Vitamin E status and immune function.
Evidence from animal and human studies indicates that vitamin E plays an important role in the maintenance of the immune system. Even a marginal vitamin E deficiency impairs the immune response, while supplementation with higher than recommended dietary levels of vitamin E enhances humoral and cell-mediated immunity. The current RDA level of vitamin E prevents clinical deficiency syndrome but in some situations, especially in older subjects or in a disease state, fails to maintain optimal host defense. The immunological parameters reviewed are all sensitive to changes in the availability of vitamin E and, therefore, may reflect the vitamin E status of a given individual more accurately than conventional methods.
Beharka
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Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA.
Redican
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Leka
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Meydani
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D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007158:Immunologic Techniques; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000276:immunology*; D010587:Phagocytosis; D012882:Skin Tests / Q000379:methods; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000276:immunology*; D014811:Vitamin E Deficiency / Q000276:immunology
D016207:Cytokines; D007376:Interleukin-2; D014810:Vitamin E