This week's big vitamin E headlines are on data from the Women's Health Study that included almost 40,000 women aged 45 and older who took 600 IUs of vitamin E, or a placebo, every other day and were followed for 10 years.
The women who took vitamin E in this study were over 20% less likely to develop venous thromboembolism than the women who did not, but the reduction was more than double this (44%) among the women who had a history of clots. And taking vitamin E appeared to cut the clot risk in half among women with genetic mutations that increased their risk.
This study data, which was reported in the September 2007 journal Circulation, found no significant side effects in the female study participants who took vitamin E for an average of 10 years.
This news follows right on the heels of last months Archives of Internal Medicine study, which found a 23% reduction in the compliant primary CVD mortality end point in the at risk women who actually took 600 IUs of natural Vitamin E every other day. Unfortunately, the study results were misrepresented by including the non-compliant participants in the findings. That study author found no adverse effects in the vitamin E study groups.
In the face of this news and the news that the 2004 vitamin E meta-analysis was unreliable science since a fairly large number of positive vitamin E studies were not included in the meta-analysis, the American Heart Association continues to swiftboat vitamin E by suggesting that "Vitamin E Is Not Ready for Prime Time."
Given the positive results of so many well-designed vitamin E studies, we must now all ask ourselves-what's really motivating AHA to take this stand?
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5 comments:
So how much Vitamin E is safe? Its extremely confusing because of all these conflicting studies. I take a mutiple plus a fish oil. How much does your products have?
The Food and Nutrition Board at The Institute of Medicine continues to maintain that 1000 IUs of vitamin E a day is the safe upper limit-in spite of all the negative press the Hopkins meta-analysis received.
Biosyntrx multiples include 300 IUs, which we think is the optimal amount of supplemental natural vitamin E.
Would it make sense to take extra vitamin E before long flights?
Based on this study, taking a bit of extra vitamin E would make sense before long flights, particularly for older people.
Venous thromboembolism can be a problem for older folks who sit for hours without getting up and moving around - and that includes all of us who sit at our desks for too many hours a day.
Doctoryourself.com has some great information about taking vitamin E and the dosage you should take for your condition. I take vitamin E as a 21 year old pregnant with second child and history of prenatal blood clots. I take 1800 I.U.'s but there are many instances where doctor's supervised patients taking in the 3000's.
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