No differences in DNA damage and antioxidant capacity between intervention groups of healthy, nonsmoking men receiving 2, 5, or 8 servings/day of vegetables and fruit.

The effects of different intake levels of vegetables and fruit (VF) on some cancer-relevant biomarkers such as DNA damage and oxidative stress were investigated. In a randomized controlled trial, 64 nonsmoking male subjects were asked to consume a diet with 2 servings of VF/day for 4 wk. Then subjects were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups with either a low (2 servings/day), medium (5 servings/day), or high (8 servings/day) intake level of VF for another 4 wk. At the end of study, the plasma lutein, zeaxanthin, alpha-carotene, and beta-carotene but not cryptoxanthin and lycopene concentrations were significantly higher in subjects consuming 8 servings/day than in those receiving 2 servings/day. Different levels of VF consumption and plasma carotenoid concentrations did not result in differences in the levels of endogenous DNA strand breaks, oxidative DNA damage, antigenotoxic capacity of lymphocytes, plasma markers for lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde, 8-iso-prostaglandin-F2alpha) and antioxidant capacity [trolox-equivalent antioxidant capacity assay]. Thus, although consumption of 8 servings vs 2 servings/day of VF for 4 wk significantly increased the carotenoid level in plasma, there were no differences in DNA damage, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant capacity markers among healthy, well-nourished, nonsmoking men.