title: Reference values for alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene in the Whitehall II Study.
abstract: Plasma alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene, serum lipids and their derived ratios were determined in British Civil Servants (n = 7177) at the second medical examination of the Whitehall II Study, a longitudinal study of cardiovascular disease. For plasma alpha-tocopherol the non-parametric 95% reference interval (90% confidence limits) for the total population was: 11.1 (10.9-11.3)-51.5 (50.6-52.7) mumol/l. For plasma beta-carotene the non-parametric reference interval for the total population was: 0.05 (0.05-0.05)-2.14 (2.08-2.21) mumol/l. The latter interval was wider than those previously published with a higher mean (0.61 mumol/l) and median (0.75 mumol/l). Plasma beta-carotene concentrations were higher in women than men with age-adjusted means of 0.70 and 0.57 mumol/l respectively (p < 0.001). This may reflect differences in diet, lifestyle and metabolism between the sexes. The alpha-tocopherol/cholesterol ratio, as in other surveys, did not vary with age. Among men, current- and ex-smokers had a higher alpha-tocopherol/cholesterol ratio than never-smokers with age-adjusted means of 4.18, 4.19 mumol/mmol and 4.05 mumol/mmol respectively. This difference is as yet unexplained. Follow-up of these subjects will help to clarify the role of antioxidant nutrients as protective factors for cardiovascular disease and cancer.
authors.affiliation: International Antioxidant Research Centre, UMDS-Guy's Hospital, London.
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paganga
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brunner
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nanchahal
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shipley
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Rice-Evans
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Marmot
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Diplock
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D006113:United Kingdom; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood*; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D019207:beta Carotene; D014810:Vitamin E; D002784:Cholesterol