| Summary: | The plasma concentrations and the dietary intakes of vitamin E
were determined in 20 elderly and ten young subjects. Five subjects
in the older group were known to take supplements of vitamin E. The
mean concentration of tocopherols (determined chemically) in the
plasma of all unsupplemented subjects was 1.12 ± 0.33 mg/100 ml.
No significant difference in plasma tocopherols due to age or sex
was found. However, the mean concentration in the plasma of the
supplemented subjects (1.39 ± 0.26 mg/100 ml) was significantly
higher than that of the unsupplemented subjects. The mean alphatocopherol
activity in the diets (estimated from a three-day diet study)
of all subjects was 8.51 ± 3.74 mg. The young group had a significantly
greater intake than the elderly group. No significant difference between
the sexes was observed. The mean ratio of alpha-tocopherol
activity to polyunsaturated fatty acids (E:PUFA) in the diets of all subjects
was 1.47 ± 1.17 mg/gm. The significant difference between the age groups or sexes was observed. A significant linear relationship
between plasma tocopherols and dietary alpha-tocopherol activity
or the E:PUFA ratio was not found.
Neither age, sex nor dietary intake was related to a significant
change in plasma tocopherols. However, subjects using supplements
of vitamin E had a significantly higher mean plasma concentration of
tocopherols. === Graduation date: 1975
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