Further evidence on the effect of vitamin E on the cholesterol distribution in lipoproteins with special reference to HDL subfractions

Earlier claims that oral administration of alpha-tocopherol results in significant and considerable increase in the serum total HDL concentration could not be substantiated. The present investigation does, however, show that lipoproteins are affected by alpha-tocopherol in other ways, the main effects being an increase in LDL-cholesterol and also in the HDL3-V cholesterol, an HDL3-subfraction determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The established lipoprotein risk indices (LDL/HDL and HDL3/HDL2 ratios) were unfavorably affected as a result of alpha-tocopherol treatment. It is concluded that on the basis of available evidence, there is no reason to believe that alpha-tocopherol has a role to play in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerotic disease.