The study suggests oxidative stress is linked to declines in lung function and the declines are more marked in women and in female smokers.

The conclusions come from the ongoing “Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults” (CARDIA) study, which enrolled 5,115 participants, ages 18 to 30 in 1985.

Markers measured were:

  • Oxidized LDL (oxLDL), a modified form of LDL cholesterol after lipid peroxidation by oxygen radicals.
  • Lung function scores, including one-second forced expiratory volume (FEV1) and forced total capacity (FVC).

“While it is known that cigarette smoking is the primary cause of COPD, only about 15% to 20% of smokers will develop it and no one knows which smokers are most vulnerable,” said Dr. Ravi Kalhan, M.D., of Northwestern in Chicago.

Again we can take away from this that increasing one’s antioxidant intake while decreasing inimical factors are the most obvious ways to prevent oxidative stress and thus a myriad of health issues.

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