Abstract

1. Kid’s Juice: The effects of consumption of high carotenoid juice and change in skin carotenoid levels among school-age children Heidi J. Wengreen, Sheryl S. Aguilar, Amanda Spackman, Chelsey Martin, Allison Edwards, Hayley Housekeeper, Becky Bankhead, Ashley Ropolo, Jessica Morales, Garth Hunt Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences and the Center for Human Nutrition Studies, Utah State University Methods Abstract Study Population: 60 healthy children ages 5-17 participated in the study. Qualifying children had a BioPhotonic Scanner™ score between 10,000 and 31,000 Raman Intensity counts. They were also non-smokers, lived in homes without smoke exposure, and free of chronic disease. They were asked to refrain from taking carotenoid supplements, avoid tanning bed use or excessive exposure to sunlight without sunscreen use. Participants were chosen to represent the demographic of students in cache valley schools. Participant Randomization: Participants were randomly assigned to one of the two treatment groups: Juice A or Juice B. Supplementation was15-60 ml twice daily for four weeks. Individuals involved in assessment of study endpoints were blinded with respect to treatment assignment. Supplementation: Participants were divided into a supplement or control group, and received either a high dose (30 ml if under 99 lbs, 60 ml if 100 lbs or more) or a low dose (15 ml if 99 lbs or under, 30 ml if 100 lbs or more) of juice. The supplement juice (Juice A) is commercially available and has 2.75 mg carotenoids per ounce. Measuring devices were used for proper dosing when juice was administered. During weekly clinic visits, participants returned their bottles of juice. To check compliance, the weight of the juice previously dispensed was subtracted from the weight of the juice returned. The weight of the new juice dispensed was weighed and recorded. Dietary instructions during study: The participants were encouraged to maintain their normal diet throughout the duration of the study. The participants completed three 24 hour recalls during the study, including two weekdays and a one weekend day. As means of monitoring diet consistency, each participant completed a food frequency questionnaire (4) at baseline and week 4. Participants also completed a weekly clinic form asking about changes in health, medication, and activity. Participants tracked juice consumption and sick days on a calendar which was submitted to the clinic each week during clinic visits. Scanning: Participants were scanned using resonance Raman spectroscopy with the BioPhotonic Scanner™ at baseline and again at week four. Participants were blinded to their scanner scores. Statistics: Scanner scores were averaged at baseline and week 4. Baseline averages were subtracted from week 4 averages to obtain the mean difference. Changes in scanner score over time in response to the juice consumption were analyzed by one-way ANOVA using the SPSS System. Objective:To determine the effect and dose response of carotenoid consumption on change in skin carotenoids among children. Rationale: No published study has looked at this correlation in children. Study Design, Intervention: Participants were children age 5-17 from Cache County, UT (n=60). Over four weeks, children consumed 1-4 ounces of a high carotenoid juice (active high (A-H), active low (A-L)) or juice without carotenoids (placebo high (P-H), placebo low (P-L) based on their weight. At baseline and week four, their skin carotenoids were measured by a BioPhotonic Scanner™. Outcome Measures and Analysis: A one-way ANOVA was used to assess the mean differences in change in skin carotenoid levels by group (A-H, A-L, P-H, P-L). Results:The A-H group had a mean difference increase in scanner score of 6,090 compared to the P-H (p<.04) and 6,954 compared to the P-L group (p=.006). There was no significant difference between change in skin carotenoids between the A-H and A-L groups. Conclusions and Implications: Consumption of a high carotenoid juice significantly increased scanner scores over a four week period among children aged 5-17. Introduction Antioxidants and Oxidative Stress: Destructive antioxidants are continuously being exposed to the human body. Numerous studies have demonstrated that fruits and vegetables are high in antioxidants and can be protective against oxidative damage (1). Carotenoids: if the carotenoid levels from the juice are being absorbed in children Carotenoids are some of the most abundant antioxidant nutrients present in fruits and vegetables. They can provide protection against oxidation and serve as important precursors to vitamin A (1). Previous research and investigators have measured carotenoid levels using the mechanisms of carotenoids in plasma by HPLC to assess bioavailability (2). Recent technology has found that skin carotenoid levels can be measured using resonance Raman spectroscopy with the BioPhotonic Scanner™, the results of which are highly correlated with serum carotenoid levels. The BioPhotonic Scanner™, which measures carotenoid levels in the skin non-invasively, may better reflect long-term carotenoid status(3). This will be the method used for this study to determine changes is carotenoid levels. Problem Statement: The purpose of this study was to determine if consumption of carotenoids from food produced changes in skin carotenoid levels in children as well as the time course of these changes. This can help to determine if high amounts of carotenoids in certain foods are being absorbed which could be a potential health benefit to children. Conclusions Consumption of a high carotenoid juice significantly increased scanner scores over a four week period among children age 5-17. These results indicate that skin carotenoid levels, as measured by the BioPhotonic Scanner™, are sensitive to change in carotenoid intake among children. Thus, skin carotenoid levels appear to be a good biomarker of fruit and vegetable intake. Results The A-H group had a mean difference increase in scanner score of 6,090 compared to the P-H (p<.04) and 6,954 compared to the P-L group (p=.006). The P-L group had a mean difference increase in scanner score of 2,740. The P-H group had a mean difference increase of 99. The P-L group had a mean difference of -762. There was no significant difference between change in skin carotenoids between the A-H and A-L groups, A-L and P-H, A-L and P-L, or P-H and P-L. References / Acknowledgements References: 1. Deming, D.M.; Boileau, T. W-M.; Heintz, K.H. et al. Carotenoids: Linking chemistry, absorption, and metabolism to potential roles in human health and disease. In: Handbook of Antioxidants, edited by E. Cadenas and L. Packer, New York, Basel:Marcel-Dekker, 2002, p. 189-221  2. Smidt, C.R. and Burke, D.S. Nutritional significance and measurement of carotenoids. Current Topics in Nutraceutical Research 2 (2):79-91, 2004.  3. Gellermann, W.; Ermakov, I.V.; Scholz, T.A. and Bernstein, P.S. Noninvasive laser Raman detection of carotenoid antioxidants in skin. Cosmetic Dermatology 15(9):65-68, 2002. 4. Neuhouser ML, Lilley S, Lund A, Johnson DB. Development and validation of a beverage and snack questionnaire for use in evaluation of school nutrition policies. J Am Diet Assoc 2009;109:1587-92. Thanks to Pharmanex , LLC for the use of the BioPhotonic Scanner™. Results