Assessment of the oral administration of a high dose of retinol on vitamin E status of sheep.

The effect of dietary excess of retinol on vitamin E turnover in sheep's body was studied. Five of 10 adult Canadian Arcott sheep were given daily for 30 d an oral dose of 250 mg vitamin A as retinol palmitate, while the remaining sheep were used as control. Then a single oral dose of D-alpha(5-Me-3H) tocopherol (0.2 microCi/kg vitamin B) was administered to each sheep in both groups. The kinetic data were modelled as a 2-compartment model which provided a simple kinetic description of vitamin E absorption. The analysis showed no difference between the 2 groups of sheep regarding their various pharmacokinetic values. It is suggested that oversupply of dietary retinol does not antagonize vitamin E turnover in the sheep.