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Vitamin E News Links
University Study Suggests Annatto Tocotrienol Beneficial for Patients with Dyslipidemia
Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases
September-October2009 Issue #52
Dr. Mark C. Houston and his research team of Vanderbilt University published a review, where among other natural products, annatto tocotrienol was suggested for dyslipidemia (a disruption in the amount of lipids in the blood) management.
In a short summary, the report agrees with our information on this website. Tocotrienols help maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Research indicates that they may also contribute to improving vascular and cardiometabolic integrity and help support a healthy cardiovascular system and normal blood glucose levels in pre-diabetic health.
Unlike products derived from palm or rice bran oil our tocotrienols contain no tocopherols — which have been shown to inhibit assimilation of tocotrienols in the body. Taking them separately achieves maximum benefits. Our health professionals recommend taking tocotrienols with the evening meal.
Read about UNIQUE E® Tocotrienol here and purchase here.
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Vitamin E is no one-trick pony!
by Rosie Shelley
August 29th, 2009
Vitamin E is no one-trick pony: the revered nutritionist Adelle Davis describes it as the ‘Guardian Angel’ that protects and enhances other vitamins and fatty acids, blood cells and proteins, hormones, and organs such as the liver and kidneys.
In fact she says that ‘Vitamin E is unique in playing a role in a wider variety of body functions than almost any other nutrient’, and modern research suggests that it may play a role in the prevention or treatment of a raft of common problems.
They include acne, Alzheimer’s disease, anaemia, angina, asthma, atherosclerosis, bladder cancer, blood clots, breast cancer, bruising (easily), burns, cataracts, diabetes, epilepsy, fatigue (after light exertion), fibrocystic breast disease, gallstones, gout, Graves’ disease, heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, infertility, irritable bowel disorder, low sex drive, macular degeneration, menopause, migraine, miscarriages, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, muscle weakness, oral cancers, osteoarthritis, Parkinson’s disease, peptic ulcers, PMS, prostate cancer, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, scarring, slow wound healing, strokes, varicose veins and viral diseases.
The case for nutritional supplementation
by Lilian Mavridara
September 5, 2009
The case for nutritional supplementation is a sensitive topic as it is generally believed that we can obtain what we nutritiously need like vitamins and minerals from the food we eat, especially fruits and vegetables. However, the following factors need to be taken into consideration in this discussion:
Even though it is recommended that we consume 5-9 servings of veggies and fruits per day, most people fail to meet this requirement. Even for those that come close, it is important to remember that soil depletion and genetically modified crops lack nutrients. "The USDA surveyed 16,000 Americans and found that not one person obtained 100% of essential nutrients such as magnesium, vitamin E, and zinc. Similarly, children and adolescents did not obtain enough essential nutrients such as folate, vitamin C, and calcium."
Increased pollution in air, water and food, over-prescription of drugs and increased stress levels, cause for free radical production and oxidative stress. Knowing that oxidative stress is the main cause of low-grade inflammation and chronic degenerative diseases, there is a need for extra supply of anti-oxidants and other nutrients. For example, to obtain the recommended 400 International Units (IU) of vitamin E every day, you would have to consume 72.6 cups of spinach or 28.8 pounds, 7.5 cups of almonds or 2.3 pounds, 3.6 cups Safflower oil or 1.7 pounds.
Our bodies are exceptionally intelligent and can function and produce what is needed. However, our immunity and self-defense are built up by cellular nutrition and where one or more minerals, enzymes, proteins, or amino acids are missing, these functions will be affected. In addition, people that have greater stress levels, compromised immune systems, predisposition for certain illnesses, kids, elders and pregnant women will also need extra supplementation.
The future of health lies in prevention through adopting healthy lifestyles including well balanced diet, high quality nutritional supplementation, quality water, exercise and positive outlook.
Salvage Therapy Trial for Erectile Dysfunction Using Phosphodiesterase Type 5 Inhibitors and Vitamin E
Kondoh N, Higuchi Y, Maruyama T, Nojima M, Yamamoto S, Shima H
Friday, 27 February 2009
Vitamin E can improve the efficacy of PDE-5 inhibitors Viagra, Cialis and Levitra
Salvage therapy trial for erectile dysfunction using phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors and vitamin E: preliminary report. We report our initial experience with salvage therapy for low responders to PDE-5 inhibitors by adding vitamin E. Of 89 patients with ED who visited our clinic between January 2004 to August 2006, 9 were unable to obtain a full response to a PDE-5 inhibitor and included in the present study. After providing informed consent, each was given 300 mg per day of alpha-tocopherol at least 1 month and completed IIEF-5 questionnaires to assess its efficacy while also taking a PDE-5 inhibitor. With alpha-tocopherol administration, the average IIEF-5 score increased from 13.8 +/- 3.2 to 17.1 +/- 3.6. Four of seven patients who completed the questionnaire each time showed improved IIEF-5 scores, with a maximum elevation of 9 points. Further, eight of the nine patients experienced favourable subjective changes, the majority being increased penile rigidity. The present clinical trial results are, to our knowledge, the first known to show the effects of vitamin E for enhancing the efficacy of a PDE-5 inhibitor.
Department of Urology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan
More Support for Multivitamins in Lowering Heart Disease Death Risk
By Dr. Reginald B. Cherry, M.D.
Wed, Aug. 26 2009
Long-term regular use of a multivitamin may reduce the risk of dying from heart disease by 16%, and vitamin E use was associated with a 28% decrease in risk, according to a new study.
The new study, from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center at the University of Washington, looked at 77,719 Washington State residents from 50-76 years old.
The results showed that the use of multivitamins was associated with a 16% decreased risk of death from Cardiovascular Disease. Intakes of vitamin E over 215 milligrams per day over the course of ten years were also associated with a 28% reduction in the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
Although the debate has gone back and forth over the use of multivitamins, even the medical profession has gotten behind their benefits.
An article in the Journal of the American Medical Association stated, “Insufficient vitamin intake is the cause of chronic disease…Evidence shows that suboptimal levels, even those well above levels for sufficiency syndromes, are risk factors for chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis….A large portion of the general population is at increased risk for this reason.”
Antioxidants Pose No Melanoma Threat
Despite earlier study, new report finds no risk from common vitamin and mineral supplements.
By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, Aug. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Vitamins C, E and other antioxidants do not increase the risk for melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, a new study found.
A recent study had suggested that the risk for melanoma was increased four-fold among women who took supplemental vitamins C and E, beta carotene, selenium and zinc. Because 48 to 55 percent of U.S. adults take vitamin or mineral supplements, the potentially harmful effects of the supplements was alarming.
"As someone who takes supplements as a preventive measure, I was happy to see that the authors [of the new study] were able to debunk the claims of the prior study," said Dr. Robin Ashinoff, a dermatologist and clinical associate professor of dermatology at New York University Medical Center, who was not involved with the new research.
The new report is published in the August issue of the Archives of Dermatology.
For the study, a team lead by Dr. Maryam M. Asgari, of Kaiser Permanente Northern California in Oakland, collected data on 69,671 women and men who participated in the Vitamins and Lifestyle (VITAL) study. It was designed to look at the use of supplements and the risk for cancer. At the start of the study, between 2000 and 2002, participants completed a questionnaire that included inquiries about lifestyle, medical history, diet, use of supplements and other cancer risk factors.
The researchers found that multivitamins and supplements taken over 10 years, including selenium and beta carotene, were not associated with the risk for melanoma among both women and men . . .
Omega-3, vitamin E mix shows potential for autistic speech
By Stephen Daniells, 19-Aug-2009
A combination of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E may lead to speech improvements in autistic children with verbal disorders, suggests a new study.
Verbal apraxia is a speech disorder common in autism, and an estimated 50 per cent of children with autism have apraxia. Furthermore, many thousands more are reported to have apraxia but are not autistic.
According to new research published in the journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, daily supplements of omega-3 and vitamin E were associated with improvements in speech, imitation, eye contact, and behaviour.
Claudia Morris from the Children’s Hospital and Research Center Oakland (CHRCO) and Marilyn Agin from the Saint Vincent Medical Center in New York recruited families with experiences of omega-3 fatty acid and vitamin E supplementation. The majority of families used doses of 800 IU of vitamin E, while the average omega-3 consumption was 280 to 840 mg DHA and 695 to 2,085mg EPA.
The ratios and dosages determined through the work with the study led to a patent for Dr Morris through the CHRCO (US patent # 2008/002216). The patented formulation is licensed exclusively to Illinois-based NourishLife from CHRCO.
Kate Bolton, VP of speech nutrients at NourishLife, told NutraIngredients: “The results of the study are significant in that 97 per cent of the participants with apraxia and/or on the autism spectrum reported dramatic improvements while taking a combination of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E.
“The study represents the largest summary of children with apraxia to date,” she added.
“Antidotal evidence had previously shown that omega-3 can help children with apraxia and those known as ‘late talkers’. The researchers discovered that they symptoms presented by children with apraxia mirror those of vitamin E deficiency,” said Bolton. “The addition of high dose vitamin E with omega-3 fatty acids is the breakthrough.”
Vitamin E, Omega-3 Improve Verbal Apraxia
08/17/2009
OAKLAND, Calif.—In a recent study published in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 97 percent of families with children with verbal apraxia reported dramatic improvements while supplementing with vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids (2009;Jul-Aug;15(4):34-43). A total of 187 children with verbal apraxia received vitamin E + polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation. A celiac panel, fat-soluble vitamin test and carnitine level were obtained in patients having blood analyzed. A common clinical phenotype of male predominance, autism, sensory issues, low muscle tone, coordination difficulties, food allergy and GI symptoms emerged. In all, 181 families (97 percent) reported dramatic improvements in a number of areas including speech, imitation, coordination, eye contact, behavior, sensory issues, and development of pain sensation. Plasma vitamin E levels varied in children tested; however, pretreatment levels did not reflect clinical response. Low carnitine (20/26), high antigliadin antibodies (15/21), gluten-sensitivity HLA alleles (10/10), and zinc (2/2) and vitamin D deficiencies (4/7) were common abnormalities. Fat malabsorption was identified in eight of 11 boys screened. Researchers characterize a novel apraxia phenotype that responds to polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E. The association of carnitine deficiency, gluten sensitivity/food allergy, and fat malabsorption with the apraxia phenotype suggests that a comprehensive metabolic workup is warranted. Appropriate screening may identify a subgroup of children with a previously unrecognized syndrome of allergy, apraxia and malabsorption who are responsive to nutritional interventions in addition to traditional speech and occupational therapy. Controlled trials in apraxia and autism spectrum disorders are warranted.
Physiological Effects of Vitamin E
By: Peter T. Pugliese, MD
Posted: August 17, 2009
In the September 2009 issue of Skin Inc. magazine, Peter T. Pugliese, MD, discusses how vitamin E affects the skin in the article "Vitamin E: A Skin Care Ally." Following is more information from Dr. Pugliese regarding how the vitamin works in other bodily functions, as well.
Sometimes in life you have great and exciting experiences, one of which is discovering new things. It’s like opening a door to a new house and walking down a hallway only to find many more doors that open to wondrous rooms filled with beautiful things of all types. Vitamin E is such a discovery, and after 80 years, only parts of its function are beginning to be understood.
The absorption of vitamin E occurs in the small intestine with other lipids where it is acted on by enzymes called esterases and bile acid. Vitamin E is then absorbed into the intestinal wall, called the mucosa and, along with other lipids, are formed in little lipid spheres called micelles, in which form it enters cells known as enterocytes. In the enterocytes, the lipids, including vitamin E, are for med into structures called chylomicrons, which are then transferred from the enterocyte into the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system carries the chylomicrons into the blood stream, which delivers their contents to individual cells. After reaching the liver, the vitamin E combined with the chylomicrons is released and then bound to a protein known as alpha tocopherol transfer protein that is in the cell cytoplasm. From here, it is carried to the endoplasmic reticulum and packaged in lipoproteins of the low density type, or VLDL. The largest amount of vitamin is found in the fatty tissue, though no particular tissue is selected as a storage area, for it can be found in the adrenals, lungs, muscles and heart. The adipose tissue releases the vitamin E slowly, while the liver turns it over rapidly. As a result, the amount of vitamin E in the liver can be used as a measure of vitamin E dietary intake. The reader should note that any disorder of the pancreas or the bowel can markedly decrease the vitamin E absorption. Vitamin E is excreted mainly via the bowel of the kidneys.
Free radicals and antioxidants
The principal function of vitamin E is to protect cell membranes from oxidative damage to the unsaturated fatty acids within the phospholipid bilayer of the cell.
Gamma-Tocopherol or combinations of vitamin E forms induce cell death in human prostate cancer cells by interrupting sphingolipid synthesis
Contributed by Bruce N. Ames, November 9, 2004
Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality. Radiation or chemotherapy, although often effective in causing remission, frequently lead to deleterious side effects. It is therefore important to develop effective anticancer agents with high selectivity for malignant cells and low toxicity. We suggest that some vitamin E forms may fall into this category, as well as being beneficial in human disease prevention.
Vitamin E is a generic term for at least eight structurally related molecules: alpha-tocopherol, beta-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, delta-tocopherol, alpha-tocotrienol, beta-tocotrienol, gamma-tocotrienol, and delta-tocotrienol. Among them, alpha-tocopherol is the predominant form of vitamin E in plasma and tissues and is the form that has drawn most attention in the past. Benefit from alpha-tocopherol for cancer prevention has been suggested in some studies, but contradictory results exist in both animal and human intervention studies.
Recently, studies by us and others have indicated that other forms of vitamin E appear to have unique properties that are not shared by alpha-tocopherol but may be important to human health.
Tocopherol-Free Tocotrienol: Are Tocotrienols Essential?
by Dr. Barrie Tan
Lately, interest in a vitamin E product called tocotrienol has been growing. Is it new? What about this sub-component has revitalized interest in this much studied nutrient as it relates to health?
THE DELTA-GAMMA POWERHOUSE
Delta- and gamma-tocotrienols have been proven to be the most potent, and when there is a difference between the two, delta-tocotrienols ranks higher on potency. Thus, with the absence of alpha-tocopherol in a tocotrienol product, you receive the maximum benefit offered by tocotrienols. Their high bio-availabilty have been shown in research on cholesterol, triglycerides, blood hypercoagulation, and cancer.
Just think "delta" and "gamma," especially those tocotrienols as found in UNIQUE E® Tocotrienol. This tocopherol-free tocotrienol from A.C. Grace Company delivers the highest concentrate at 125 mg per beef softgel. Also available is UNIQUE E® Mixed Tocopherols Concentrate - a pure form of high-gamma, high-alpha, beta- and deltatocopherols completely free of fillers of any kind.
TOCOTRIENOLS vs. TOCOPHEROLS?
A mix of both tocopherol forms of vitamin E (especially high gamma and alpha) and tocotrienols are beneficial to the human body. It is highly recommended to take a regimen of pure mixed tocopherols in the morning with your meal, and Annatto tocotrienol taken either at lunch or dinner with your meal. All vitamin E isomers are lipidsoluble supplements and are best taken with a meal, preferably dinner. Absorption is poor when these supplements are taken on an empty stomach.
What Form of Vitamin E is Best?
By: Dr. George Obikoya
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
There is no denying that vitamin E is extraordinarily beneficial for your body in many different ways. Researchers discovered Vitamin E about eighty years ago, but only in the past few years have we started to appreciate its power as an antioxidant.
Research studies have shown that Vitamin E fights oxygen free radicals, and helps stave off diseases and enhance our overall health. Yet most of us do not get even the recommended daily allowance of 30 International Units. Unless you want to drink two quarts of corn oil and eat a pound of sunflower seeds everyday, the only way to increase your Vitamin E intake is with supplements, preferably in liquid form due to better absorption than pill form. Vitamin E deactivates potentially damaging oxygen free radicals, and prevents heart diseases and other related complications. People with exiting heart disease who take Vitamin E have a 77% lower risk of subsequent (non-fatal) heart attack that those who do not.
More women than men dying of heart disease
Tue July 07, 2009
According to the most recent data collected on heart-related deaths, 50.5 percent of all deaths caused by heart attack, stroke and heart failure occur in women - slightly higher than the 49.5 percent in men. While this may not seem like a significant difference, Dr. Jack Tu, senior scientist at Toronto's Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences says that this represents a "seismic" shift in what has always been considered a disease of middle-aged men.
The reasons for the spike are unclear, but scientists believe there are three key factors. The number of women who smoke is now equal to the percentage of male smokers. There are disparities in the care that women and men receive, primarily because the medical profession has not typically considered women at high risk for heart disease. In addition, symptoms of heart disease in women and men can be quite different - and in fact, the Heart and Stroke Foundation is currently conducting an education campaign that points out these differences.
E for emerging nutrient? The growth of vitamin E tocotrienols
By Stephen Daniells, 20-May-2009
Speaking at Vitafoods 2009 in Geneva about vitamin E tocotrienols, Dr. Barrie Tan explained the differences between vitamin E in its tocopherol and tocotrienol form.
“In terms of benefits to the body, [tocotrienols] would protect a larger area of membrane in a cell, than a tocopherol that stays stationary in one place.”
Awareness of the tocotrienol form of vitamin E tocotrienols, obtained from palm, rice oil, or annatto, is increasing slowly, and clear health benefits are emerging.
“Scientists are making points to differentiate functions of tocotrienols to those of tocopherols. The three areas that delineate the tocotrienol functions from tocopherols are cancer, cardiovascular benefits, and diabetes.”
(Read article and view video here)
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What a daily multivitamin does for your DNA
By Dr. Patrick Massey | Columnist
May 18, 2009 - Does taking a daily multivitamin result in better health and longevity?
About two years ago, one of my articles described a study correlating the length of a person's DNA, his or her internal, or cellular, age and the person's health. The bottom line was that regardless of the person's actual age, shorter DNA correlated with an older internal age and longer DNA indicated a younger internal age.
Every time a cell replicates, it needs to make a new set of DNA. However, with each replication, a small piece of DNA is lost. This loss of DNA happens at the ends of the strands in a part of the DNA that does not code for any genes. These ends of the DNA are called telomeres. There are only a limited number of cellular replications that happen before important DNA is lost and the cell dies.
Imagine a spool of movie film. There is always blank film at the beginning of the movie and at the end of the movie. Now envision that a small piece of the blank film is removed every time the movie is played. If you played the movie enough times, all of the blank film would be lost and pieces of the movie itself would vanish.
This is similar to what happens to DNA and telomeres. The longer the telomere, the longer the cell can replicate. Telomere length has been hypothesized to be key to health and longevity.
Therefore, longer telomeres are better than shorter telomeres. In humans, it has been shown that telomere length can be improved through lifestyle changes such as stress reduction and exercise. In a recent study at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, taking a daily multivitamin was associated with significantly longer telomeres.
Although this was a small study, only involving 58 women, the improvements in telomere length were statistically significant. The average increase in telomere length was 5.1 percent, and that is a lot. In addition, vitamin E and vitamin C seemed to be most important. High dietary intake of vitamin C and vitamin E had a greater effect on telomere length than other vitamins.
The study is also important because it underscores the effect of good nutrition on health. There is ample medical research indicating that the average American diet is woefully deficient in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients and that 10 percent to 15 percent of Americans do not get the minimum recommended amount of vitamins and minerals.
Several years ago, the Journal of the American Medical Association published research detailing the state of nutrition in American and is was strongly recommended that everybody have a daily multivitamin. With the recent research on telomere length and vitamins, there is increasing evidence that a good multivitamin may have a significant affect on health and longevity.
• Patrick B. Massey, M.D., Ph.D., is medical director for alternative and complementary medicine for the Alexian Brothers Medical Network.
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Vitamin E Could Reduce Muscle Inflammation, Study Finds
by Sherry Baker, Health Sciences Editor
December 10th, 2008 - It's no wonder muscle aches and pains can be not only uncomfortable but also result in significant impairment. After all, about half of your body mass is made up of skeletal muscles and chronic inflammation of those muscles can be agonizing. But University of Illinois research has demonstrated that the antioxidant properties of Vitamin E may be able to put a damper on the cause of ongoing inflammation.
Here's how: Cytokines are regulatory proteins that are released by cells of the immune system to act as intercellular mediators when an immune response is needed. This is a desirable and natural part of the immune system, as long as the cytokine response isn't excessive or "stuck", resulting in chronic inflammation. The new research, just published in the December issue of the journal Experimental Physiology, suggests Vitamin E could keep many of these cytokines in check, thereby easing inflammation throughout the body.
The study marks the first time researchers have looked at the effects of Vitamin E administration on local inflammatory responses in skeletal and cardiac muscle in animals. The research team included Rodney Johnson, a University of Illinois professor of animal sciences whose previous work has suggested a possible link between short-term Vitamin E supplementation and a reduction in brain inflammation.
The scientists examined the impact Vitamin E had on three specific pro-inflammatory cytokines -- interleukin (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and IL-1beta -- and compared the results to those an inactive placebo produced. One group of mice in the study were administered Vitamin E for three days and then injected with a low dose of E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce a minor systemic bacterial infection that caused inflammation. A control group received a placebo instead of the vitamin. The researchers found that the mice who had received Vitamin E had a significant decrease in two of the inflammation-causing cytokines, IL-6 and IL-1beta.
The researchers decided to also look at the amount of oxidized proteins in muscles. The reason? Oxidation in muscles has been associated with reduced muscle strength. Once again, the Vitamin E treated animals came out ahead. They had far better muscle function than the mice in the control group.
"There was a significant reduction in the amount of LPS-induced oxidized proteins with Vitamin E compared to placebo. So that's a good thing. Potentially, if you reduce the oxidized proteins, that may correlate to increased muscle strength," University of Illinois kinesiology and community health professor Kimberly Huey, who headed the study, said in a statement to the media.
Although more research is needed to see how these findings may apply to people, Huey also said that Vitamin E "may be beneficial in individuals with chronic inflammation, such as the elderly or patients with type II diabetes or chronic heart failure. Vitamin E is a supplement that is already approved, and these results may suggest an additional benefit of taking Vitamin E beyond what's already been shown."
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Antioxidants needed by exercising populations: Nutritionist
By Stephen Daniells, 14-May-2009
“The benefits provided by antioxidant supplementation on these parameters provide key drivers for their use by exercising populations,” said Dr Childs.
“Studies dating back to the 1980s have shown that antioxidants reduce muscle damage, while more recent investigations demonstrate that they can also improve both ventilatory and exercise performance. Such effects are of particular relevance to exercising populations.”
(Read article here)
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EDITOR'S NOTE: The Council for Responsible Nutrition published a FACT SHEET -- Vitamin E meta-analysis in Annals of Internal Medicine: What’s wrong with this picture? -- in late 2004 to help consumers better understand the "negative" press about Vitamin E. This negative press continues to today -- and the information in the FACT SHEET is still tremendously valid for all to read! The FACT SHEET even discusses the "upcoming SELECT" test (which has just been published -- with negative press, of course) and prefaces that upcoming test as part of the meta-analysis process.
Please take the time to read this important FACT SHEET and, if you have any questions, feel free to call us at 800.833.4368, and we will be happy to discuss the positive truths about Vitamin E going back to the 1930s.
Below are excerpts from the topics discussed in the FACT SHEET:
Vitamin E meta-analysis in Annals of Internal Medicine: What’s wrong with this picture?
What is a meta-analysis?
A meta-analysis is not a clinical trial. It is a statistical technique for combining the results of many existing studies in order to clarify possible effects.
What is all-cause mortality?
A certain number of people in long term studies are going to die, and all-cause mortality is the number of people who died from any cause — whether or not the cause has anything to do with the purpose of the study.
What did this study find, overall?
Overall, Vitamin E supplementation did not affect all-cause mortality.
What did the study find, relating to high and low doses of Vitamin E?
However, they go on to generalize, saying that people should avoid high-dose Vitamin E and indeed high doses of any Vitamin — a conclusion much more sweeping than is justified by their analysis.
Were there other findings?
The researchers also did a dose-response analysis of the clinical trials, which found a statistically significant (but very small) increase in mortality only when the Vitamin E dose was greater than 900 IU. This is contrary to the finding in their main meta-analysis that doses over 400 IU might confer increased risk.
What were the 19 studies used in this meta-analysis?
Some of the studies involved over 20,000 people, and some involved only a few hundred people. Doses used in the studies ranged from 16.5 IU to 2000 IU and were given for periods from one to 8 years . . . some of the studies found a benefit of Vitamin E for these purposes.
Do any of the studies show a benefit from Vitamin E?
Yes. Many of the 19 clinical studies used in this meta-analysis actually showed a health benefit from Vitamin E.
Do epidemiologic studies show a benefit from Vitamin E?
Yes. Numerous epidemiologic studies have shown a benefit from Vitamin E.
Are more studies being done using high-dose Vitamin E?
Yes. A number of new clinical trials are now under way, and researchers are attempting to reassure the people enrolled in these trials that Vitamin E is safe and that the research should continue.
Was it reasonable to select 400 IU as the cutoff between low-dose and high-dose Vitamin E?
No. Four hundred IU was an arbitrary number.
How much Vitamin E is safe?
The Institute of Medicine, a scientific advisory body, has concluded that Vitamin E is safe for chronicuse in the general population at levels up to 1000 mg (1000 IU synthetic Vitamin E, 1500 IU natural Vitamin E).
What should people think about this meta-analysis?
Consumers who are already using Vitamin E should continue to use it with confidence, and people who are not currently using at least a multiVitamin containing Vitamin E should consider doing so, since the overwhelming majority of the population fails to get the recommended amount of Vitamin E from diet alone.
(Read report here)
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Vitamin E may slow Alzheimer's disease
By Megan Rauscher Megan Rauscher – May 4, 2009
"While the daily dose of vitamin E ranged from 200 to 2000 units, the majority of patients were given high doses that ranged from 800 units daily to 1000 units twice daily."
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – An analysis of "real-world" clinical data indicates that vitamin E, and drugs that reduce generalized inflammation, may slow the decline of mental and physical abilities in people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) over the long term.
"Our results are consistent for a potential benefit of vitamin E on slowing functional decline and a smaller possible benefit of anti-inflammatory medications on slowing cognitive decline in patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease," Dr. Alireza Atri told Reuters Health. . .
. . . Taking an anti-inflammatory medication was associated with "very consistent but generally only small effects on slowing long-term decline in cognitive functioning," Atri told Reuters Health.
However, in patients who took both vitamin E and anti-inflammatory medications, there appeared to be an additive effect in terms of slowing overall decline.
(Read article here)
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Supplements: Time to change the nay-saying record?
27-Apr-2009 - Stephen Daniells
As yet another TV show concludes that supplements are unnecessary, is the ignorance of the mainstream media few putting the health of the many at risk? Isn’t it time to change the record?
Professor Regan’s Diet Clinic, a TV programme broadcast recently as part of BBC2’s acclaimed Horizon series, came to the conclusion that supplements are totally unnecessary for people eating a balanced diet.
Academics interviewed in the programme supported this view, and went so far as to point out the dangers of certain vitamins when taken in large doses.
Take-home message for the viewers: Stay away from supplements - you don’t need them and they may even be dangerous.
I, however, took a different message away: Why is there a continued lack of understanding of what supplements actually do? I don’t want to sound patronising, but the clue is in the name - they ‘supplement’ diets. They bridge nutritional gaps; they are not meal replacements, nor are they a cure all.
Professor Regan’s message may have been made with all the best intentions - a balanced diet is the ideal way of meeting nutritional needs, but the issue is not ‘how things should be’ but ‘how things actually are’.
How many people do eat a balanced diet? I would argue very few. Hence the need for supplements.
(Read article here)
IMPORTANT NOTE! Continue to read the READER COMMENTS to the article at the end of the article.
Here is an excerpt:
"Being a health writer with close to 20 years of experience from the Scandinavian "supplement scene", I have heard this rather uninspiring and, in my opinion, misleading message over and over again and find it difficult to understand why the media always seem to fall for it.
. . . We all know that a balanced diet is the best way to maintain good health but at the end of the day, how many of us actually manage to consume those foods that are needed in order to obtain the desired nutrient levels?"
Bjorn Madsen, journalist (Denmark)
PenMan Productions
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Vitamin E, selenium may alter genes in prostate cancer: Study
By Stephen Daniells, 26-Feb-2009
Selenium and vitamin E may offer protection against prostate cancer by changing the expression of certain genes in prostates linked to tumours, says a new study from Texas.
Writing in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, scientists from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston report that exposure of biopsy samples from people with cancer to vitamin E, selenium or both, expressed different genes, with the combined exposure producing results similar to that observed in people with no prostate cancer.
(Read article here)
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Vitamin E used in many orthomolecular health studies
Orthomolecular medicine is a form of complementary and alternative medicine whose practitioners claim to prevent and treat a wide range of diseases with nutrients. According to advocates of the concept, nutrients are prescribed as dietary supplements or are derived from diets designed to eliminate what proponents consider deleterious substances,[1] such as allergens, refined foods, sugar and transfats.[2][3]
The term "orthomolecular" was coined in a 1967 letter[4] by Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling and later elaborated on in a 1968 paper[5] on micronutrients and psychiatry to express the idea of "the right molecules in the right amounts" (ortho is Greek for "right"[6]). . .
Use of vitamin E in orthomolecular medicine
Vitamin E comprises eight related chemicals, which are classed as either tocopherols or tocotrienols. These chemicals also exist as several stereoisomers.[129] In supplements these are usually present in stabilized ester forms, which are converted into the active form in the intestines.[130] Research has focussed on alpha-tocopherol, since this is the form preferentially taken up by the body and the most abundant form in tissues.[131] Alpha-tocopherol is also regarded in orthomolecular medicine as the form with greatest nutritional significance.[132] In supplements this is either a mixture of stereoisomers (all-rac-alpha-tocopherol), or the biological stereoisomer RRR-alpha-tocopherol.[129]
Initial hopes for the usefulness of vitamin E in orthomolecular medicine were based on epidemiological studies. . . [NOTE: footnotes can be found in information via link below]
(Read information here)
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Importance of tocopherols beyond alpha-tocopherol: evidence from animal and human studies
Both gamma- and delta-tocopherol may be necessary for preventing lipid peroxidation and in counteracting the pro-oxidant effect of alpha-tocopherol. Moreover, all tocopherols except beta-tocopherol inhibit smooth muscle proliferation. In our research, a preparation of mixed tocopherols, containing gamma-, delta-, and alpha-tocopherol (5:2:1), has been shown to have better antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions than alpha-tocopherol alone. This mixture did not have any adverse effects in a limited number of preliminary clinical investigations. Thus, among the tocopherols, alpha-tocopherol is not the only important isomer for human health.
(Read abstract here)
NOTE: A.C. Grace Company has provided a MIXED TOCOPHEROLS product for the past nearly five decades! Roy Erickson knew, in the late 50s, that a MIXED TOCOPHEROLS high in GAMMA- and ALPHA-, along with Delta- and Beta-tocopherols provides maximum benefit to the body. That is why he developed an exclusive, proprietary blend of the four tocopherol isomers.
PLUS! He left out all diluents, colors, additives, soy protein, gluten and oil filler that can turn rancid to provide a superior product with maximum vitamin E benefit!
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VitaminE supplements may play an important role in preventing colds and other upper respiratory infections, report Tufts researchers in a new study.
Boston: An annoyance to many, the common cold is often a big health problem for the elderly - resulting in long-term debilitation and even death. But new research from Tufts indicates that vitamin E supplements may be powerful preventative medicine - significantly cutting the risk of colds and other infections among the elderly.
(Read article here)
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Vitamin E Levels Predict Physical Decline
YOUR BODY’S LEVEL of vitamin E may offer a peek into your future. A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reports that low vitamin E levels are associated with subsequent decline in physical function.
Vitamin E status is often seen as an indicator of good versus poor nutrition. The researchers, led by Benedetta Bartali, RD, PhD, of Yale University School of Medicine, noted, “Although the findings from this epidemiological study cannot establish causality, they provide a solid base that low concentration of vitamin E contributes to decline in physical function.
(Read article here)
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December 10, 2008
Early Released JAMA Antioxidant Studies on Prostate Cancer have Similar Limitations, Says Association
Results of PHS II and SELECT clinical trials available online.
On December 9, 2008, The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published two early release articles and an editorial on antioxidant supplementation. The first early release article titled “Vitamins E and C in the Prevention of Prostate and Total Cancer in Men: The Physicians' Health Study II (PHS II) Randomized Controlled Trial” reports on the effect of long-term supplementation of vitamins C and E on the risk of prostate or total cancer. Results of the “Physicians Health Study II” specific to cardiovascular disease were previously released by JAMA in November. In the November 10, 2008 issue of the Natural Products Association Supplement the association previously commented on the limitations of the Physicians Health Study II and its design.
In response to findings in the second early release study in JAMA called “Effect of Selenium and Vitamin E on Risk of Prostate Cancer and Other Cancers: The Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT),” Daniel Fabricant, Ph.D., the association’s vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs, issued these comments:
"Unfortunately, there is no sure-fire method to prevent prostate cancer, and if we are going to look at nutritional intervention in a phase III drug model as was the case in the SELECT trial, then we need to have good data from phase I and II style trials. This would include single and multiple ascending dose studies that are necessary to understand how much of the intervention should be given to see efficacy and how well the intervention works at a prescribed dose. Neither was performed prior to this study. Additionally, and similar to the PHS II, we have no way of knowing the effect food is playing in the study; food intake isn't controlled. We get selenium and vitamin E from food and there are foods that may exhibit differences in absorption of the intervention by the body. So, there are a variety of possibilities that may be affecting actual intake of vitamin E and selenium."
The results of both the PHS II and the SELECT clinical trial are available online at http://www.jama.ama-assn.org/
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Vitamin E Shows Promise In Easing Chronic Inflammation
With up to half of a person’s body mass consisting of skeletal muscle, chronic inflammation of those muscles – which include those found in the limbs – can result in significant physical impairment.
According to University of Illinois kinesiology and community health professor Kimberly Huey, past research has demonstrated that the antioxidant properties of Vitamin E may be associated with reduced expression of certain pro-inflammatory cytokines, in vitro, in various types of cells. Cytokines are regulatory proteins that function as intercellular communicators that assist the immune system in generating a response.
(Read article here)
This information can also be found at the following sites:
 Thaindian News
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Vitamin E may slash lung cancer risk: According to Study
By Stephen Daniells, 31-Oct-2008
Increasing intakes of vitamin E may decrease the risk of lung cancer by over 50 per cent, according to a new study from the US.
Researchers from the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center report that intakes of vitamin E in the alpha-tocopherol form were associated with consistent and independent reductions in lung cancer risk. Other forms of the vitamin did not have any effects on their own, they added.
(Read article here)
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