Vitamin E Nutrition in the Rhesus Monkey

Abstract

Summary

Two normal monkeys were fed a vitamin E-free diet containing 3.6% calories as linoleic acid. Plasma α-tocopherol concentrations fell to 50% of initial values by 21 days and then remained essentially stable for another 39 days. d-α-Tocopherol was then added to the diet, 5 mg/kg for 40 days followed by 10 mg/kg for 60 days. The lower supplement stabilized the plasma level in one animal and gave a slight elevation in the other. The higher supplement produced progressive increases in both monkeys. It was estimated that the minimum requirement was slightly more than 0.36 mg d-α-tocopherol/g linoleic acid and that 0.72 mg was nutritionally adequate. Fecal excretion studies of normal doses of radioactive d-α-tocopherol gave an apparent intestinal absorption of about 50%.