Serum Levels of Vitamin E and β-carotene in Relation to Sex and Medical Status in a Population from North Jordan

Aim: The aim of this study is to assess whether serum vitamin E (α-tocopherol) and β-carotene are affected (or not) by different medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, smoking, and pregnancy.

Methodology: Total serum vitamin E and β-carotene concentrations were measured in a group of 946 volunteers (males and females with age range between 18 and 60 years); 432 were healthy and non-smokers (161 men and 271 women), and 514 were having a medical condition (90 men and 75 women with high blood pressure, 40 men and 85 women were diabetes, 98 men and 50 women were smokers, and 76 pregnant women). Total serum vitamin E and β-carotene were measured by HPLC. Sera were extracted from blood samples collected from a population from the north of Jordan.

Results: The total vitamin E serum concentrations in male healthy individuals was found to be 32.3 ± 0.9 µmol/l compared to 17 ± 0.4 µmol/l for smokers, 19.2 ± 0.8 µmol/l with diabetes, and 20.1 ± 0.9 µmol/l with high blood pressure; and 26.6 ± 0.1 µmol/l in healthy women compared to 21.1 ± 0.5 µmol/l for smokers, 20.5 ± 0.6 µmol/l with diabetes, and 21.7 ± 0.4 µmol/l with high blood pressure.

The total β-carotene serum concentrations in male healthy individuals was found to be 1.26 ± 0.03 µmol/l compared to 0.83 ± 0.04 µmol/l for smokers, 0.85 ± 0.06 µmol/l with diabetes, and 0.81 ± 0.053 µmol/l with high blood pressure; and 2.4 ± 0.3 µmol/l in healthy women compared to 1.4 ± 0.2 µmol/l for smokers, 0.97 ± 0.03 µmol/l with diabetes, and 0.78 ± 0.06 µmol/l with high blood pressure. The levels of serum concentrations of both vitamins were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the tested subjects compared with the values registered in the healthy subjects. Pregnancy was also found to affect the levels of serum concentrations of both vitamins, our results showed a decrease in the serum concentration levels of the pregnant women who participated in this study versus the healthy subjects.

Conclusion: Vitamin E and β-carotene absorption by the body was found to be influenced by the health status of the individual. This was clearly shown by the differences between healthy individuals from the test group and those in the healthy counter parts.