Vitamin E, Curse or Blessing?
DACH BLOG
by Jeffrey Dach MD
Edgar Degas Woman Bathing, Vitamin E and FertilityAbout 15 years ago, I became interested in Vitamin E after reading, "Vitamin E, Your Key to a Healthy Heart" by Herbert Baily (published 1964). I had found an old copy in a used book store (Book Worm in Coeur d'Alene Idaho) during a rafting trip with the kids on the Snake River. The book speaks very highly of vitamin E and indubitably influenced many to take the vitamin.
Attending a Medical Meeting on Vitamin E
I attended the Spring 2008 ACAM Conference in Orlando, where Kenny Jialal, MD was presented the Linus Pauling Award for his Vitamin E research. After a brief ceremony, Jilal took the podium and presented information on Vitamin E. Speaking with power point slides for an hour, Dr. Jialal summarized hundreds of research studies over decades. At the end of the hour, Dr Jialal had succeeded in completely confusing Vitamin E, transforming the topic into a giant enigma wrapped in a mystery, and I found myself in an existential nightmare.
New Doubts About Vitamin E, Vitamin E is Deadly !!
You may have seen news media reports that Vitamin E is dangerous, deadly and increases mortality. These were based on an article by Edgar Miller in the Jan 2005 Annals of Internal Medicine, a meta-analysis of 19 studies on Vitamin E, concluding that Vitamin E increases mortality. Here are a few of the news reports:
High dose vitamin E death warning Thursday, 11 November, 2004, BBC News. High doses can be harmful. Elderly people could be risking their lives if they take even moderately high doses of vitamin E, evidence suggests.
Study: High dose of Vitamin E increases death risk. By Steve Sternberg, USA TODAY 11/10/2004 High-dose vitamin E supplements taken daily can increase a person's risk of premature death, researchers said Wednesday. People who take daily doses of 400 international units or higher are about 10% more likely to die of a variety of causes than people who take smaller doses or no vitamin E, according to an analysis of 14 studies conducted between 1993 and 2004. Many of the studies did not specify causes of death, but researchers believe patients died of all the usual causes, including heart disease and cancer.
Don't Take Synthetic Vitamin E , Use Natural Vitamin E
The effect of Miller's article was that many people stopped taking Vitamin E supplements, in spite of the excellent rebuttal by Dr Mark Houston who pointed out that the type of Vitamin E used in Miller's meta-Analysis was synthetic dl alpha tocopherol. "None of the 19 studies in Miller's review article included any of the other seven forms of vitamin E, and, in fact, most of them used the synthetic d, l alpha tocopherol form." Most people are unable to distinguish natural vitamin E from the synthetic variety.
Evidence that the Natural Form of Vitamin E Works
In 1992, Verlanger published a study in which natural vitamin E reversed atherosclerosis in a primate model.
A 1995 study published in JAMA by Hodis showed Vitamin E caused regression of atherosclerosis on serial coronary angiography. Hodis concluded. "These results indicate an association between supplementary vitamin E intake and angiographically demonstrated reduction in coronary artery lesion progression."
In 1996, Stephens published his study in Lancet which showed that tocopherol (vitamin E ) given to patients with advanced coronary artery disease reduced the risk of non-fatal MI by 77%, (but did not decrease total mortality in this study).
In 1997, Kooyenga and Bierenbaum presented their data on reversal of atherosclerosis in carotid stenosis with mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols at a meeting in Montreal.
The Bierenbaum study was done at the Kenneth Jordan Heart Research Foundation in New Jersey. The five-year study evaluated 50 patients who had stenosis of the carotid artery. One group of 25 patients received 650 mgs of tocotrienols plus tocopherols. The other group of 25 received a placebo. All patients had serial carotid sonography every six months. In the Placebo group, fifteen patients showed worsening of the stenosis, eight remained stable and two showed some improvement. In the Tocotrienol (plus tocopherol) group, three patients showed minor worsening, and 12 remained stable. 10 patients showed regression of stenosis with improvement.Rest here |
