Effects of Palm Vitamin E, Vitamin D and Calcium Supplementation on Bone Metabolism in Vitamin E Deficient Rats

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of vitamin E deficiency on bone metabolism in growing female rats. The effects of supplementation of these vitamin E deficient rats with palm vitamin E, calcium or vitamin D3, alone or in combination on bone growth and metabolism were also studied. The rats were fed with vitamin E deficient diet and divided into 6 groups: unsupplemented (control, VED), VED + palm vitamin E 60 mg/kg rat weight (PVE60), VED + 1% calcium in drinking water, ad libitum (Ca), VED + vitamin D3, 0.5 g/kg rat weight (D), VED + PVE60/Ca, VED + PVE60/D. Calcium supplementation increased bone mineral density and reduced bone resorption activity in vitamin E deficient rats. Supplementation with palm vitamin E 60 mg/kg body weight/day, which is a mixture of 30% -tocopherols and 70% tocotrienols, increased bone calcium content, but failed to increase bone mineral density. Vitamin D3, (cholecalciferol) 0.5 g/kg did not increase bone mineral density or bone calcium content in vitamin E deficient rats. Combination of palm vitamin E and calcium or palm vitamin E and vitamin D3, in the same doses did not offer any added advantage to using each supplement alone. In conclusion, both calcium and vitamin E were needed for normal bone growth and development. Supplementation of vitamin D3, in a state of vitamin E deficiency was ineffective. However, the mechanism by which vitamin E deficiency impaired bone metabolism required further study.