ASSESSMENT OF THE SAFETY OF HIGH-DOSE, SHORT-TERM SUPPLEMENTATION WITH VITAMIN-E IN HEALTHY OLDER ADULTS

The effect of daily supplementation of 800 mg dl alpha-tocopheryl acet ate for 30 d on general health, nutrient status, hepatic and renal fun ction, intermediary metabolism, hematological status, plasma nutrients and antioxidant status, thyroid hormones, and urinary creatinine conc entrations was studied in 32 healthy elderly (> 60 y) people who parti cipated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, residential trial. The subjects reported no side effects due to the supplements. Supplementat ion had no effect on body weight, plasma total protein, albumin, gluco se, total cholesterol and triglycerides, conjugated and unconjugated b ilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, indicators of hepatic and renal functi on, hematologic status, thyroid hormones, or serum and urinary creatin ine concentrations and creatinine clearance. Supplementation did cause a significant increase in serum vitamin E, and a small (5%) but signi ficant (P < 0.05) increase in plasma zinc in the vitamin E-supplemente d group. Thus, short-term supplementation with 800 mg vitamin E/d has no adverse effect on healthy older adults.