Gender and dietary fat affect α‐tocopherol status in F344/N rats

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Abstract
For four weeks, groups of eight male and eight female F344/N rats were fed diets containing 15.5, 20, 30 or 40% of energy (en%) as fat. The fat was composed of corn oil and beef tallow with 9 en% from linoleate in all diets. Females had greater mean hepatic α-tocopherol levels, whereas males had greater plasma α-tocopherol and cholesterol concentrations. In males, the plasma ratio of α-tocopherol/cholesterol was significantly greater than in females (PP<0.001) in both sexes, but dietary fat did not alter hepatic α-tocopherol levels. These results suggest that plasma α-tocopherol may serve as a biomarker of total dietary fat intake and that in F344/N rats gender differences affect α-tocopherol and cholesterol status.