Efficient antioxidant capacity against lipid peroxide levels in healthy elderly of Mexico City

We evaluated antioxidant activity against lipid peroxide levels (LPO) in healthy elderly and adults of Mexico City in comparison with a population of a rural area. The study included free-living subjects: 38 adults aged <60 years and 129 older subjects aged ⩾60 years of urban Mexico City in addition to 37 adults aged <60 years and 88 older subjects aged ⩾60 years of rural area (Actopan, Hidalgo State, Mexico). LPO were observed as higher in adults and elderly of the urban area than among rural subjects (P<0.01), although LPO levels were similar in rural adults and elderly (P>0.05); conversely, in urban area levels were higher in the elderly than in adults (P<0.01). On the other hand, the superoxide dismutase in urban elderly was higher than that in rural elderly (P<0.05) but similar between urban adults and urban elderly (P>0.05). Total oxidant status in urban elderly was higher than that in rural elderly (P<0.01). Our findings allow us to conclude that the urban elderly (residents of Mexico City) have higher oxidative stress than the rural-dwelling elderly, though the urban elderly have efficient antioxidant capacity as a response to elevated LPO.