VITAMIN-C NUTRITURE HAS LITTLE SHORT-TERM EFFECT ON VITAMIN-E CONCENTRATIONS IN HEALTHY WOMEN

To determine whether the postulated sparing effect of vitamin E by asc orbic acid (AA) is important for human nutrition, we studied vitamin E status in 20 healthy pre-menopausal women (age 20-43 y) with high or low vitamin C intakes for 6 wk in a live-in metabolic unit. The experi mental diet contained no fruits and vegetables and provided 5 mg/d of AA (Recommended Dietary Allowance = 60 mg/d), 3 mg/d of alpha-tocopher ol (RDA = 10 mg/d) and 42 g/d of tocopherol-stripped safflower oil to increase the vitamin E requirement. Half of the subjects received a da ily AA supplement of 495 mg (high AA group). A biochemical ascorbate d eficiency was attained in the low AA group as indicated by plasma AA c oncentrations that reached the lower limit of normal by study d 15. Or al doses (20 mg) of hexadeuterated RRR-alpha-tocopherol acetate (d6-al pha T) were given daily to all subjects on d 15-21. Measures of vitami n E status included d6-alpha T and unlabeled alpha-tocopherol concentr ations in plasma, platelets, buccal cells and adipose. The levels of u nlabeled alpha-tocopherol decreased over time in plasma and platelets and were unchanged for buccal cells and adipose, but were not signific antly affected by AA intake. Likewise, the rise and fall of plasma and platelet d6-alpha T, and measures of lipid peroxidation, were not aff ected by AA intake. Although vitamin C nutriture did not significantly affect vitamin E status within the 6-wk time period of this experimen t, further study of this question is warranted, because some of the pr esent results indicate a trend toward sparing of tissue tocopherol by high AA intake.