Abstract
Antioxidant micronutrients, such as vitamins and carotenoids, exist in abundance in fruits and vegetables and have been known to contribute to the body’s defense against reactive oxygen species. Recent numerous epidemiologic studies have demonstrated that a high dietary consumption of fruit and vegetables rich in carotenoids or with high serum carotenoid concentrations results in lower risks of certain cancers, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. These epidemiologic studies have suggested that antioxidant carotenoids may have a protective effect against several lifestyle-related diseases. Beta-cryptoxanthin is a carotenoid pigment found especially in Japanese mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc.) fruit, which is mainly produced in Japan. Our nutritional epidemiologic survey, Mikkabi Study, utilized data derived from health examination of inhabitants performed in the town of Mikkabi in Shizuoka, Japan. In this survey, we have measured serum beta-cryptoxanthin as a specific bio-marker to estimate the consumption of Japanese mandarin fruit. From the cross-sectional analyses from the Mikkabi Study, we found the inverse associations of serum β-cryptoxanthin with the risks for atherosclerosis, insulin resistance, liver dysfunctions, metabolic syndrome, low bone mineral density, and oxidative stress.
In this chapter, recent epidemiologic studies about the associations between serum beta-cryptoxanthin with the risk for several lifestyle-related diseases were reviewed.
