Synthetic as compared with natural vitamin E is preferentially excreted as alpha-CEHC in human urine: studies using deuterated alpha-tocopheryl acetates

FEBS Lett. 1998 Oct 16;437(1-2):145-8. doi: 10.1016/s0014-5793(98)01210-1.

Abstract

Alpha-CEHC (2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2(2'-carboxyethyl)-6-hydroxychroman) is a urinary vitamin E metabolite with a truncated phytyl tail. To test whether natural and synthetic vitamin E are similarly converted to alpha-CEHC, 6 humans consumed 150 mg each RRR-alpha-[5-(C2H3)]- and all rac-alpha-[5,7(C2H3)2]-tocopheryl acetates (d3RRR-alpha- and d6all rac-alpha-tocopheryl acetates, respectively). Plasma was collected at 0, 6, 12 and 24 h; urine (24 h) at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8 days. Following dosing, plasma was enriched with d3RRR-alpha-tocopherol, while urine was enriched with alpha-CEHC derived from d6all rac-alpha-tocopherol. Thus, synthetic compared with natural vitamin E is preferentially metabolized to alpha-CEHC and excreted.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Chromans / urine*
  • Deuterium
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Propionates / urine*
  • Tocopherols
  • Vitamin E / analogs & derivatives*
  • Vitamin E / blood
  • Vitamin E / metabolism*
  • alpha-Tocopherol* / analogs & derivatives*

Substances

  • Chromans
  • Propionates
  • Vitamin E
  • 2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-(2'-carboxyethyl)-6-hydroxychroman
  • Deuterium
  • alpha-Tocopherol
  • Tocopherols