Serum retinol, carotenoids, vitamin E, and cholesterol in Nigerian women

An epidemiologic study was conducted to assess serum levels of retinol, carotenoids, vitamin E, and their associations with cholesterol in an indigenous African population. The study population consisted of 116 black Nigerian women representing a response rate of 74%. The ages ranged from 17-32 years with a mean age of 22.6 years. The beta-carotene, total carotenoids, alpha-tocopherol, and cholesterol levels for the Nigerian women were 3.93 μmol/L, 7.03 μmol/L, 18.78 μmol/L, and 4.01 mmol/L, respectively. The beta-carotene levels of the Nigerian women ranged from 1.2-13 times greater than the United States population, and the total carotenoid levels were 2.5 times greater in the Nigerians compared with the United States population. On the contrary, the cholesterol levels of the Nigerians ranged from 5%-24% lower than similarly aged United States populations. Significant positive associations were observed between cholesterol and the following: 1) beta-carotene (r = 0.31, P < 0.001): 2) total carotenoids (r = 0.43, P < 0.001); and alpha-tocopherol (r = 0.72, P < 0.001). The findings suggest that dietary intake may not be the key factor in the vitamin A-cholesterol relationship, because this relationship has been observed in populations with significantly lower vitamin A and higher saturated fat intake. © 1992.