These results should be of concern to the millions of Americans who take vitamin E supplements for perceived health benefits. The study results showed that people taking vitamin E supplements of IU or more per day had an increased risk of death.
If people are taking a multivitamin, they should make sure it contains no more than a low dose of vitamin E," said study lead author and internist Edgar R. Miller III, M. But our study shows that use of high-dose vitamin E supplements certainly did not prolong life, but was associated with a higher risk of death.
The study results indicated that these high-dose supplements were associated with a higher risk of death. In the current study, the Johns Hopkins team re-analyzed raw data from 19 major clinical trials, sorting information by whether high- or low-dose levels of vitamin E were taken. Nine of these studies tested vitamin E alone; 10 tested its use in combination with other vitamins. The 19 studies took place between and and involved more than , patients in North America, Europe and China.
All of the studies involved use of a control group taking a dummy pill, or placebo. Risk of death was estimated by comparing the death rates in both groups. Follow-up periods ranged from 1. When the data for these trials was re-evaluated, through a process called a meta-analysis, nine of 11 trials involving high-dose vitamin E IU per day, or more showed an increased risk of death.
The other eight trials involved low-dose vitamin E users. It was unclear whether low amounts IU per day or less of vitamin E supplements increased a person's risk of death. Menopause and memory: Know the facts. How to get your child to put away toys. Is a common pain reliever safe during pregnancy? Can vaping help you quit smoking?
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These molecules may also contribute to chronic health issues such as heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals, therefore protecting against cellular damage. Vitamin E works as an antioxidant in the body, and researchers are looking at how its anti-inflammatory properties might play a role in easing or managing certain chronic conditions when taken as a supplement.
Osteoarthritis is a chronic condition that involves the degeneration of joints that results in pain and stiffness. Researchers have studied vitamin E supplementation and the symptoms of osteoarthritis and have found some promising results that still need to be verified with further studies.
One small study from found that individuals with late-stage knee osteoarthritis who were given IU of vitamin E once a day for 2 months had improved clinical symptoms and reduced oxidative stress conditions. Diabetes is another chronic condition that involves insulin resistance and is connected to increased oxidative stress in the body. There have been many studies involving vitamin E supplementation and diabetes types 1 and 2 , and there does seem to be evidence that vitamin E may help delay the onset of the disease and ease the symptoms.
As a meta-analysis from concludes: Vitamin E may be a valuable strategy for controlling diabetes complications, but more studies must be done before anything definitive can be stated. Vitamin E is a common ingredient in cosmetics for mature-looking skin and is often used in products created for wound healing.
Because vitamin E helps protect the body against oxidative stress, it may help protect the skin from environmental stressors. More controlled trials that suggest dosages and reasoning for oral application versus topical are needed before conclusions regarding how beneficial vitamin E is for the skin. Like many other popular antioxidants, researchers have investigated the use of vitamin E as a treatment for a variety of degenerative diseases, including:.
While some small studies have suggested an association between lowered rates of heart disease with higher levels of vitamin E, additional clinical trials on mostly middle-aged individuals have not provided evidence that vitamin E supplementation prevents cardiovascular disease or reduces its severity or mortality.
Oxidative stress plays a role in eye disorders, like cataracts , that can become more prevalent as we age. While some studies have suggested a potential relationship between vitamin E supplements and a lessened chance of the formation of cataracts, there is not currently enough evidence to provide definitive conclusions.
Over time, free-radical damage to neurons in the brain can contribute to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases , so it makes sense that researchers would want to know if an antioxidant like vitamin E could provide protective benefits.
Research in this area is limited. There have been both positive results and results that suggest no clear benefit of vitamin E supplementation on cognitive decline, so more studies need to be done. If free radicals in the body are left unchecked, they can create cancer. When it comes to the antioxidant of vitamin E for cancer prevention , the evidence is a little too uneven at this point to support taking vitamin E to prevent cancer.
Also, large doses of vitamin E supplements have been shown to possibly increase the risk of prostate cancer. Vitamin E deficiency in otherwise healthy individuals is not that common, and most people get enough from the foods they eat.
While overdosing on food-based vitamin E is unlikely, the NIH reports that taking high doses of this vitamin in supplement form may cause serious side effects. One serious side effect is an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke.
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