Vitamin E and Heart Diseases

If you are not sure whether Vitamin E is preventing heart diseases, read on.

Perhaps like a lot of people you are popping Vitamin E capsules on your own or a doctor’s advice and suddenly you are confronted with confusing advice. What would you do?

There are no clear cut answers as findings have been very contradictory regarding the benefit of Vitamin E in heart health.

Vitamin E and heart disease prevention: proof

A study by the University of Cambridge in 1996 found that those taking Vitamin E had a 77 percent reduced risk of non-fatal heart attacks.

Observational and in vitro studies have found that Vitamin E inhibits oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which may have a preventive effect on atherosclerosis. Vitamin E might also help prevent the formation of blood clots that could lead to a heart attack or venous thromboembolism.

Vitamin E and heart diseases: contradictory

Another study, the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation (HOPE) study found that Vitamin E offered no significant protection from heart attacks, strokes, angina attacks or death. On the contrary participants taking vitamin E were at 13 percent greater risk and 21 percent more likely to be hospitalized for heart failure.

Some other studies reported similar findings, though the numbers varied. And yet another study of men below 50 found that use of vitamin E was associated with a significantly increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke.

Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic did a meta analysis of various research findings in a bid to come to a conclusion. This was published in the British medical publication, Lancet. It said that there was no significant benefit seen in the routine use of Vitamin E on heart health.

Vitamin E and Heart Diseases: should you stop taking vitamin E?

One thing to keep in mind before giving up Vitamin E completely is that almost all the studies were done on middle aged or older people who already had heart disease or had the risk factors for heart disease.

Then there is the source of Vitamin E which may be important. Most synthetic forms of Vitamin E contain alpha-tocopherol. Natural food sources contain more of gamma-tocopherol. In order to be absorbed, vitamin E needs the presence of fat and bile or needs to be in a micellized form.