Address for correspondence: Richard G. Cutler, Longevity Sciences Group, Kronos Science Laboratories, Inc., 2222 E. Highland Avenue, Suite 220, Phoenix, AZ 85016. Voice: 602-778-7488; fax: 602-667-5623 richard.cutler{at}kronoslaboratory.com
Steadily accumulating scientific evidence supports the general
importance of oxidative damage of tissue and cellular components
as a primary or secondary causative factor in many different
human diseases and aging processes. Our goal has been to develop
sensitive and reliable means to measure the oxidative damage
and defense/repair status of an individual that could be easily
used by a physician to determine whether there is an immediate
or long-term increased health risk to their patients with regard
to oxidative damage. We also sought to try to determine how
this risk can best be reduced, and whether the prescribed therapy
is working and how it might be best adjusted to optimize benefits.
We have found that combining both an oxidative damage profile
with a defense/repair profile produces the most reliable set
of information to meet these objectives. Success is indicated
by demonstrating the expected inverse correlation of oxidative
stress vs. antioxidant status of a population of several hundred
individuals. We also find support that oxidative stress status
is under tight regulatory control for most individuals over
a wide range of lifestyle variables including diet and exercise.
Indeed only about 10% of the individuals analyzed appear to
have unusually high oxidative stress levels. Only these individuals
having the higher than normal levels of oxidative stress are
the best responders to antioxidant supplements to lower their
oxidative stress status to normal levels. We discuss the implications
of these results for human application and review how current
clinical studies are carried out to evaluate the benefits of
antioxidant supplements in reducing the incidence of specific
age-dependent disease.
