Ratio of plasma α:γ-tocopherol and associations with indices of skeletal muscle mass

• Published in: Proceedings of the Nutrition Society Vol. 77; no. OCE2
• Main Authors: Mulligan, A.A., Lentjes, M.A.H., Hayhoe, R.P.G, Khaw, K-T., Welch, A.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.06.2018
• Subjects: Anti-inflammatory agents; Antioxidants; Cholesterol; Corticosteroids; Covariance; Inflammation; Men; Muscles; Musculoskeletal system; Oxidizing agents; Physical activity; Regression analysis; Risk analysis; Risk factors; Sarcopenia; Skeletal muscle; Smoking; Tocopherol; Vitamin E; Weight; Women; United Kingdom > UK
• ISSN: 0029-6651; 1475-2719
• DOI: 10.1017/S0029665118000228

Vitamin E is an anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory agent and may therefore have a role in the prevention and treatment of muscle loss, a risk factor for sarcopenia(1). Analysis of covariance and linear regression were used to study associations of FFM% and FFMBMI with sex-specific quintiles of cholesterol-adjusted plasma α:γ-toc ratios, adjusted (*) for age, smoking status, physical activity, social class, corticosteroid and statin use, plasma α-toc, and menopausal and HRT status in women. Ratio of plasma α:γ-toc, adjusted for total cholesterol Quintile 1 Quintile 3 Quintile 5 Mean SD/SE Mean SD/SE Mean SD/SE p trend MEN: α:γ ratio 8.54 1.41 14.42 0.79 28.46 19.73 Plasma α-toc (μmol/mmol) 24.0 7.2 25.4 6.8 28.8 8.2 Plasma γ-toc (μmol/mmol) 2.92 1.14 1.76 0.49 1.12 0.40 Dietary vitamin E (mg α-toc equivs/d) 10.4 4.5 11.3 4.8 12.4 5.1 Weight (kg) 82.2 10.5 81.5 10.4 80.2 11.9 Height (m) 1.73 0.06 1.74 0.06 1.73 0.07 BMI (kg/m2) 27.3 3.1 27.0 2.9 26.7 3.4 *FFM% 76.0 0.2 76.6 0.1 77.2 0.2 0.003 *FFMBMI (kg/(kg/m2)) 2.29 0.01 2.31 0.01 2.32 0.01 0.038 WOMEN: α:γ ratio 8.70 1.52 14.78 0.84 29.97 29.18 Plasma α-toc (μmol/mmol) 25.6 7.1 27.2 6.7 29.2 8.4 Plasma γ-toc (μmol/mmol) 3.04 1.08 1.84 0.46 1.08 0.33 Dietary vitamin E (mg α-toc equivs/d) 8.7 3.8 9.2 3.6 9.7 3.7 Weight (kg) 69.1 11.0 68.7 9.3 65.8 10.3 Height (m) 1.60 0.06 1.60 0.06 1.60 0.06 BMI (kg/m2) 26.9 4.0 26.6 3.3 25.6 3.6 *FFM% 58.9 0.4 60.3 0.2 61.8 0.4 <0.001 *FFMBMI (kg/(kg/m2)) 1.52 0.01 1.56 0.01 1.59 0.01 <0.001 To our knowledge, this is the first time that a positive association between plasma α:γ-toc ratio and FFM% and FFMBMI has been observed in a UK population-based cohort and further research is on-going.