The researchers conducted three experiments over 10 weeks, in which the 48 participants consumed milk that had been fortified with different combinations of vitamins A and D, and lower (30 mg.) or higher doses (100 mg or 200 mg) of vitamin E. Orange juice and vitamin E capsules were also tested as alternative forms of delivery. The addition of vitamins A and D to the milk had no effect on the transfer of vitamin E to plasma lipids, and orange juice was considerably less effective than milk for transport. Milk was uniquely superior for transport of vitamin E at higher, but not lower, dosage levels. When microdispersed in milk, the vitamin was delivered to plasma lipids at more than twice the rate as that from vitamin E capsules. After 4 weeks of consuming two glasses of 1% fat milk blended with 200 mg vitamin E per day, the subjects had a 9% drop in total cholesterol and a 10.7% drop in LDL cholesterol concentrations.
Fortification of milk with vitamins A and D is already widely practiced and acknowledged as providing health benefits, and the authors suggest that additional fortification of milk with vitamin E is warranted due to milk’s enhanced ability to transport this vitamin to plasma lipoproteins.
Hayes, KC et al. Vitamin E in fortified cow milk uniquely enriches human plasma lipoproteins. Am J Clin Nutr 2001;74:211-8
This media release is provided by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition to provide current information on nutrition-related research. This information should not be construed as medical advice. If you have a medical concern, consult your doctor. To see the complete text of this article, please go to:
http://faseb.org/ajcn/August/12001-Hayes.pdf
For more information, please contact: kchayes@brandeis.edu
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition