The effect of hormone replacement therapy on vitamin E status in postmenopausal women.
OBJECTIVE
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) is the most important dietary antioxidant found in lipids and cell membranes and its intake is inversely related to the incidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Oestrogen-containing oral contraceptives may decrease plasma vitamin E level in young women. We investigated if oestrogen-containing hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may have the same effect on vitamin E status in postmenopausal women


METHODS
Eighteen healthy postmenopausal women took a combination of oestrogen/progestogen (Harmogen Provera) therapy and another ten acted as a control group. Blood samples were taken at baseline and repeated after 3 and 6 months in both groups. Vitamin E in plasma, red cells and isolated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) was measured as alpha-tocopherol by high-performance liquid chromatography.


RESULTS
Vitamin E status showed no change in either group after 3 and 6 months in comparison to its baseline value.


CONCLUSIONS
Combined oestrogen/progestogen HRT for 6 months in healthy postmenopausal women did not alter vitamin E. status in vivo.
Wen
Y
Y
Department of Therapeutics, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
Doyle
M C
MC
Harrison
R F
RF
Feely
J
J
D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000009:adverse effects; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D045166:Estradiol Congeners / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004970:Estrone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood*; D045167:Progesterone Congeners / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood*
D000975:Antioxidants; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; D045166:Estradiol Congeners; D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP); D008055:Lipids; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D045167:Progesterone Congeners; D014810:Vitamin E; D004970:Estrone; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate; C009927:estropipate