Skip to content

Have you heard of a potential interaction between vitamin E and bone health? A recent study from Spain evaluated the relationship between vitamin E status and osteoporosis in early postmenopausal women [1]. Anthropometric data, osteoporosis risk factors, vitamin E serum levels, bone mineral density (BMD) and other serum parameters that may influence bone mineral density in postmenopausal women were analyzed in a cross-sectional study. The associations between osteoporosis and age, age of menopause, body mass index, osteocalcin, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin E (measured as 25-hydroxyvitamin D and as the α-tocopherol : lipid ratio, respectively), bone alkaline phosphatase, smoking status, leisure physical activity and alcohol intake were modeled by a multivariate logistic regression and multi-linear regression analysis in 232 early postmenopausal women. A lower vitamin E : lipid ratio was associated with osteoporosis in multivariate logistic regression. In a multivariate linear model with BMD of the lumbar spine as a dependent variable, the vitamin E : lipid ratio was clearly related with BMD of the lumbar spine ([i]F[/i] ratio = 6.30, [i]p[/i] = 0.002). BMD of the lumbar spine was significantly higher in the highest tertile of the vitamin E : lipid ratio than in the lowest tertile. The mean vitamin E : lipid ratio was significantly lower in osteoporotic postmenopausal women ([i]T[/i] score ≤ -2.5) (3.0 ± 0.6 μmol/mmol) than normal postmenopausal women ([i]T[/i] score > -1) (3.5 ± 0.7 μmol/mmol) using multivariable-adjusted BMD. These findings highlight that vitamin E may increase BMD in healthy postmenopausal women.

Author(s)

  • Amos Pines
    Department of Medicine T, Ichilov Hospital, Tel-Aviv, Israel

Citations

  1. Mata-Granados JM, Cuenca-Acebedo R, Luque de Castro MD, Quesada Gómez JM. Lower vitamin E serum levels are associated with osteoporosis in early postmenopausal women: a cross-sectional study. J Bone Miner Metab 2013 Mar 28. Epub ahead of print
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23536191
  2. Dai Z, Wang R, Ang LW, Yuan JM, Koh WP. Dietary B vitamin intake and risk of hip fracture: the Singapore Chinese Health Study. Osteoporos Int 2012 Dec 13. Epub ahead of print
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23238962
  3. van Wijngaarden JP, Doets EL, Szczecińska A, et al. Vitamin B12, folate, homocysteine, and bone health in adults and elderly people: a systematic review with meta-analyses. J Nutr Metab 2013;2013:486186.
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23509616
  4. Ahmadieh H, Arabi A. Vitamins and bone health: beyond calcium and vitamin D. Nutr Rev 2011;69:584-98.
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21967159
  5. Wolf RL, Cauley JA, Pettinger M, et al. Lack of a relation between vitamin and mineral antioxidants and bone mineral density: results from the Womens Health Initiative. Am J Clin Nutr 2005;82:5818.
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16155271
International Menopause Society

Install International Menopause Society - DEV

Install this application on your home screen for quick and easy access when you’re on the go.

Just tap then “Add to Home Screen”