NUTRITIONAL-STATUS OF ANTIOXIDANT VITAMINS (A, E, AND BETA-CAROTENE) IN ELDERLY JAPANESE

The nutritional status with respect to vitamins A and E, and beta-caro tene was examined in elderly Japanese subjects in two institutions at Osaka and Kyoto. Only the plasma vitamin E level has been determined i n the majority of previous investigations. In this study, vitamin E le vels were determined in red blood cells (RBCs), platelets (PLT), monon uclear cells (MN), polymorphonuclear cells (PMN), and buccal mucosal c ells (BMC), using HPLC with electrochemical detection. Alpha-tocophero l levels in plasma and RBCs did not differ between elderly and young a dults, while those in PLT, MN, and BMC were lower in the elderly. Thus , the vitamin E status of elderly Japanese individuals appears to be i nadequate of the cellular levels. The daily vitamin E intake of the el derly subjects was below the recommended dietary allowance for the Jap anese population. Plasma levels of retinol and beta-carotene were also assessed. The vitamin A status did not differ between elderly and you ng adults on the basis of the levels of retinol and retinol-binding pr otein (RBP). The daily intake of retinol (as retinol equivalent) by th e elderly subjects was more than 2,000 IU. With respect to beta-carote ne, there was a large sex difference (female > male), which was more p rominent in the young adults and became smaller in the elderly. This s ex difference was partly attributable to a difference in plasma total lipids. No clear age-related trend was noted.