A Systematic Review Of Global Alpha-Tocopherol Status As Assessed By Nutritional Intake Levels And Blood Serum Concentrations

The purpose of this study is to systematically review the published literature reporting vitamin E intake levels and serum concentrations in order to obtain a global overview of a-tocopherol status. Articles published between 2000 and 2012 were considered; 176 articles referring to 132 single studies were included. Applying an RDA (recommended daily allowance) of 15 mg/day and EAR (estimated average requirement) of 12 mg/day to all populations with a minimum age of 14 years, 82 and 61 % of mean and median data points were below the RDA and the EAR, respectively. Regarding serum concentrations, globally 13 % of the included data points were below the functional deficiency threshold concentration of 12 mu mol/L, mostly for newborns and children. Several prospective observational studies suggest that a serum a-tocopherol concentration of >= 30 mu mol/L has beneficial effects on human health. Of the reported study populations and subpopulations, only 21 % reached this threshold globally. This systematic review suggests that the a-tocopherol status is inadequate in a substantial part of the studied populations.