Background & aims: A few studies reported the beneficial effects of tomato juice on oxidative stress status. However, supporting data in obese subjects is scarce. This study aimed to determine the effects of tomato juice consumption on erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes, namely, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT), plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and serum malondialdehyde (MDA) in overweight and obese females.
Methods: A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 64 overweight or obese (BMI = 25 kg/m(2) or higher) female students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Subjects randomly received tomato juice (n = 32, 330 ml/d) or water (n = 28) for 20 days. Daily dietary intake, anthropometric measures and blood antioxidant parameters were determined at the beginning and after 20 days intervention period.
Results: Plasma TAC and erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes increased and serum MDA decreased in the intervention group compared with baseline and with the control group (p < 0.05). In the intervention group, similar results were found in overweight, but not in obese, subjects.
Conclusion: Our results suggest that tomato juice reduces oxidative stress in overweight (and possibly obese) females and, therefore, may prevent from obesity related diseases and promote health.
Keywords: Antioxidative biomarkers; Lycopene; Obesity; Oxidative stress; Tomato juice.
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