Higher habitual intake of dietary dicarbonyls is associated with higher corresponding plasma dicarbonyl concentrations and skin autofluorescence: the Maastricht Study

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition 2022-01, Vol.115 (1), p.34-44
• Main Authors: Maasen, Kim, Eussen, Simone JPM, Scheijen, Jean LJM, van der Kallen, Carla JH, Dagnelie, Pieter C, Opperhuizen, Antoon, Stehouwer, Coen DA, van Greevenbroek, Marleen MJ, Schalkwijk, Casper G
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Absorption; advanced glycation end products; Advanced glycosylation end products; Age related diseases; Aged; cardiovascular complications; Chromatography, Liquid; Coffee; Cross-Sectional Studies; Deoxyglucose - analogs & derivatives; Deoxyglucose - blood; Diabetes mellitus (non-insulin dependent); Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - blood; dicarbonyls; diet; Diet - adverse effects; Diet Surveys; Dietary Exposure - analysis; Dietary intake; Fasting - blood; Female; Food processing; glycation; Glycation End Products, Advanced - blood; Glycosylation; Glyoxal - blood; Health risks; Humans; Linear Models; Liquid chromatography; Male; Mass Spectrometry; Mass spectroscopy; methylglyoxal; Middle Aged; Netherlands; Optical Imaging; Plasma; Population studies; Pyruvaldehyde; Pyruvaldehyde - blood; Regression analysis; Regression models; Risk analysis; Risk factors; Skin; Skin - chemistry; skin autofluorescence; type 2 diabetes
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/nqab329

Dicarbonyls are highly reactive compounds and major precursors of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Both dicarbonyls and AGEs are associated with development of age-related diseases. Dicarbonyls are formed endogenously but also during food processing. To what extent dicarbonyls from the diet contribute to circulating dicarbonyls and AGEs in tissues is unknown. To examine cross-sectional associations of dietary dicarbonyl intake with plasma dicarbonyl concentrations and skin AGEs. In 2566 individuals of the population-based Maastricht Study (age: 60 ± 8 y, 50% males, 26% with type 2 diabetes), we estimated habitual intake of the dicarbonyls methylglyoxal (MGO), glyoxal (GO), and 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG) by combining FFQs with our dietary dicarbonyl database of MGO, GO, and 3-DG concentrations in > 200 commonly consumed food products. Fasting plasma concentrations of MGO, GO, and 3-DG were measured by ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Skin AGEs were measured as skin autofluorescence (SAF), using the AGE Reader. Associations of dietary dicarbonyl intake with their respective plasma concentrations and SAF (all standardized) were examined using linear regression models, adjusted for age, sex, potential confounders related to cardiometabolic risk factors, and lifestyle. Median intake of MGO, GO, and 3-DG was 3.6, 3.5, and 17 mg/d, respectively. Coffee was the main dietary source of MGO, whereas this was bread for GO and 3-DG. In the fully adjusted models, dietary MGO was associated with plasma MGO (β: 0.08; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.13) and SAF (β: 0.12; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.17). Dietary GO was associated with plasma GO (β: 0.10; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.16) but not with SAF. 3-DG was not significantly associated with either plasma 3-DG or SAF. Higher habitual intake of dietary MGO and GO, but not 3-DG, was associated with higher corresponding plasma concentrations. Higher intake of MGO was also associated with higher SAF. These results suggest dietary absorption of MGO and GO. Biological implications of dietary absorption of MGO and GO need to be determined. The study has been approved by the institutional medical ethical committee (NL31329.068.10) and the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sports of the Netherlands (Permit 131088–105234-PG). ▪