Serum tocopherol levels and vitamin E intake are associated with lung function in the normative aging study

• Published in: Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) Vol. 35; no. 1; pp. 169 - 174
• Main Authors: Hanson, Corrine, Lyden, Elizabeth, Furtado, Jeremy, Campos, Hannia, Sparrow, David, Vokonas, Pantel, Litonjua, Augusto A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2016
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging; alpha-tocopherol; alpha-Tocopherol - blood; blood serum; Body Mass Index; COPD; Cross-Sectional Studies; delta-tocopherol; Diet; food frequency questionnaires; gamma-tocopherol; gamma-Tocopherol - blood; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Humans; Inflammation; Longitudinal Studies; Lung - physiology; Lung function; Male; men; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Regression Analysis; respiratory tract diseases; Risk Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tocopherols; Tocopherols - blood; Vitamin E; Vitamin E - administration & dosage; Young Adult; Tocopherols; Inflammation; Lung function; Diet; Vitamin E; COPD
• ISSN: 0261-5614; 1532-1983; 1532-1983
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2015.01.020

The results of studies assessing relationships between vitamin E intake and status and lung function are conflicting. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of vitamin E intake and serum levels of tocopherol isoforms on lung function in a cross-sectional sample of 580 men from the Normative Aging Study, a longitudinal aging study. Regression models were used to look at associations of serum tocopherol isoform levels and vitamin E intake with lung function parameters after adjustment for confounders. Vitamin E intake was measured using a food frequency questionnaire and serum levels of γ, α, and δ-tocopherol levels were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. After adjustment for potential confounders, serum γ-tocopherol had a significant inverse association with forced vital capacity (β = −0.10, p = 0.05). Alpha and δ-tocopherol were not associated with any lung function parameter. After classifying COPD status according to Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage criteria, serum levels of δ-tocopherol were lower in participants with more severe COPD (p = 0.01). Serum levels of δ-tocopherol were also lower in participants with greater levels of smoking (p = 0.02). Both vitamin E intake (β = 0.03, p = 0.02; β = 0.03, p = 0.01) and use of vitamin E supplements (β = 0.05, p = 0.03; β = 0.06. p = 0.02) were positively associated with FEV1 and FVC, after adjusting for confounders. Subjects who took vitamin E supplements had significantly higher α-tocopherol levels (p < 0.0001) and lower γ-tocopherol levels (p < 0.0001) than non-users. In this study, there is a positive association between dietary vitamin E intake and lung function, and evidence of an inverse relationship between serum levels of γ-tocopherol and lung function.