Associations between Lifestyle Factors and Vitamin E Metabolites in the General Population
Leon G. Martens,
Jiao Luo,
Fleur L. Meulmeester,
Nadia Ashrafi,
Esther Winters van Eekelen,
Renée de Mutsert,
Dennis O. Mook-Kanamori,
Frits R. Rosendaal,
Ko Willems van Dijk,
Kevin Mills,
Raymond Noordam,
Diana van Heemst
Affiliations
Leon G. Martens
Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
Jiao Luo
Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
Fleur L. Meulmeester
Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
Nadia Ashrafi
NIHR Great Ormond Street Biomedical Research Centre, Great Ormond Street Hospital and UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford St, Holborn, London WC1N 1EH, UK
Esther Winters van Eekelen
Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
Renée de Mutsert
Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
Dennis O. Mook-Kanamori
Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
Frits R. Rosendaal
Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
Ko Willems van Dijk
Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
Kevin Mills
NIHR Great Ormond Street Biomedical Research Centre, Great Ormond Street Hospital and UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford St, Holborn, London WC1N 1EH, UK
Raymond Noordam
Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
Diana van Heemst
Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
The antioxidant vitamin E (α-tocopherol, α-TOH) protects lipids from oxidation by reactive oxygen species. We hypothesized that lifestyle factors associate with vitamin E metabolism marked by urinary α-tocopheronolactone hydroquinone (α-TLHQ) and α-carboxymethyl-hydroxychroman (α-CEHC levels), as potential reflection of lipid oxidation. We conducted a cross-sectional study in the Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity Study. Serum α-TOH, and urinary α-TLHQ and α-CEHC were quantified by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Information on the lifestyle factors (sleep, physical activity (PA), smoking and alcohol) were collected through questionnaires. Multivariable linear regression analyses were performed to assess the associations between the lifestyle factors and α-TOH measures. A total of 530 participants (46% men) were included with mean (SD) age of 56 (6) years. Of the examined lifestyle factors, only poor sleep was associated with a higher serum α-TOH (mean difference: 4% (95% CI: 1, 7%)). Current smoking was associated with higher urinary α-CEHC (32%: (14%, 53%)), with evidence of a dose–response relationship with smoking intensity (low pack years, 24% (2, 52%); high pack years, 55% (25, 93%)). Moderate physical activity was associated with a lower α-TLHQ relative to α-CEHC (−17%: (−26, −6%), compared with low PA). Only specific lifestyle factors associate with vitamin E metabolism. Examining serum α-TOH does not provide complete insight in vitamin E antioxidant capacity.
