The absorption of vitamin E is influenced by the amount of fat in a meal and the food matrix

• Published in: British journal of nutrition 2004-10, Vol.92 (4), p.575-579
• Main Authors: Jeanes, Yvonne M., Hall, Wendy L., Ellard, Susan, Lee, Elizabeth, Lodge, John K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Absorption; Adult; alpha-Tocopherol - analogs & derivatives; alpha-Tocopherol - pharmacokinetics; Biological and medical sciences; Chylomicrons; Chylomicrons - metabolism; Cross-Over Studies; Dietary Fats - pharmacology; Fat; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Food; Food matrix; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Ingestion; Intestinal Absorption - drug effects; Lipid Metabolism; Male; Plasma; Short communication; Tocopherol; Tocopherols; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
• ISSN: 0007-1145; 1475-2662
• DOI: 10.1079/BJN20041249

Vitamin E absorption requires the presence of fat; however, limited information exists on the influence of fat quantity on optimal absorption. In the present study we compared the absorption of stable-isotope-labelled vitamin E following meals of varying fat content and source. In a randomised four-way cross-over study, eight healthy individuals consumed a capsule containing 150 mg 2H-labelled RRR-α-tocopheryl acetate with a test meal of toast with butter (17·5 g fat), cereal with full-fat milk (17·5 g fat), cereal with semi-skimmed milk (2·7 g fat) and water (0 g fat). Blood was taken at 0, 0·5, 1, 1·5, 2, 3, 6 and 9 h following ingestion, chylomicrons were isolated, and 2H-labelled α-tocopherol was analysed in the chylomicron and plasma samples. There was a significant time (P