Written by Jessica Patella, ND. In a study of 7,922 participants, the Center for Disease Control found that 90% of adults and 80% of children were deficient in Vitamin E.
Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin that is considered essential for health (1). Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant and prevents free radical damage to cell membranes in the body (1). Vitamin E deficiency is related to infertility (2), impaired cognitive functioning (3) and overall mortality (1). Recent research has found over 90% of American adults and 80% of children are not consuming the recommended amounts of vitamin E from food alone. The research also found 87% of young adults from 20-30 years of age have inadequate vitamin E levels (1).
The research was a cross-sectional analysis of the most recent national health survey conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NHANES 2003-2006). A total of 7,922 participants were included in the analysis, based on available blood levels of vitamin E (1).
After analyzing the data, less than 1% of the U.S. population were found to be clinically deficient in vitamin E (under 12 micromol/L), although a large portion of the population had inadequate levels of vitamin E (12 to30 micromol/L). An estimated 87% of adults 20-30 years of age, 68% of adults 31-50 years of age and 43% of adults over 51 years of age were found to have inadequate vitamin E levels (p<0.01) (1). According to the Merck Manual, symptoms of Vitamin E deficiency are most likely to be anemia, neuropathy (numbness & tingling in extremities) and retinopathy (disease of the retina that causes loss of vision) (4).
When comparing race and ethnicity, inadequate vitamin E levels were highest in the non-Hispanic Black population (77.5%), followed by Mexican Americans (62.2%). The lowest prevalence was found in non-Hispanic whites at 57.2% (p<0.01) (1).
Dietary consumption of antioxidant rich, vitamin E foods, such as, nuts, oils and whole grains can increase vitamin E levels in the body (alpha-tocopherol concentration), although the research showed this is not always enough. Over 85% of adults who relied only on food sources for vitamin E had inadequate levels of vitamin E compared to 61% of adults who took vitamin E supplements (1). This shows that supplementing with vitamin E can improve the number of adults with sufficient blood levels compared to not supplementing.
In conclusion, the findings suggest that most Americans have inadequate vitamin E levels (1). Research has also shown having adequate levels can have beneficial effects on lifespan, cognitive function and fertility (1-3), making adequate levels important. Due to the large number found to have inadequate levels, researchers feel continued monitoring is important. It is important to note one weakness — that blood levels of vitamin E only give a single point in time reading, not a long-term view of vitamin E status (1).
Source: McBurney MI, Yu EA, Ciappio ED, Bird JK, Eggersdorfer M, Mehta S (2015) Suboptimal Serum α-Tocopherol Concentrations Observed among Younger Adults and Those Depending Exclusively upon Food Sources, NHANES 2003-20061-3. PLoS ONE 10(8): e0135510. doi:10.1371/journal. pone.0135510
© 2015 McBurney et al. Creative Commons Attribution License
Click here to read the full text study.
Posted September 21, 2015.
Jessica Patella, ND, is a naturopathic physician specializing in nutrition and homeopathic medicine and offers a holistic approach to health. She earned her ND from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, AZ, and is a member of the North Carolina Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Visit her website at www.awarenesswellness.com.
References:
- McBurney MI, et al. Suboptimal Serum alpha-tocoperol Concentrations Observed among Younger Adults and Those Depending Exclusively upon Food Sources. 2015. PLOS ONE. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135510
- Aimbro M, et al. Effects of vitamin E and beta-carotene on sperm competitiveness. Ecol Lett, 2011; 14: 891-895. DOI:10.1111/j.1461-0248.2011.01653
- Dysken NW, et al. Vitamin E and memantine in Alzheimer’s disease: Clinical trial methods and baseline data. Alzheimers Dement 2014. 10:36-44. DOI:10.1016/j.jalz.2013.01.014
- Merck Manual. Vitamin E Deficiency.
