'We need a quantum leap in vitamin E research'
DSM expert issues 'wakeup call' for new science on vitamin E
Speaking to NutraIngredients, Eggersdorfer noted that while a lot is already known about the potential health benefits of vitamin E, there is a wealth of unexplored areas that new research tools may now help to shed light on.
"This is a wakeup call for new science on vitamin E," said Eggersdorfer. "There is much left to learn."
"We must encourage young scientists to engage in new research on nutrient-gene interactions and to use novel biomarkers and analytical tools to truly gauge the role of vitamin E for health and wellness," the DSM head for nutritional science advocacy added.
A wakeup call
"When you look at vitamin E, it's an essential ingredient for development and growth," said Eggersdorfer. "But when we look at how many researchers are active, and how many funding agencies are providing funding for research in vitamin E then we see that it's not on the agenda anymore."
"That has to be changed."
The expert suggested that academics and industry researchers need to take the time to revisit the science behind vitamin E, and to utilise new scientific approaches that build on gene technologies to develop new science for the vitamin.
"We should be using all of the opportunities that we have now in analytics, in nutrigenomics, and using better biomarkers, in order to give vitamin E the right position it deserves."
"We need a renaissance in vitamin E research to discover more," said Eggersdorfer.
"I am very much convinced that there's huge room for better knowledge on vitamin E in terms of its benefits for health and wellbeing," he added. "We need to stimulate scientists to engage in this."
