Natural tocopherols in a dietary supplement of lutein affect tissue distribution of tocopherols in young rats

The effects of graded levels of Flora GLO (FG), a dietary supplement containing lutein derived from marigold flowers, on tissue concentrations of lutein and alpha- and gamma-tocopherol were determined. Six groups of male weanling Fischer 344 rats (15/group) were fed ad libitum modified AIN-93G diets containing 0%, 0.30%, 0.60%, 1.20%, 2.40%, or 4.80% FG for eight weeks. FG provided 0%, 0.015%, 0.030%, 0.060%, 0.120%, or 0.240% lutein; corresponding levels of tocopherols were approximately 0%, 0.006%, 0.012%, 0.023%, 0.046%, and 0.092%, respectively. Maximal uptakes of lutein in plasma, spleen, and liver were observed with 4.8% FG. Lutein was not detectable in brain, heart, lung, testes, and kidney. Concentrations of alpha-tocopherol in the plasma (microgram/mg triglycerides) were reduced in all rats fed FG (p < 0.05). alpha-Tocopherol increased nonlinearly in lung, heart, and spleen with increased FG level. alpha-Tocopherol in liver increased with increased dietary FG; alpha-tocopherol in kidney, testes, and brain did not increase. At each dietary level of FG, the spleen had a higher percentage of gamma-tocopherol, and testes and brain had a lower percentage of gamma-tocopherol than all other tissues. For all tissues, the concentrations of alpha-tocopherol were always higher than those of gamma-tocopherol. Tocopherols added to the dietary supplement for functional purposes appeared to have a significant effect on tissue levels of tocopherols. Therefore, changes in alpha- and gamma-tocopherol levels in tissues of rats fed FG cannot be attributed solely to effects of lutein.