The effect of vitamin E supplementation on serum DHEA and neopterin levels in elderly subjects.
Contradictory results have been published on the immune-stimulating effects of vitamin E. Using a randomized placebo-controlled design, the effect of 15 month's daily supplementation with 200 mg vitamin E on two biomarkers of immunocompetence, i.e. serum DHEA sulfate ester (DHEA-S) and neopterin, was studied. Of the 100 relatively healthy Dutch elderly subjects included in the study, 50 were supplemented with vitamin E and 50 received placebo. As compared to placebo, vitamin E supplementation affected neither serum DHEA-S nor serum neopterin level. This corroborates with the finding that vitamin E supplementation did not affect infection-related severity measures, i.e. total number of days with respiratory infection, and total duration of the infections. It is concluded that vitamin E supplementation does not substantially alter the immunocompetence markers DHEA and neopterin in elderly subjects, and may explain our recently reported failure of vitamin E supplementation to afford protection against acute respiratory infections.
Laboratory for Toxicology, Pathology and Genetics, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands. JGC.van.Amsterdam@rivm.nl
Jan
J
van Amsterdam
Judith
J
van der Horst-Graat
Erik
E
Bischoff
Peter
P
Steerenberg
Antoon
A
Opperhuizen
Evert
E
Schouten
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood*; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019798:Neopterin / Q000097:blood*; D010919:Placebos; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D010919:Placebos; D014810:Vitamin E; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D019798:Neopterin