Effect of feeding polyunsaturated fatty acids with a low vitamin E diet on blood levels of tocopherol in men performing hard physical labor

Am J Clin Nutr. 1975 Jul;28(7):706-11. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/28.7.706.

Abstract

A diet made low in vitamin E by elimination of foods considered good sources of the vitamin was fed for 13 months to two groups of men engaged in strenuous labor. With a daily average dietary intake of about 9.4 mg of total tocopherols, a progressive decline in blood levels of tocopherol from 1.42 to 0.81 mg/100 ml was observed in the five control subjects. The test group of 30 men received a daily supplement of tocopherol-stripped safflower oil containing 88 g of polyunsaturated fatty acids and 2.3 mg of tocopherols. Average blood plasma levels of tocopherol in this group dropped rapidly from an initial value of 1.01 to about 0.5 mg/100 ml within 5 months and remained relatively stable thereafter. No muscular weakness or other physical symptoms were reported.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Controlled Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Diet
  • Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / adverse effects
  • Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Nutritional Requirements
  • Physical Exertion*
  • Safflower Oil / administration & dosage
  • Time Factors
  • Vitamin E / blood*
  • Vitamin E Deficiency / blood*

Substances

  • Fatty Acids, Unsaturated
  • Vitamin E
  • Safflower Oil