Effect of vitamin E supplementation with exercise on cognitive functions and total antioxidant capacity in older people

Abstract

Objective: We investigated the effects of six months vitamin E administration on cognition evaluated by event-related potentials in exercising older subjects.

Design: Randomised controlled trial.

Setting: Retirement home in Antalya, Turkey.

Participants: Fifty-seven adults aged 60-85 years were randomly assigned to one of four groups: sedentary control (C), vitamin E (V), exercise training (E) and vitamin E under training (EV).

Intervention: V and EV groups were received vitamin E at a dose of 900 IU/day P.O. for 6 months. Trained groups were subjected to walking exercise involved 3 sessions per week for 6 months. Walking duration was gradually increased during 8 weeks, and stayed constant until the end of training period. Participants were begun walking at % 70 heart rate reserve for 20 min/day at the first two weeks, and walking duration was increased by 5 minutes/day of each week until subjects were reached a level of 50 min/day by week 8.

Measurements: Plasma vitamin E concentration, total antioxidant capacity and two parameters of event-related potentials namely P3 latency and amplitude were performed on all study groups both before and after training.

Results: Significant improvement in P3 latency was found in exercising groups. However, no significant differences were found between vitamin and other groups for P3 latency. Amplitude measurements were found unaltered among all groups.

Conclusion: We concluded that although six months training results improvement in P3 latency, vitamin E supplementation does not affect cognitive function evaluated by event-related potentials in older subjects.