Title | Urinary α-carboxyethyl hydroxychroman can be used as a predictor of α-tocopherol adequacy, as demonstrated in the Energetics Study. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2012 |
Authors | Lebold, KM, Ang, A, Traber, M, Arab, L |
Journal | The American journal of clinical nutrition |
Volume | 96 |
Issue | 4 |
Pagination | 801-9 |
Date Published | 2012 Oct |
Keywords | Young Adult |
Abstract | BACKGROUND: Other than the in vitro erythrocyte hemolysis test, no valid biomarkers of vitamin E status currently exist. OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that the urinary vitamin E metabolite α-carboxyethyl hydroxychroman (α-CEHC) could serve as a biomarker. DESIGN: The relations between urinary α-CEHC, plasma α-tocopherol, and vitamin E intakes were assessed by using a previously validated multipass, Web-based, 24-h self-administered dietary recall, and we concurrently collected plasma and 24-h urine samples from 233 participants of both sexes. RESULTS: Median vitamin E intakes were 9.7 mg α-tocopherol/d. Intakes were correlated with plasma α-tocopherol (R = 0.40, P < 0.001) and urinary α-CEHC (R = 0.42, P < 0.001); these correlations were essentially unchanged after multivariate adjustments. On the basis of multiple regression analysis, urinary α-CEHC excretion increased by ~0.086 μmol/g creatinine (95% CI: 0.047, 0.125) for every 1-mg (2.3-μmol) increase in dietary α-tocopherol. Urinary α-CEHC excretion remained at a plateau (median: 1.39 μmol/g creatinine) until dietary intakes of α-tocopherol exceeded 9 mg α-tocopherol/d. The inflection point at which vitamin E metabolism increased was estimated to be at an intake of 12.8 mg α-tocopherol/d. Daily excretion of >1.39 μmol α-CEHC/g creatinine is associated with a greater than adequate α-tocopherol status, as evidenced by increased vitamin E metabolism and excretion. CONCLUSION: Thus, urinary α-CEHC is a valid biomarker of α-tocopherol status that can be used to set a value for the Estimated Adequate Requirement of vitamin E. |
DOI | 10.3945/ajcn.112.038620 |