Over 90% of Twentysomethings have suboptimal vitamin E status. What does that mean for health?

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2003-2006) indicated that 87% of 20-30 year old and 68% of 31-50 year old Americans are not maintaining optimal serum alpha-tocopherol concentrations (adequacy for vitamin E defined as serum alpha-tocopherol level of 30 micromoles per liter).

Writing in Public Library of Science (PLOS) ONE​ study, the authors also report that 93% of 20-30 year olds had suboptimal vitamin E status, with 81% of people over 30 also showing suboptimal vitamin E status. While lower proportions were observed for dietary supplement users, the numbers were still relatively high (79% of 20-30 year olds, 54% of 31-50 year olds, and 29% for those over 51).

Epidemiological studies have indicated that maintaining serum alpha-tocopherol may help maintain reproductive, brain, and liver function.

‘Suboptimal vitamin E status may affect the function of many biological systems’​

“Hopefully, this paper stimulates a resurgence in vitamin E research,”​ Michael McBurney, PhD, VP Science, Communications & Advocacy, Nutrition Science & Advocacy at DSM Nutritional Products, LLC, and lead author on the new paper told NutraIngredients-USA. ​

“I believe more data is needed evaluating the vitamin E status of Americans. Vitamin E follows vitamin D, both alphabetically and scientifically. Twenty-five years ago researchers did not think that vitamin D status was a nutritional issue because rickets was not rampant. However, with the introduction of a standard for 25(OH)D, researchers have found vitamin D status affects bone health, muscle function, immune function, and more. ​

“Despite the absence of vitamin E deficiency, it is very probable that suboptimal vitamin E status may affect the function of many biological systems,”​ said Dr McBurney. “Vitamin E was discovered because of its essentiality of normal reproductive function. Many couples are delaying childbearing until later in life and are then having difficulty conceiving or carrying to full-term. Could suboptimal vitamin E status play a role? We will only know by measuring vitamin E status.” ​

Study details​

The researchers used data from NHANES 2003-2006, which is the most recent biomarker data available from NHANES, explained Dr McBurney. “The CDC/NHANES data is limited to alpha- and gamma-tocopherol,” ​he added. “We analyzed the alpha-tocopherol form because vitamin E requirements are based exclusively upon alpha-tocopherol.”​

Results showed that only 1% of the US population is clinically deficient in vitamin E and that alpha-tocopherol levels were lower in non-dietary supplement users, even when adjusted for total cholesterol.

So with so many people not getting enough vitamin E, why has the data from RCTs with vitamin E been ‘disappointing’? “In almost all cases where serum alpha-tocopherol concentrations are reported (and it is disappointing that many RCTs were conducted as placebo vs intervention comparisons without any examination of vitamin E status), the baseline values of the majority of participants were above the criterion of adequacy,” ​said Dr McBurney. “Two probable interpretations are: 1) as in many nutrient RCTs, individuals who participate have on average better nutritional status than that measured in cross-sectional studies, or 2) vitamin E status of Americans is now lower than it was when the RCTs were conducted.”​

“It is known that vitamin E sales in the US are much lower now than they were in the 1970-1990’s,” ​he added. “In addition, data from the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Followup Study finds the use of vitamin E supplements had declined by 50% from 2002-2006 to the lowest level since the early 1990s.​

“In summary, one can anticipate that new data (2015) might find an even direr situation.”​

New RCTs are underway, he added, which are using pharmacologic doses of vitamin E in individuals at risk of Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive dysfunction and fatty liver disease. “Preliminary evidence suggests that vitamin E plays an important role in maintaining brain and liver health/function,”​ he said.

Source: PLoS One​​
Volume 10, Number 8:e0135510. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135510
“Suboptimal Serum α-Tocopherol Concentrations Observed among Younger Adults and Those Depending Exclusively upon Food Sources, NHANES 2003-2006”​
Authors: M.I. McBurney, E.A. Yu, E.D. Ciappio, J.K. Bird, M. Eggersdorfer, S. Mehta