Effect of the main dietary antioxidants (carotenoids, γ-tocopherol, polyphenols, and vitamin C) on α-tocopherol absorption

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition 2007-10, Vol.61 (10), p.1167-1173
• Main Authors: Reboul, E, Thap, S, Perrot, E, Amiot, M.J, Lairon, D, Borel, P
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Absorption; Adult; adults; alpha-tocopherol; alpha-Tocopherol - pharmacokinetics; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Area Under Curve; Ascorbic acid; Ascorbic Acid - pharmacology; Biological and medical sciences; blood chemistry; Caco-2 Cells; Caffeic acid; Carotene; Carotenoids; Carotenoids - pharmacology; Catechin; Chylomicrons - chemistry; Clinical Nutrition; Cross-Over Studies; cultured cells; dosage; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Epidemiology; Flavonoids - pharmacology; Gallic acid; gamma-tocopherol; gamma-Tocopherol - pharmacology; Humans; Internal Medicine; Intestinal absorption; Intestinal Absorption - drug effects; intestinal mucosa; Intestine; Life Sciences; Lutein; Lutein - pharmacology; Lycopene; Male; Meals; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; men; Metabolic Diseases; Mixtures; Naringenin; nutrient uptake; nutritional status; original-article; Phenolic acids; Phenols; Phenols - pharmacology; Polyphenols; Postprandial Period; postprandial state; Public Health; Sunflower oil; Sunflowers; Tocopherol; Vitamin C; Vitamin E; β-Carotene
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602635

Objective: (R,R,R)-α-tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant vitamin generally ingested with other dietary antioxidants. The objective of this study was to assess whether the main dietary antioxidant classes, that is carotenoids, polyphenols, vitamin C and γ-tocopherol, affect the intestinal absorption of α-tocopherol. Methods, design and subjects: We evaluated first the effect of different combinations of antioxidants on (R,R,R)-α-tocopherol absorption by a human intestinal cell line (Caco-2 clone TC7). Then we compared the effect of two doses of a dietary antioxidant (lutein) on the postprandial chylomicron α-tocopherol responses to an α-tocopherol-rich meal. Eight healthy men ate two similar meals in a random order at a 1 month interval. The meals contained 24 mg α-tocopherol in sunflower oil plus either 18 or 36 mg lutein. Blood samples were collected during the postprandial periods to compare chylomicron α-tocopherol responses. Results: A mixture of polyphenols (gallic acid, caffeic acid, (+)-catechin and naringenin) and a mixture of carotenoids (lycopene, β-carotene and lutein) significantly impaired α-tocopherol absorption in Caco-2 cells (P