System Maintenance Notice

Please note that maintenance work is scheduled between 4 AM and 5 AM - CET. During this time, you may experience reduced performance. Thanks for your patience.

Publications

Journal Article Epublish

PubMed: 42871921 DOI: 10.4103/jrms.jrms_753_25

Effects of synbiotic versus omega-3 supplementation on total antioxidant capacity in adolescents exposed to ambient air pollution: A randomized double-blind controlled trial.

J Res Med Sci 31:27

Authors: Motahar Heidari-Beni, Golnoosh Shahverdi, Maryam Zarean, Azimeh Maghzi Najafabadi, Maryam Yazdi, Parinaz Poursafa, Roya Kelishadi

Affiliations

  • Department of Nutrition, Child Growth and Development Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
  • School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
  • Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.
  • Child Growth and Development Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
  • Department of Pediatrics, Child Growth and Development Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
  • Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Air pollution promotes oxidative stress and may impair antioxidant defense. Synbiotics and omega-3 fatty acids have been suggested to improve antioxidant status; however, comparative evidence in adolescents exposed to air pollution remains limited. This study compared the effects of synbiotic and omega-3 supplementation on total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in healthy adolescents living in polluted environments.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This randomized, double-blind, active-controlled clinical trial was conducted in Isfahan, Iran, among 70 healthy adolescents aged 10-18 years exposed to ambient air pollution. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either synbiotic supplementation (n = 38) or omega-3 fatty acids (n = 32) for 8 weeks. Serum TAC was measured at baseline and postintervention. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests, independent t-tests, and analysis of covariance.

RESULTS

TAC increased significantly following the 8-week intervention in both the synbiotic group (839.78 ± 133.80-903.37 ± 111.90 µmol/L, P = 0.005) and the omega-3 group (898.63 ± 86.45-953.28 ± 100.42 µmol/L, P = 0.004). However, no significant difference was observed between the two groups after the intervention (P = 0.75).

CONCLUSION

Both synbiotic and omega-3 supplementation were associated with significant improvements in TAC among adolescents exposed to ambient air pollution. However, no significant difference was observed between the two interventions, suggesting that synbiotic supplementation was not superior to omega-3 in enhancing antioxidant capacity under the conditions of this study.

MeSH

Fatty Acids, Omega-3, Air Pollution, Synbiotics, Air, Antioxidants, Adolescent, Environmental Pollution, Fatty Acids