title: Vitamin A, vitamin E and selenium status in an aged Finnish male population.
abstract: Vitamin A (retinol), vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) and selenium concentrations in serum were studied during the autumn season (October and November) in two Finnish male populations aged 65-84 years and living either in eastern or southwestern Finland. The mean vitamin A concentration was higher in south-western, but the mean selenium concentration was higher in eastern Finland. Mean vitamin A concentrations did not differ between age groups, but in the south-west highest vitamin E and selenium concentrations were found among the youngest population. A severe vitamin A deficiency (below 300 micrograms/l) was found only in 3 (1%) men in the east and 4 (1%) men in the south-west, and a mild deficiency (300-399 micrograms/l) in 11 (4%) men in the east and 16 (4%) men in the south-west. Vitamin E deficiency after the correction by serum total cholesterol (below 2 mg/l/g/l) was found only in 3 (1%) men in the east and 1 (0%) man in the south-west, and low values (2.0-2.9 mg/l/g/l) were found in 13 (4%) men in the east and 34 (9%) men in the south-west. A severe deficiency of selenium (below 46 micrograms/l) was found in 10 (3%) men in the east and 15 (4%) men in the south-west, while a mild deficiency (46-69 micrograms/l) was found in 140 (45%) men in the east and 197 (52%) men in the south-west. The overall vitamin A and vitamin E status of elderly Finnish men was relatively adequate, while severe or mild deficiencies of selenium were common.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Science, University of Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Kivelä
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mäenpää
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nissinen
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alfthan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Punsar
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Enlund
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Puska
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D009753:Nutritive Value; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012424:Rural Population; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood*; D012907:Smoking; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E; D002784:Cholesterol; D012643:Selenium