tocopherol (r = 0.208), α-carotene (r = -0.112), and β-cryptoxanthin (r = 0.125; all p < 0.001). Age was inversely associated with lycopene (-6.5% per five-year age increase) and this association remained in the multiple regression model with the significant predictors (covariables) being country, season, cholesterol, gender, smoking status, body mass index (BMI (kg/m²)), and dietary habits. The positive association of α-tocopherol with age remained when all covariates including cholesterol and use of vitamin supplements were included (1.7% vs. 2.4% per five-year age increase). The association of higher β-cryptoxanthin with higher age was no longer statistically significant after adjustment for fruit consumption, whereas the inverse association of α-carotene with age remained in the fully adjusted multivariable model (-4.8% vs. -3.8% per five-year age increase). We conclude from our study that age is an independent predictor of plasma lycopene, α-tocopherol, and α-carotene. SN - 2072-6643 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/27706032/Plasma_Carotenoids_Tocopherols_and_Retinol_in_the_Age_Stratified__35_74_Years__General_Population:_A_Cross_Sectional_Study_in_Six_European_Countries_ L2 - http://www.mdpi.com/resolver?pii=nu8100614 DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -