Deficient dietary intake of vitamin E in patients with taste and smell dysfunctions:: is vitamin E a cofactor in taste bud and olfactory epithelium apoptosis and in stem cell maturation and development?

Objectives We reviewed dietary intake of several nutrients in a large group of patients with taste and smell dysfunction, compared intake of these nutrients with standard values, and recognized that intake of vitamin E was significantly less than that of most other nutrients. Based on this observation we attempted to develop an hypothesis of the possible role vitamin E might play in these sensory disorders. Methods Vitamin E intake was measured in 250 patients with taste and smell dysfunctions. Results Intake of the vitamin was 3.2 ± 0.2 mg/d (mean ± standard error of the mean), or 36 ± 2% of the recommended daily allowance, an intake significantly below that considered adequate. This diminished intake occurred with normal intake of total calories; protein; fat; carbohydrate; several vitamins, including thiamin, niacin, and pyridoxine; and the trace metals zinc, copper, and iron. Conclusions Although specific relations between vitamin E intake and smell and taste dysfunctions are unclear, the non-antioxidant roles of vitamin E indicate that it is a factor in apoptosis, cellular signaling, and growth of various cell lines, suggesting that this vitamin may play a role in growth and development of stem cells in taste buds and olfactory epithelium.