Recommended dietary allowance for vitamin E: relation to dietary, erythrocyte and adipose tissue linoleate.

The general trend toward increased consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids is apparent in the linoleate level of adipose tissue (13.0 plus or minus 1.3%) and erythrocyte lipids (14.0 plus or minus 1.9%) in the present group of female undergraduate student volunteers compared to values reported in the early 1960's. On the basis of the level of linoleate in their diets (19.5 plus or minus 0.8%), it is also apparent that further increases in tissue lipid linoleate levels are to be anticipated, which in turn will result in an increased requirement for vitamin E. It is suggested that adipose tissue linoleate levels in the general population be used as a baseline for the periodic evaluation and revision of the recommended dietary allowance for vitamin E. The recommended dietary allowance could then be phrased in terms of the quantity of vitamin E activity to be consumed per gram linoleate in 100 g adipose tissue fatty acids. A recommendation of 0.6 IU vitamin E activity/g linoleate in 100 g adipose tissue fatty acids is tentatively suggested.