European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

EVALUATION OF OXIDATIVE STRESS, ANTIOXIDANT STATUS AND TOTAL LIPID PROFILE IN STUDENTS WITH EATING DISTRESS

Nivedita N., Sreenivasa G. and S. Suttur Malini*

ABSTRACT

Background: Eating disorders cause a manifold of medical complications to its victims. While numerous studies on this context have been conducted worldwide, very limited reports are available with reference to the Indian population. Therefore, we made an attempt to examine the manifestation of oxidative and nitrosative stress among students with eating distress in Mysore. In conjunction to the above, we evaluated the total antioxidant capacity of the participants. An analysis of the total lipid profile was also undertaken. Methods: A case-control comparison study was made using serum samples from students with and without eating distress. A series of biochemical tests were conducted and subsequently analysed using statistical software SPSS version14. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was utilised to uncover any significance difference existing between the groups. Results: Variations in superoxide dismutase, catalase and NOS scavenging activities as well as differences in lipid peroxidation by-products confirmed the existence of both oxidative and nitrosative stress in students prone to eating disorders. On the other hand, the mean total antioxidant capacity appeared to be normal in both control and subject groups. An increase in the mean values of triglycerides, high density lipoprotein and very low density lipoprotein were observed in the subject groups. Although mean total cholesterol content did not deviate significantly from the standard values, hypercholesterolemia was observed in some individuals of the subject groups. Conclusions: Eating distress is not merely a psychological manifestation; it affects the human system in many ways leading to an impaired defence system against oxidative stress and disruption of the normal lipid level rendering them prone to the risks of cardiovascular and related diseases.

Keywords: Eating disorders, Oxidative stress, Total antioxidant capacity, Lipid profile.