Vitamin E deficiency alert

More than three-quarters of the population in developed countries do not meet their recommended daily intake of vitamin E, potentially putting their health at great risk, a new study has shown.

Research from the global ingredients supplier DSM, published in the International Journal for Vitamin Nutrition Research, claimed there was not enough research, despite the micronutrient's importance and the worrying fact that few people were meeting their recommended daily intake (RDI).

Europe

In Europe, the RDI of vitamin E is from four to 25mg a-tocopherol equivalents (a-TE) a day for men and from three to 12mg a-TE a day for women.

“The impact of low vitamin E levels globally is a serious public health concern, yet the micronutrient is not high on the agenda of scientists and funding organisations,” warned Dr Manfred Eggersdorfer, senior vice president nutrition science and advocacy at DSM Nutritional Products.