title: Associations between serum vitamin E concentration and bone mineral density in the US elderly population.
abstract: Mixed findings regarding effects of vitamin E on bone metabolism existed. We were the first to find a negative association between serum α-tocopherol concentration and bone mineral density in the US elderly population. Using vitamin E supplement as α-tocopherol to promote bone health was not warranted at this time.
  
  
  
  The aim of the study is to examine the associations between serum vitamin E (α-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol) status and bone mineral density (BMD) among the US elderly population.
  
  
  
  We used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2006. This cross-sectional study finally included 989 subjects who were not having liver diseases, kidney diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, or cancers; were not treated for osteoporosis; and were not taking steroids or female hormones. Multivariable linear regression models were employed to examine the associations between serum vitamin E (α-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol) concentration and BMDs of total spine and femoral neck after adjusting for covariates and potential confounders.
  
  
  
  Significant differences in serum α-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol levels, dietary intake of vitamin E as α-tocopherol, and BMDs of total spine and femoral neck were presented between male and female participants. Serum α-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol concentrations were found to be inversely correlated (r = -0.169, P < 0.001). In univariable linear models, significant negative associations between serum α-tocopherol and both total spine BMD (β = -0.0014, P = 0.002) and femoral neck BMD (β = -0.0017, P < 0.001) were found. Accounting for covariates, serum α-tocopherol level was negatively associated with femoral neck BMD (β = -0.0007, P = 0.028).
  
  
  
  This study found a negative association between serum α-tocopherol concentration and femoral neck BMD in the US elderly population, suggesting a harmful effect of α-tocopherol on bone health. Future studies are warranted to further examine the dose-response relationships between individual vitamin E isomers and bone metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, 250355, China.|Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8803-2861
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, 250355, China. zhang.junzhong@outlook.com.
authors.forename: J
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4727-8029
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005272:Femur Neck / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D013131:Spine / Q000502:physiology; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D024504:gamma-Tocopherol / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D024504:gamma-Tocopherol; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol
keywords: BMD; NHANES; Osteoporosis; Vitamin E; α-Tocopherol; γ-Tocopherol