Just before everyone flushes their Vitamin E down the drain in reaction to recent news reports of a study 

published in the March 16 issue of Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) which suggests 

a "daily-dose" of vitamin E (400 international units) among high-risk (chronically ill) cardiovascular patient 

populations is associated with a greater risk of heart failure, please consider the following facts: 

1. There was not a definitive conclusion to this study, except to state that more studies were needed.

2.  It was unusual that the researchers, on the one hand applied stringent statistical rules to data 

suggesting a potential anticancer effect of vitamin E, but on the other hand failed to apply the same 

rules for the only indication of harm.

3. The patients in the study were at least 55 years old (average age was 70 years) and suffered with 

vascular disease or diabetes mellitus, and, at least one other significant cardiovascular risk factor.

4. The subjects in the study were typically taking five different medications in addition to vitamin E -- 

including: 

• beta-blockers, 

• anti-platelet agents, 

• statins, 

• diuretics, 

• calcium channel blockers and 

• ACE inhibitors

 yet the increase in heart failure (from 12.1 percent in the placebo group to 13.5 percent in the vitamin E group) 

was attributed exclusively to vitamin E, with no adjustment for pharmacotherapy effects.

5. Numerous studies with much larger patient populations have shown significant cardiovascular benefits from 

vitamin E supplementation and its role as an effective and safe part of a healthy lifestyle among average consumers.

6. Numerous other scientific studies have attested to vitamin E's great health benefits and safety, 

not only for cardiovascular health, but also for immune function, DNA repair and to help protect the 

body against the effects of free radicals.

7. The study participants were taking high dosages of vitamin E as an individual supplement. Most research 

has supported our view that balance and synergy are extremely important for optimal benefit and safety from 

nutritional supplementation. This is especially important in populations exposed to high levels of oxidative 

stress, such as smokers and chronically ill patients. 

8. Vitamin E has many potential long-term benefits for healthy people, including reducing harmful inflammation 

and preventing oxidative damage to body cells. The best way to take advantage of the benefits of vitamin E 

is to eat a varied, healthy diet and take a high-quality balanced supplement that includes a broad spectrum 

of antioxidants along with vitamin E.

March 23, 2005

Higher vitamin E levels reduce prostate cancer risk

In a Brief Communication published in the March 2, 2005 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers analyzed data from the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention (ATBC) Study, which found an association between supplementation with vitamin E and lower risk of prostate cancer among 29,133 men.

For the current study, the researchers selected 100 participants who had developed prostate cancer during the ATBC study follow-up, and matched them with 200 subjects who did not have the disease.

Based on blood samples taken at the beginning of the study, men with serum levels of alpha-tocopherol within the top one-third of participants had a 51 percent lower risk of developing prostate cancer than those whose levels were in the lowest third. Those with higher gamma- tocopherol levels were similarly protected, with a 43 percent reduction in risk.

In addition, the reduction in cancer risk was even greater in those taking vitamin E supplements, providing evidence that alpha-tocopherol supplements were beneficial and did not negatively impact gamma-tocopherol status.

April 11, 2005

From the BBC

Vitamin E 'relieves period pain'
	Vitamin E is available in chemists and health food shops
Taking vitamin E can significantly reduce the severity and duration of period pain, research suggests. The condition, also known as dysmenorrhoea, usually affects teenage girls, and can significantly disrupt their education. The research, by a team from Tarbait Modarres University in Iran, is published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. UK experts said the "breakthrough" could help thousands of young girls. This may be a breakthrough in a condition affecting thousands of young girls   Peter Bowen-Simpkins, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Period pain affects around 40% of adult menstruating women, and over 10% report it severely limits what they can do for up to three days during each cycle. 'Marked effect' Just under 280 girls aged 15 to 17 who had reported suffering from period pain took part in the study. Half were given 200 "international units" (IU) twice a day (a total equivalent to about 270mg), while the rest took dummy pills (placebos), over four consecutive menstrual periods. They were asked to rate the pain they experienced during each period, and how many painkillers they took. The amount of blood lost was also monitored. At the end of the study, researchers found girls who took vitamin E reported the greatest decrease in the intensity of pain which they felt, which was reflected in a significant reduction in the number of painkillers they took. Those who took the vitamin also experienced less blood loss than the placebo group. Writing in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, the researchers say: "The use of vitamin E for dysmenorrhoea in adolescent women is attractive because of the marked effect we have demonstrated, coupled with the absence of significant side effects from vitamin E in therapeutic doses." Mr Peter Bowen-Simpkins, of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said: "This is particularly exciting because such treatment is readily available over the counter, is free from side effects, avoids the use of hormones or pain relievers and appears to be very effective. "This may be a breakthrough in a condition affecting thousands of young girls." Boost in Immune Response Fights Common Cold By Rosalie Marion Bliss April 5, 2005 Nursing facility residents who consumed 200 International Units (IUs) of vitamin E daily for one year were less likely to get the sniffles than those who took a placebo. Scientists funded by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) found that those who took the moderate supplements were 20 percent less likely to contract upper respiratory infections, such as colds. The study was led by Simin Nikbin Meydani, director of the Nutritional Immunology Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston, Mass. The findings are important because, due to aging, the elderly have lowered immune responses and incur greater health risks from upper respiratory infections. The scientists studied 617 people over 65 years of age who met the study's eligibility requirements. All 451 participants who completed the study were residents in some type of long-term-care nursing facility located in or around the Boston area. About half of the participants were given the daily dose of 200 IUs of vitamin E; the remaining participants received a daily placebo capsule containing only four IUs of vitamin E. To help control other dietary factors that affect immune response, all participants received a capsule containing 50 percent of the recommended dietary allowance for essential micronutrients. Each volunteer was examined for health status on a weekly basis. Good dietary sources of vitamin E include certain cereals, wheat germ, nuts--especially sunflower seeds and almonds--leafy green vegetables and vegetable oils. The National Academy of Sciences has set an upper tolerable limit for vitamin E of 1,500 IUs a day. The study results were published in The Journal of the American Medical Association. Read more about this research in the April issue of Agricultural Research magazine. ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency. May 6, 2005 Long-term vitamin E use slows cataract development The April 2005 issue of the journal Archives of Opthalmology reports that long- term use of vitamin E supplements and an increased intake of the B vitamins thiamin and riboflavin are associated with a reduction in the progression of cataracts. Researchers from Harvard and Tufts Universities analyzed data from 408 participants in the Nurses' Health Study between the ages 52 to 74. The association of cataract development with B vitamins thiamin, riboflavin and niacin, vitamins C and E, and carotenoids was evaluated. Computer-assisted image analysis was used to determine the amount of lens nuclear opacification (cloudiness) that occurred during the duration of the study. Long-term vitamin E supplement use, and higher intakes of thiamin and riboflavin were associated with a reduced progression of opacities. Niacin additionally appeared to have an effect, although it was smaller than that of the other B vitamins. The current research is consistent with prior studies which documented an association between long-term vitamin E supplement use and a lower risk of cataracts.