Why is Vitamin E Important for Infants and Children?

ASN Webinar

Organized by ASN’s Vitamin and Mineral Research Interest Section

Thursday, June 16, 2016
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM ET

The recording for this webinar is no longer available.
Click here for more information about other continuing education opportunities available from ASN.


Amid conflicting reports about the need for vitamin E, recent merging research supports a critical role for this essential nutrient, especially during vulnerable periods of the lifecycle, including pregnancy, the first few years of life, and the elderly.  Herein, accumulating research demonstrates a role of vitamin E in neurodevelopment and cognition, as well as the development of allergic airway disease including asthma.  These are new findings for vitamin E that extend beyond its mechanistic role as an antioxidant with heart health benefits.

More specifically, research from academic institutions demonstrates a role for vitamin E in fetal development and its association with later life dementia, as well as Alzheimer’s disease.   There is also evidence for a role of different isoforms of vitamin E in the development of allergic airway disease during the prenatal and postnatal periods.  Although the prevalence of dementia, Alzheimer’s and allergic airway disease continues to rise at a global level, there are no pharmacological approaches for the management or treatment of these diseases.  This emerging research on vitamin E begs the question whether increased dietary or supplemental vitamin E has a role in the prevention of these diseases, particularly important considering that as many as 60% of Americans are not achieving the EAR for vitamin E.

This webinar aims to create awareness and inspire additional research on the role of vitamin E in neurodevelopment, cognition and allergic airway disease, especially during critical periods of the lifecycle.

By the end of this program, attendees will be able to:

  • Describe the role of vitamin E and its different isoforms throughout the lifecycle, particularly as it pertains to neurodevelopment, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease as well as allergic airway disease.
  • State the limitations of measuring vitamin E adequacy through measurement of blood levels alone.
  • Identify potential gaps and opportunities to advance the science, guide public policy and educate consumers on the importance of adequate vitamin E intakes during the lifecycle.

Moderators

Deshanie Rai, FACN, PhD, Bayer Healthcare

Lisa Tussing-Humphreys, PhD, RD, University of Illinois at Chicago

Speakers

Functional Relevance of Vitamin E during the First 1000 days and Associations with Later Life Outcomes

Maret G. Traber, PhD, Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University

Vitamin E Isoforms Differentially Regulate Allergic Airway Disease:  An Update on the Emerging Research

Joan Cook-Mills, PhD, Northwestern University Feinberg School of, Medicine, Allergy-Immunology Division