The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has concluded that the current recommended daily amount (RDA) of vitamin E should be replaced by a newly defined adequate intake (AI).
The authority has set the new levels for vitamin E as α-tocopherol at 13mg per day for men and 11mg per day, while the AI for children ranges from 5–13mg per day.
But the new recommendation has been met with a mixed reaction from those inside the industry, with DSM highlighting the findings of unrecognised studies and emphasising that more research is needed into the micronutrient, in order to precisely define the vitamin E requirement in humans. “In particular, this includes the role of vitamin E in protecting polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) from being oxidized in cell membranes and the beneficial effect of adequate blood levels of vitamin E on cardiovascular health,” the firm said.
Prof Manfred Eggersdorfer, senior vice president, nutrition science and advocacy for DSM, said: “Whilst we appreciate the work carried out by the EFSA panel in reviewing the dietary reference values for vitamin E, it is important to consider all scientific evidence when defining the value. This should include recent research that had been accepted by other well recognised agencies, such as the Institute of Medicine in the US and the D-A-CH report for Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
“Achieving an optimal status of vitamin E is associated with a number of positive health benefits. Outcomes from the main epidemiological studies show a risk reduction of 24% for cardiovascular events, when comparing high versus low vitamin E concentrations. These results suggest a beneficial effect of vitamin E at a plasma concentration of 30μmol/L. An increase of the intake recommendation would secure that the general population can reach this status.”
“Intake of vitamin E is generally low in Europe. For example, the results of a micronutrient intake panel demonstrated that more than 75% of the population in the UK does not meet the recommended intake. With individual needs varying depending on factors such as age, it may be more appropriate to consider a range of values rather than a fixed intake requirement.”
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