Americans should keep taking vitamin E supplements

[Guest guest]

Americans should keep taking vitamin E supplements

News-Medical in Medical Research News Thursday, 18-Nov-2004

http://www.news-medical.net/?id=6384

" To E or not to E, " a question prompted by a controversial analysis

released last week, is addressed by leading researchers and physicians

who recommend that Americans keep taking vitamin E supplements in

recommended amounts for overall health benefits.

These researchers, physicians and health officials have voiced concern

and even outrage regarding a " meta-analysis " suggesting that high-dose

vitamin E supplements " may increase risk of dying " among older,

high-risk patients.

The Dietary Supplement Information Bureau (DSIB) has launched a new Web

site - http://www.vitaminefacts.org/ - to help consumers obtain accurate

information on vitamin E. Visitors will find referenced materials to

help them understand the analysis generating news headlines and facts on

why vitamin E is safe and beneficial.

DSIB Scientific Advisory Board members were quick to respond to the

issues raised in the study:

" This meta-analysis, a study of other studies published during the last

11 years, concludes there may be a very small increase in mortality

associated with high dose vitamin E supplements. However, these results

were generated from clinical trials of patients sick with chronic

diseases or at very high risk of such conditions and cannot be

extrapolated to generally healthy people looking to promote their health

and prevent disease. It is important to appreciate that these

researchers examined only 19 clinical trials comprised of 135,000

patients and did not investigate at all dozens of observational studies

involving millions of people that show vitamin E supplementation can be

beneficial and completely safe, " explains Dr. Blumberg, a

professor of nutrition at Tufts University.

Dr. , professor in the College of Public Health and School

of Medicine at the University of Arizona, who is currently editing an

encyclopedia on vitamin E says, " We have carefully reviewed almost 100

articles about vitamin E, its benefits, activity, etc. There is almost

no evidence of toxicity or adverse effects in doses used by the average

American. In fact multitudinous animal and human studies proclaim it has

limited toxicity and significant benefits. The huge amounts of data and

studies on vitamin E suggest that it should be considered in supplement

programs to promote health, especially in seniors. "

When asked if consumers should continue taking vitamin E, Dr. Maret

Traber, a vitamin E expert at the Linus ing Institute at Oregon

State University stated, " Absolutely yes. "

http://www.vitaminefacts.org/