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Home > Anti-aging Research > Vitamin E

Vitamin E

Specific Recommendations:

News & Research:

  • Vitamin E identified as potential weapon against obesity - Science Daily, 4/23/13 - "The collaborators, from Case Western Reserve University, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and Cornell University, discovered the essential nutrient vitamin E can alleviate symptoms of liver disease brought on by obesity ... These findings may have a significant impact on public health ... as the vast majority of adults in the United States do not consume the amount of vitamin E recommended by the National Institute of Medicine ... There is currently no treatment for NASH, making it one of the most common reasons for liver transplantation. Manor also points out that "NASH piggybacks on the two great epidemics of our time: obesity and Type 2 diabetes."" - See Jarrow FamilE (contains all eight members of the vitamin E family, includes Tocomin) at iHerb.
  • Excess vitamin E intake not a health concern, study suggests - Science Daily, 4/15/13 - "a new review concludes that biological mechanisms exist to routinely eliminate excess levels of the vitamin, and they make it almost impossible to take a harmful amount ... A much more important issue is that more than 90 percent of people in the U.S. have inadequate levels of vitamin E in their diet ... On the other hand, vitamin E performs many critical roles in optimum health. It protects polyunsaturated fatty acids from oxidizing, may help protect other essential lipids, and has been studied for possible value in many degenerative diseases" - Note:  That may be true but everything I've read claims that taking high amounts of only the alpha-tocopherol lowers the other forms which may be as important if not more important.
  • How vitamin E can help prevent cancer - Science Daily, 3/16/13 - "In this new work, researchers showed in prostate cancer cells that one form of vitamin E inhibits the activation of an enzyme that is essential for cancer cell survival. The loss of the enzyme, called Akt, led to tumor cell death. The vitamin had no negative effect on normal cells ... Vitamin E occurs in numerous forms based on their chemical structure, and the most commonly known form belongs to a variety called tocopherols. In this study, researchers showed that, of the tocopherols tested, the gamma form of tocopherol was the most potent anti-cancer form of the vitamin ... The researchers began the work with both alpha and gamma forms of the vitamin E molecule. Both inhibited the enzyme called Akt in very targeted ways, but the gamma structure emerged as the more powerful form of the vitamin"
  • Vitamin E may lower liver cancer risk - Science Daily, 7/17/12 - "China who were enrolled in the Shanghai Women's Health Study (SWHS) from 1997-2000 or the Shanghai Men's Health Study (SMHS) from 2002-2006, two population-based cohort studies jointly conducted by the Shanghai Cancer Institute and Vanderbilt University. Using validated food-frequency questionnaires, the researchers conducted in-person interviews to gather data on study participants' dietary habits. They compared liver cancer risk among participants who had high intake of vitamin E with those with low intake ... Vitamin E intake from diet and vitamin E supplement use were both associated with a lower risk of liver cancer. This association was consistent among participants with and without self-reported liver disease or a family history of liver cancer"
  • Vitamin E in diet protects against many cancers, study suggests - Science Daily, 4/23/12 - "Our message is that the vitamin E form of gamma-tocopherols, the most abundant form of vitamin E in the American diet, and delta-tocopherols, also found in vegetable oils, are beneficial in preventing cancers while the form of vitamin E, alpha- tocopherol, the most commonly used in vitamin E supplements, has no such benefit ... the most commonly used form of vitamin E supplements, alpha-tocopherol, not only did not prevent prostate cancer, but its use significantly increased the risk of this disease among healthy men" - See Jarrow FamilE (contains all eight members of the vitamin E family, includes Tocomin) at iHerb.
  • More vitamin E linked to better mental function: Study - Nutra USA, 1/11/12 - "Alzheimer patients were 85% less likely to have the highest levels of vitamin E, compared with people with normal cognitive function ... There are eight forms of vitamin E: four tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta) and four tocotrienols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta) ... the new study is said to be the first to evaluate all the forms of vitamin E in relation to Alzheimer’s disease ... Consumers should be taking a full spectrum vitamin E especially for improving/ preserving cognitive health and performance" - [Abstract]
  • Scientists identify an innate function of vitamin E - Science Daily, 12/20/11 - "Everyday activities such as eating and exercise can tear the plasma membrane and the new research shows that vitamin E is essential to repair. Without repair of muscle cells, for example, muscles eventually waste away and die in a process similar to what occurs in muscular dystrophy ... Vitamin E appears to aid repair in several ways. As an antioxidant, it helps eliminate destructive byproducts from the body's use of oxygen that impede repair. Because it's lipid-soluble, vitamin E can actually insert itself into the membrane to prevent free radicals from attacking. It also can help keep phospholipids, a major membrane component, compliant so they can better repair after a tear"
  • Elevated Risk for Prostate Cancer Found With Vitamin E - Medscape, 11/22/11 - "vitamin E (400 IU)  ... The overall risk for prostate cancer was significantly elevated (by 17%) in the vitamin E group" - Note:  It's the alpha-tocopherol that's measured in IU like that and it's the form in most supplement.  Here's what I take: Jarrow FamilE (contains all eight members of the vitamin E family, includes Tocomin) at iHerb
  • Combination Antioxidant Therapy May Help Fatty Liver - Medscape, 11/7/11 - "A combination of vitamin E and alpha lipoic acid (ALA) can improve the inflammatory and steatosis scores in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis ... combination therapy resulted in a 70% difference in change in tumor necrosis factors-alpha levels from baseline. ... ALA alone or vitamin E alone were not as effective ... Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is the most common liver disease in the world ... In the United States, 20% of the general population and 75% to 92% of the morbidly obese population suffer from the disease" - See Alpha lipoic acid products at iHerb and Jarrow FamilE (contains all eight members of the vitamin E family, includes Tocomin) at iHerb.
  • Listen up! Antioxidants may slash risk of hearing loss, says study - Nutra USA, 7/19/11 - "People with the highest average intakes of vitamin A had a 47 percent reduced risk of moderate or greater hearing loss, compared to people with the lowest average intakes ... In addition, increasing dietary vitamin E intakes were linked with a 14 percent reduction in hearing loss"
  • 'Gifted' natural vitamin E tocotrienol protects brain against stroke in 3 ways - Science Daily, 7/5/11 - "This is one of the first studies to provide evidence that a safe nutrient - a vitamin - can alter microRNA biology to produce a favorable disease outcome ... Here, a natural nutritional product is simultaneously acting on multiple targets to help prevent stroke-induced brain damage. That is a gifted molecule" - See Jarrow FamilE (contains all eight members of the vitamin E family, includes Tocomin) at iHerb.
  • Preventive use of one form of natural vitamin E may reduce stroke damage - Science Daily, 7/5/11 - "Vitamin E occurs naturally in eight different forms, and this work led by Ohio State University scientists is focused on the tocotrienol form, also known as TCT. The commonly known form of vitamin E belongs to a variety called tocopherols. TCT is not abundant in the American diet but is available as a nutritional supplement. It is a common component of a typical Southeast Asian diet ... In the study, 24 hours after a stroke, lesions indicating brain tissue damage were about 80 percent smaller in dogs that received supplementation than were the lesions in dogs that received no intervention. Imaging tests showed that the treated animals' brains had better blood flow at the stroke site as compared to untreated dogs' brains, a difference attributed to tiny collateral blood vessels' ability to improve circulation in the brain when blood flow stopped in more substantial vessels ... In the study, 20 dogs were randomly assigned to one of two groups: those receiving a placebo pill, and those receiving 200 milligrams of mixed tocotrienols ... Additional examination of the affected brain tissue showed that the TCT supplementation appeared to support arteriogenesis, a process by which collateral arteries remodel themselves into larger vessels so they can bypass the site of blockage" - See Jarrow FamilE (contains all eight members of the vitamin E family, includes Tocomin) at iHerb.
  • Vitamin E tocotrienols show cholesterol benefits for healthy adults: Study - Nutra USA, 6/29/11 - "Daily supplements of a palm oil-based tocotrienol-rich product increased the ratio of HDL cholesterol to total cholesterol – reported to be the most specific lipid risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) – by 14 percent in people over 50, compared to a decrease of about 5 percent in the placebo group ... HDL cholesterol increases of the magnitude observed in this study have been associated with a 22.5 percent reduced risk of cardiovascular events" - [Abstract] - See Jarrow FamilE (contains all eight members of the vitamin E family, includes Tocomin) at iHerb.
  • Vitamin E tocotrienols may reduce cholesterol: RCT data - Nutra USA, 5/9/11 - "Supplements containing a mixture of tocotrienols – forms of vitamin E – may reduce cholesterol levels by about 15 percent in people with raised cholesterol ... Overall, there are eight forms of vitamin E: four tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta) and four tocotrienols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta). Alpha-tocopherol (alpha-Toc) is the main source found in supplements and in the European diet, while gamma-tocopherol (gamma-Toc) is the most common form in the American diet ... After four months of supplementation, the researchers noted a decrease in total cholesterol of 9 percent, with the decrease recorded as 11 percent after six months ... In addition, LDL cholesterol levels were decreased by 13 and 17.5 percent after four and six months of supplementation, respectively" - See Jarrow FamilE (contains all eight members of the vitamin E family, includes Tocomin) at iHerb.
  • Vitamin E helps diminish a type of fatty liver disease in children, study suggests - Science Daily, 4/27/11 - "Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease among U.S. children. NAFLD ranges in severity from steatosis (fat in the liver without injury) to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH (fat, inflammation, and liver damage). Fatty liver increases a child's risk of developing heart disease and liver cirrhosis ... after 96 weeks of treatment, 58 percent of the children on vitamin E no longer had NASH, compared to 41 percent of the children on metformin (a diabetes drug), and 28 percent on placebo. Vitamin E was better than placebo because it significantly reduced enlargement and death of liver cells ... These results suggest that vitamin E improves or resolves NASH in at least half of children, which we previously showed to be true in adults"
  • Long-Term Vitamin E Intake Linked to Reduced ALS Risk - Medscape, 3/29/11 - "For dietary vitamin E intake, the adjusted RR comparing the highest quartile with the lowest was 0.79"
  • Vitamin E May Affect the Life Expectancy of Men - Medscape, 2/23/11
  • Essential oil pill prevents PMS, study suggests - Science Daily, 1/16/11 - "Women who were given capsules containing 2 grams of a combination of gamma linolenic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, other polyunsaturated acids and vitamin E reported significantly eased PMS symptoms at both 3 and 6 months after they began the treatment" - See borage oil products at iHerb (GLA) and Jarrow FamilE (contains all eight members of the vitamin E family, includes Tocomin) at iHerb.  Oleic acid is omega-9 in which olive oil is a good source.  Linoleic acid is omega-6.  Most Americans get about 10 to 20 times too much omega-6 to begin with.  I don't know why they included it.  It makes me wonder about some of the researchers.  If they are showing a benefit, I would guess it's from the other ingredients and not the omega-6.  Gamma linolenic acid is an omega-6 also but it's a form that most don't get enough of.
  • The science of the ‘next generation’ vitamin E - Nutra USA, 11/3/10 - "there are eight forms of vitamin E: four tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta) and four tocotrienols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta). Alpha-tocopherol (alpha-Toc) is the main source found in supplements and in the European diet, while gamma-tocopherol (gamma-Toc) is the most common form in the American diet ... 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 ... Heart disease ... Cancer ... Immune health ... Brain health ... Male pattern baldness" - See Jarrow FamilE (contains all eight members of the vitamin E family, includes Tocomin) at iHerb.
  • Vitamin E tocotrienols show immune boosting potential - Nutra USA, 10/27/10 - "TocominSupraBio ... there are eight forms of vitamin E: four tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta) and four tocotrienols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta). Alpha-tocopherol (alpha-Toc) is the main source found in supplements and in the European diet, while gamma-tocopherol (gamma-Toc) is the most common form in the American diet ... Results showed significant increases in levels of the anti-TT antibody, interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL)-4 in the tocotrienol group, compared with placebo" - [Abstract] - See Jarrow FamilE (contains all eight members of the vitamin E family, includes Tocomin) at iHerb.
  • Vitamin E in front line of prostate cancer fight - Science Daily, 10/23/10 - "the research team have discovered a particular form of T3, called gamma-tocotrienol (γ-T3), can successfully kill off the prostate cancer CSCs ... Other research has found γ-T3 is also effective in suppressing other types of cancer, including breast, colon, liver and gastric ... not all vitamin E preparations had the active constituent" - See Jarrow FamilE (contains all eight members of the vitamin E family, includes Tocomin) at iHerb.
  • Burn injuries rapidly deplete vitamin E, study finds - Science Daily, 10/20/10 - "An analysis of eight children with third-degree burns over much of their body found they lost almost half of their stored vitamin E in three weeks, even though they were being given about 150 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin E and other nutrients in a high-calorie diet ... "the depletion of vitamin E may be a very significant problem in patients with burn injury" and other forms of severe trauma"
  • Omega-3, vitamins C and E may boost pancreatic health - Nutra USA, 9/9/10 - "consuming at least 850 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids per day was associated with a 53 percent reduction in the risk of pancreatic cancer, compared to intakes of between 330 and 580 milligrams per day ... According to findings published in the International Journal of Cancer, benefits were also observed for intakes of vitamin C and E, the highest average intakes associated with 31 and 33 percent reductions, respectively, compared with the lowest average intakes" - [Abstract]
  • Eating foods rich in vitamin E associated with lower dementia risk - Science Daily, 7/12/10 - "the one-third of individuals who consumed the most vitamin E (a median or midpoint of 18.5 milligrams per day) were 25 percent less likely to develop dementia than the one-third of participants who consumed the least (a median of 9 milligrams per day)"
  • High blood levels of vitamin E reduces risk of Alzheimer's, Swedish study finds - Science Daily, 7/7/10 - "High levels of several vitamin E components in the blood are associated with a decreased risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD) in advanced age, suggesting that vitamin E may help prevent cognitive deterioration in elderly people. This is the conclusion reached in a Swedish study ... Vitamin E is a family of eight natural components, but most studies related to Alzheimer's disease investigate only one of these components, ±-tocopherol ... We hypothesized that all the vitamin E family members could be important in protecting against AD ... subjects with higher blood levels of all the vitamin E family forms had a reduced risk of developing AD, compared to subjects with lower levels. After adjusting for various confounders, the risk was reduced by 45-54%, depending on the vitamin E component" - See Jarrow FamilE (contains all eight members of the vitamin E family, includes Tocomin) at iHerb.
  • Finally, Vitamin E May Work -- And It's in the Liver - Medscape, 7/6/10 - "We used to call this "fatty liver"; now it's got a fancier name -- it's "nonalcoholic steatohepatitis." ... It turned out that only the Vitamin E group managed to reach that level of significance"
  • Vitamin E may boost immune function: Mouse study - Science Daily, 5/20/10 - "The animals were fed 0.1 per cent Tocomin 50 per cent (Carotech), which is a mixture of tocotrienols and alpha-tocopherols, or a control diet containing only tocopherol, for six weeks ... Older mice fed the tocotrienol supplement displayed a greater level of lymphocyte proliferation, a marker of how quickly white blood cells can reproduce in response to infection, than old mice fed the control ... mice of both ages fed the tocotrienol supplement had higher levels of the interleukin-1beta, a cytokine released by immune cells (macrophages). ... There are eight forms of vitamin E: four tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta) and four tocotrienols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta). Alpha-tocopherol (alpha-Toc) is the main source found in supplements and in the European diet, while gamma-tocopherol (gamma-Toc) is the most common form in the American diet" - [Abstract] - See Jarrow FamilE (contains all eight members of the vitamin E family, includes Tocomin) at iHerb.
  • Long-term use of vitamin E may decrease COPD risk, study finds - Science Daily, 5/16/10 - "Long-term, regular use of vitamin E in women 45 years of age and older may help decrease the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by about 10 percent in both smokers and non-smokers"
  • Vitamin E may be new boon for liver disease - MSNBC, 4/28/10 - "In the study published online in the New England Journal of Medicine, 247 adults with advanced fatty liver disease were randomly assigned to take a high dose of vitamin E (800 international units), the diabetes drug Actos or dummy pills for nearly two years ... Biopsies before and after treatment showed that liver function improved in 43 percent of those in the vitamin E group compared with 19 percent in the placebo group ... participants on the diabetes drug Actos also improved, but to a lesser degree and with a drawback: gaining 10 pounds on average, which remained even after they stopped taking the drug"
  • How one form of natural vitamin E protects brain after stroke - Science Daily, 1/11/10 - "Our research suggests that the different forms of natural vitamin E have distinct functions. The relatively poorly studied tocotrienol form of natural vitamin E targets specific pathways to protect against neural cell death and rescues the brain after stroke injury ... Vitamin E occurs naturally in eight different forms. The best-known form of vitamin E belongs to a variety called tocopherols. The form of vitamin E in this study, tocotrienol or TCT, is not abundant in the American diet but is available as a nutritional supplement. It is a common component of a typical Southeast Asian diet" - See Jarrow FamilE (contains all eight members of the vitamin E family) at iHerb.
  • Putting limits on vitamin E - Science Daily, 12/31/09
  • Antioxidant compound reduced incidence of colorectal metachronous adenomas - Science Daily, 12/7/09 - "The researchers randomized 411 participants to the placebo group or to receive an antioxidant compound -- specifically selenomethionnine 200 μg, zinc 30 mg, vitamin A 6,000 IU, vitamin C 180 mg and vitamin E 30 mg ... individuals who consumed antioxidants had a 40 percent reduction in the incidence of metachronous adenomas of the large bowel ... It is noteworthy that the benefit observed after the conclusion of the trial persisted through 13 years of follow up"
  • Antioxidant vitamins may protect against female cancer - Nutra USA, 6/3/09 - "for every 1,000 microgram increase per 1,000 kcal of diet of beta-carotene was associated with a 12 per cent reduction in the risk of endometrial cancer ... Similarly, for every 50 milligram increase per 1,000 kcal of vitamin C the risk of endometrial cancer was reduced by 15 per cent, and for every 5 milligram increase per 1,000 kcal of vitamin E the risk of endometrial cancer was reduced by 9 per cent" - [Abstract]
  • High-Dose Vitamin E Slows Functional Decline in Alzheimer's Disease - Medscape, 5/4/09 - "The clinical-effectiveness study enrolled 540 patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (324 women) who had a mean age of nearly 74 years. All were receiving 1 of the following cholinesterase inhibitors: donepezil, rivastigmine, or galantamine (800 to 1000 U twice daily). In addition, 208 patients received vitamin E (800 to 2000 IU/day) ... Vitamin E treatment showed small to medium effect sizes in slowing functional decline, the abstract reports. For vitamin E, the ADL Cohen's d significantly increased, from 0.20 in year 1 (P = .02) to 0.42 by year 5 (P < .001)"
  • Vitamin E may reverse male pattern baldness: Study - Nutra USA, 4/28/09 - "Volunteers were randomly assigned to the palm tocotrienol complex (total tocotrienol intake of 100 mg) or the placebo (soft gelatin capsule containing 600 mg soy bean oil) ... Hair counts, measured by the counting the number of hairs in a pre-selected 2x2 cm area, were found to significantly increase by an average of 41.8 per cent in the tocotrienol group, with eight volunteers experiencing greater than 50 per cent hair growth ... There are eight forms of vitamin E: four tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta) and four tocotrienols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta). Alpha-tocopherol is the main source found in supplements ... While the majority of research on vitamin E has focused on alpha-Toc, studies into tocotrienols account for less than one per cent of all research into vitamin E" - See Jarrow FamilE (contains all eight members of the vitamin E family) at iHerb.
  • Tocotrienol build-up in tumours ‘critical’ for anti-cancer benefits: Study - Nutra USA, 3/31/09 - "the effects of gamma- and delta-tocotrienol on mouse cancer cells ... the diet supplemented with 0.1 per cent gamma-tocotrienol or 0.1 per cent delta-tocotrienol for four weeks ... In conclusion, our results suggested that accumulation is critical for the anti-tumour activity of tocotrienols" - [Abstract] - See Jarrow FamilE (contains all eight members of the vitamin E family) at iHerb.
  • Vitamin E May Decrease Mortality Of Elderly Male Smokers, Yet Increase Mortality Of Middle-aged Smokers - Science Daily, 2/14/09
  • Vitamin E Shows Possible Promise In Easing Chronic Inflammation - Science Daily, 12/4/08 - "the larger take-home message of the study, published in the December issue of the journal Experimental Physiology, is 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 may slash lung cancer risk: Study - Nutra USA, 10/31/08 - "The researchers calculated that the highest average intakes of alpha-tocopherol (more than 7.73 mg per day) were associated with a 53 per cent reduction in lung cancer risk, compared to the lowest average intakes (less than 4.13 mg per day) ... When the researchers accounted for the other tocopherols they observed no significant associations on lung cancer risk for beta-, gamma, and delta-tocopherol" - [Abstract] (see the abstract, I don't believe that last part is true on the gamma. - Ben
  • Optimal Dose Of Vitamin E Maximizes Benefits, Minimizes Risk - Science Daily, 10/30/08 - "One of the most compelling studies of the benefits of vitamin E is the Women’s Health Study, in which 40,000 healthy women, 45 and older, took 600 IU vitamin E supplements or a placebo every other day for 10 years. Women taking the supplements had 24 percent fewer deaths from heart disease. Vitamin E’s protective effect appeared even stronger in women 65 and older. Those taking the vitamin experienced a 26 percent reduction in cardiovascular events and a 49 percent reduction in cardiovascular deaths ... Vitamin K in the liver appears to diminish as vitamin E increases" - Note:  Alpha-tocopherol is the only form of vitamin E that is measured in IU's.  See my vitamin E page for problems with just taking the one form of vitamin E.  For one thing, in addition to reducing vitamin K it reduces the gamma-tocopherol form of vitamin E which may be as important if not more important.  See Jarrow FamilE (contains all eight members of the vitamin E family) at iHerb.
  • Prostate Cancer: Vitamin E, Selenium No Help - WebMD, 10/28/08 - "That evidence included a 1998 Finnish study of whether vitamin E could prevent lung cancer in some 30,000 smokers. It didn't, but men taking vitamin E had 32% fewer prostate cancers ... I am afraid it will be the end of the story for large trials of vitamin E and selenium to prevent prostate cancer" - Note:  Most of the vitamin E studies I've read on prostate cancer indicated that only the gamma-tocopherol worked yet they spent $114 million on this study and used the cheapest synthetic dl-alpha-tocopherol acetate form.  How dumb was that?  I don't know what the story on the selenium was.  Some say it's because people in the U.S. aren't deficient in selenium.  See my comments in my 10/29/08 newsletter.
  • Vitamin E May Help Alzheimer's Patients Live Longer, Study Suggests - Science Daily, 4/15/08 - "people who took vitamin E, with or without a cholinesterase inhibitor, were 26 percent less likely to die than people who didn't take vitamin E"
  • Vitamin C can keep you healthy, looking younger - CNN.com, 2/27/08 - "Pairing vitamins C and E is smart for another reason: It may lessen your Alzheimer's risks by as much as 64 percent ..."
  • Vision: Antioxidants May Cut Cataracts - New York Times, 2/12/08 - "Compared with the one-fifth of women who consumed the least antioxidants, the one-fifth who consumed the most reduced their risk for cataracts by 14 percent with vitamin E and 18 percent with lutein"
  • Vitamin E for Vitality? - WebMD, 1/22/08 - "people with high blood levels of vitamin E showed a milder decline in their physical function test scores" - [Science Daily] - Note:  I feel that the reason the studies stress food as the source is because you are getting the mixed form of vitamin E instead of the alpha-tocopherol found in most supplements, which may lower the other forms.
  • Vitamin E Could Help 40% Of Diabetics Ward Off Heart Attacks - Science Daily, 11/23/07 - "After 18 months of treatment, people with the haptoglobin (Hp) 2-2 gene who took 400 International Units (IU) of vitamin E daily had more than 50 percent fewer heart attacks, strokes, and related deaths than Hp 2-2 patients who took a placebo pill. 40% of individuals with diabetes carry the Hp 2-2 gene" - Note:  Only the alpha-tocopherol form of vitamin E is measured in IUs and I'm leery of only taking that form.  See:
  • Vitamin E pills may cut heart disease risk in diabetics - Nutra USA, 10/19/07
  • Vitamin supplement use and risk for breast cancer: the Shanghai Breast Cancer Study - Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2007 Oct 5 - "a 20% reduction in breast cancer risk was observed with vitamin E supplement use among women with low-dietary vitamin E intake ... A non-significant 20% risk reduction was observed among vitamin B supplement users with low B dietary intake (OR = 0.8; 95% CI, 0.6-1.1). Frequent use of a vitamin B supplement was adversely associated with breast cancer risk among those with high dietary vitamin B intake (OR = 1.4"
  • Tocotrienol may protect against DNA damage, says study - Nutra USA, 9/24/07 - "There are eight forms of vitamin E: four tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta) and four tocotrienols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta). Alpha-tocopherol (alpha-Toc) is the main source found in supplements and in the European diet, while gamma-tocopherol (gamma-Toc) is the most common form in the American diet ... While the majority of research on vitamin E has focused on alpha-Toc, studies into tocotrienols account for less than one per cent of all research into vitamin E ... blood cells from patients receiving the tocotrienol-rich supplement had significantly less DNA damage after three and six months of supplementation than those in the placebo group" - See my favorite Jarrow FamilE (contains all eight members of the vitamin E family) at iHerb.
  • Vitamin E Trials 'Fatally Flawed' - Science Daily, 9/23/07
  • Vitamin E May Protect Against Venous Thromboembolism in Women - Medscape, 9/12/07 - "Of 482 women who had VTE during follow-up, 213 were in the vitamin E group and 269 were in the placebo group, yielding a significant 21% hazard reduction (relative hazard, 0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.66 - 0.94; P = .010). The hazard reduction was 27% for unprovoked VTE (relative hazard, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.57 - 0.94; P = .016)"
  • Vitamin E May Lower Blood Clot Risk - WebMD, 9/11/07 - "Overall, women who took vitamin E were 21% less likely to develop venous thromboembolism than women who did not, but the reduction was more than double this (44%) among the women who had a history of clots ... taking vitamin E appeared to cut the clot risk in half among women with genetic mutations that increased their risk"
  • Vitamin E's Lack Of Heart Benefit Linked To Dosage - Science Daily, 8/22/07
  • Industry must wake up to tocotrienol opportunities - Nutra USA, 8/1/07 - "While the majority of research on vitamin E has focused on alpha-Toc, studies into tocotrienols account for less than one per cent of all research into vitamin E"
  • Vitamin E: Friend or Foe During Radiation Therapy? - Physician's Weekly, 7/16/07 - "Not only did it show that vitamin E supplementation was of no benefit to patients, but it was also associated with a nearly 40% increased risk of death when compared to study counterparts who received a placebo. Vitamin E, despite what patients may think, appears to be much more harmful for patients who have head and neck cancer who are receiving radiation therapy"
  • Pro-vitamin E Shown To Be Active Against Breast Cancer Cells - Science Daily, 12/9/06 - "pro-vitamin E or alpha-tocopheryl succinate can reduce tumour volume in experimental animals with high levels of HER2"
  • Vitamin E may protect against cancer, heart ills - MSNBC, 11/22/06 - "Men with the highest levels of vitamin E in their blood were 18 percent less likely to die than those with the lowest levels, the researchers found. They also had a 21-percent lower risk of death from cancer, a 19-percent lower risk of dying from heart disease, and a 30-percent lower risk of death from other causes"
  • Antioxidant-rich Pecans Can Protect Against Unhealthy Oxidation - Science Daily, 10/3/06 - "adding just a handful of pecans to your diet each day may inhibit unwanted oxidation of blood lipids, thus helping reduce the risk of heart disease. Researchers suggest that this positive effect was in part due to the pecan's significant content of vitamin E ... Pecans are especially rich in one form of vitamin E -- gamma tocopherol"
  • Tocotrienol intake could result in bioactive concentrations - Nutra USA, 7/17/06
  • What Makes Gamma Tocopherol Superior to Alpha Tocopherol - Life Extension Magazine, 4/06 - "vitamin E supplements should contain a ratio of alpha tocopherol to gamma tocopherol that is closer to what is found in nature ... For optimal supplementation, it would appear logical to consume at least 200 mg of gamma tocopherol each day, in addition to around 400 IU of alpha tocopherol"
  • Tocotrienols may stop the spread of cancer cells - Nutra USA, 3/16/06
  • Vitamin E – the need for perspective - Nutra USA, 3/9/06
  • The vitamin E debate rumbles on - Nutra USA, 3/7/06
  • Nutritional Friend Or Foe? Vitamin E Sends Mixed Messages - Science Daily, 3/3/06 - "We think that gamma-tocopherol may have this kind of damaging effect on nearly every type of cell in the body"
  • Healthy Diet May Help Seniors' Vision - WebMD, 12/27/05 - "People with above-average intakes of all four antioxidants were 35% less likely to develop AMD during the study ... Vitamin E and zinc stood out"
  • Meta-analysis Results Suggest High-Dose Vitamin E Increases All-Cause Mortality - Medscape, 11/6/05 - "there are several theories about why vitamin E increases risk. One theory is that it increases bleeding risk, which would increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke, while another theory suggests that at high doses vitamin E stops working like an antioxidant that mops up free radicals that attack cells that line blood vessels and instead becomes a prooxidant and actually promotes the production of free radicals ... Still another scenario suggests that high-doses of vitamin E tend to destroy other fat-soluble antioxidants"
  • Vitamin E: Alpha or Gamma? - Natural Food Merchandiser, 10/05 - "Given these synergistic relationships and the results of research to date, a mixed-tocopherol product seems to be the best choice"
  • Vitamin E tocotrienol shows brain protection promise - Nutra USA, 10/25/05
  • Low Vitamin E Serum Levels Correlate With Dementia Risk - Clinical Psychiatry News, 10/05 - "those individuals in the bottom tertile of vitamin E plasma levels were at significantly higher risk not only of being demented (OR 2.6, 95% CI) but also of having impaired cognitive function (OR 2.2, 95% CI), compared with the highest vitamin E tertile"
  • High Doses Of Vitamin E Boost Rat Survival Rate 40%; Brain Function, Neuromuscular Gains - Science Daily, 9/5/05 - "male mice showed a 40% increase in median lifespan ... 17% increase in maximal lifespan (to 136 weeks from 116 weeks) ... increases in the ability to perform tests measuring neuromuscular performance (high-wire tightrope) and cognitive exploratory activity (T-maze)"
  • Vitamin E Boosts Lifespan, Brain Functioning - mercola.com, 9/2/05 - "be sure to find a brand that contains gamma-tocopherol, the most naturally occuring form of vitamin E, not dl-alpha-tocopherol, the synthetic variety that's most commonly available in most stores"
  • Are you getting enough vitamin E? - MSNBC, 8/12/05 - "Most supplements contain – and thus most research looks at – the form of vitamin E known as alpha-tocopherol. However, gamma-tocopherol is actually the major form in the American diet ... Some studies show that blood levels of gamma-tocopherol are a good or better indicator of heart and cancer risk. Gamma-tocopherol may even have unique cancer-suppressing functions within cells. Some studies suggest that alpha-tocopherol supplements may have the undesirable effect of reducing blood and tissue levels of gamma-tocopherol"
  • Vitamin E Fails to Deliver on Early Promise - New York Times, 8/2/05
  • CRN criticizes vitamin E dosage report - Nutra USA, 7/21/05
  • Many Americans take too much vitamin E, says CDC - Nutra USA, 7/19/05
  • Gamma-tocopherol garners speculation - ffnmag.com, 6/05
  • Can Rice Bran Oil Melt Away Cholesterol? - Science Daily, 5/12/05 - "Vitamin E ... consists of both tocopherols and tocotrienols ... the tocotrienols (TRF) seem to have greater antioxidant properties ... taking any form of Vitamin E for a long time can be harmful ... The most effective dose in rats was 8 IU kg/day. Extrapolated to humans, a person with an average body weight of 154 pounds would get around 560 IU"
  • Tocotrienol-Rich Rice Bran Oil A New Natural Cholesterol-Fighter - mercola.com, 5/12/05 - "This good news certainly supports other studies that have shown the antioxidant effects of tocotrienols to be 40 to 60 times more effective than alpha tocopherol"
  • Boost In Immune Response Fights Common Cold - Science Daily, 4/24/05 - "Nursing facility residents who consumed 200 International Units (IUs) of vitamin E daily for one year were less likely to get the sniffles than those who took a placebo ... those who took the moderate supplements were 20 percent less likely to contract upper respiratory infections, such as colds"
  • The Fake Controversy Over Vitamin E - mercola.com, 3/16/05 - "The kind of vitamin E most people often refer to which is sold in most stores is dl-alpha-tocopherol, and I urge you to stay away from it"
  • Vitamin E Harms More Than It Helps - WebMD, 3/15/05 [Abstract] - "All were over age 55. Half got high-dose vitamin E -- 400 IU every day (about 400 milligrams) -- and half got fake pills that looked the just the same ... Vitamin E was linked to a 13% higher risk of heart failure and a 21% increased risk of hospitalization for heart failure" - Note: The way I understand it, only the alpha tocopherol form (used in most supplements) is measured in IU.  So I assume they used that form for this study.  I've been saying for some time that taking just the alpha tocopherol form causes more harm than good because it lowers gamma tocopherol.  See item 6 on my home page.  With all the evidence against alpha tocopherol, I'm surprised they are still using it in studies and I'm surprised how slow vitamin companies are to offer multi-vitamins with mixed tocopherols/tocotrienols.
  • Vitamin E: Which Type Best for Prostate Cancer? - WebMD, 3/1/05 - "the men with the highest blood levels of alpha and gamma tocopherol had lower prostate cancer risk. Men with the highest levels of both forms of the vitamin were 30%-40% less likely to develop prostate cancer as those with the lowest levels"
  • Vitamin E From Food Sources May Reduce Risk of AD - Medscape, 2/11/05 - "High intake of vitamin E from food (tocopherol), but not from supplements (which usually contain α-tocopherol), is inversely associated with Alzheimer disease ... various tocopherol forms rather than α-tocopherol alone may be important in the vitamin E protective association with Alzheimer disease"
  • Vitamin E In Plant Seeds Could Halt Prostate, Lung Cancer, Says Purdue Scientist - Science Daily, 12/30/04 - "gamma-tocopherol, which occurs naturally in walnuts, pecans, sesame seeds, and in corn and sesame oils, inhibits the proliferation of lab-cultured human prostate and lung cancer cells"
  • Vitamin E in Food May Fight Cancer - WebMD, 12/15/04 - "Most supplements provide a different form of the vitamin, alpha-tocopherol ... Gamma-tocopherol aced its lab tests. It inhibited the spread of prostate and lung cancer cells without hurting the healthy cells ... Mixing several forms of vitamin E -- including gamma-tocopherol -- was even better at blocking cancer's spread"
  • Gamma-tocopherol halts cancer cells in lab study - Nutra USA, 12/15/04 - "Gamma-tocopherol, found naturally in walnuts, sesame seeds and corn, was found to hold back the proliferation of lab-cultured human prostate and lung cancer cells, reports the team from Purdue University in the 13 December online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ... This could indicate that the vitamin could be used to target lung and prostate cancer cells without the damaging side effects of chemotherapy"
  • Vitamin E, Heart Disease, and Mortality - Dr. Murray's Natural Facts, 11/12/04
  • Carotech Communication Regarding Johns Hopkins vitamin E Meta-analysis - NPI Center, 11/12/04 - "a high dosage of alpha-tocopherol alone has been shown to deplete the body's gamma-tocopherol. Despite alpha tocopherol's action as an antioxidant, gamma tocopherol is required to effectively remove the harmful peroxynitrite-derived nitrating species"
  • High-Dose Vitamin E May Shorten Life Span - WebMD, 11/10/04 - "too much vitamin E -- daily doses of 400 IU or more -- actually increases the risk of dying" - Note:  Most vitamin E supplements are the d-alpha tocopherol or dl-alpha tocopheryl (synthetic) form, which have been shown to deplete serum gamma tocopherol and alpha tocotrienol.  I've been saying for some time that taking just the d-alpha tocopherol causes more harm than good (item 6 on my home page).
  • CRN Questions Conclusions Reached by Researchers in Recent Vitamin E Meta-Analysis - NPI Center, 11/10/04 - "Most of the trials involved middle-aged to elderly persons who had heart disease or other serious conditions or were at risk of disease. The placebo groups had an ACM rate of 1022/10,000 and the high-dose (defined by the researchers as 400 IU and up) vitamin E subjects had an ACM increase of 39/10,000"
  • Vitamin E: Reducing Diabetes Risk? - Physician's Weekly, 11/8/04 - "Although the improvement in insulin resistance was temporary, elevations in alanine transferase liver enzyme were sustained throughout the study period"
  • Vitamin E + Lycopene Fights Prostate Cancer - WebMD, 9/30/04 - "a combination treatment with low-dose lycopene and vitamin E had the strongest effect at slowing tumor growth -- a 73% slowing of growth on the 42nd day of the test ... The next best results came from the low dose of lycopene alone, which slowed tumor growth by 53% in the same time frame"
  • Nourishing Your Noggin - WebMD, 9/22/04 - "For a long time, people believed that a common component of vitamin E called alpha tocopherol was most important, but another form called gamma tocopherol is definitely a protective antioxidant in brain disorders"
  • Vitamin E review - ConsumerLab.com, 8/25/04 - "There are studies underway to determine whether gamma-tocopherol (which is more abundant in the diet than alpha-tocopherol) may be important for some of the beneficial effects associated with natural vitamin E in the diet ... 32 products were purchased ... Five vitamin E products failed"
  • Vitamin E May Prevent Common Cold - WebMD, 8/17/04 - "Participants in the vitamin E group who completed the study had significantly fewer common colds and a 20% lower risk of acquiring a cold than those in the placebo group"
  • Technical Communication from CAROTECH INC, Edison, NJ (In Response to the latest Scientific Review on Vitamin E, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine) - NPI Center, 8/1/04 - "There are 8 forms of vitamin E in nature - 4 forms of tocopherols and 4 forms of tocotrienols (alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-tocopherol and corresponding tocotrienols). The idea that one single form of vitamin E – alpha-tocopherol out of eight fractions is the “magic” vitamin E and assuming that the other forms are worthless denies the very fact that nature put these seven other tocopherols and tocotrienols out there for a reason"
  • Vitamin E Useless in Fighting Heart Disease - WebMD, 7/28/04 - "vitamin E had no significant effect in reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke, or heart-related death"
  • Study Shows Vitamins C And E Can Prevent Metabolic Damaage In Extreme Exercise - Science Daily, 7/15/04 - "ultramarathon runners who used supplements of vitamins C and E for six weeks prior to their races totally prevented the increase in lipid oxidation that is otherwise associated with extreme exercise"
  • Vitamin E May Increase 'Bad' Cholesterol - HealthDay, 5/3/04 - I feel this guy presents a stupid argument.  So let free radicals do their damage because it may raise LDL.  Give me a break.
  • Higher Serum Vitamin E Levels Linked to Lower Prostate Cancer Risk - Doctor's Guide, 3/30/04 - "Compared with men in the lowest tertile of alpha-tocopherol levels, men in the highest tertile were 53% less likely to develop prostate cancer (P = .05). Men in the highest tertile of gamma-tocopherol were 39% less likely to develop the cancer than those in the lowest tertile"
  • Vitamins C and E May Lower Alzheimer's Risk - WebMD, 1/20/04
  • Vitamin Supplement Use May Reduce Effects Of Alzheimer's Disease - Doctor's Guide, 1/20/04
  • Vitamins E and C May Fend Off Alzheimer's - HealthDay, 1/19/04 - "those who took extra vitamin E and C were about 60 percent less likely to develop dementia and other memory and thinking problems linked with Alzheimer's as those who didn't use the two supplements ... The effect appeared only in people who combined the two vitamins"
  • Vitamin E May Improve Omeprazole Treatment of Moderate to Severe Erosive Oesophagitis - Doctor's Guide, 11/11/03
  • Vitamin E Helps People with Sudden Hearing Loss - Healthwell Exchange Daily News, 10/2/03 - "one group received vitamin E, 600 IU two times per day, while the other did not. Treatment was considered successful when hearing improved by 75% or more ... At follow-up examinations, successful treatment was noted in 76% of those receiving vitamin E and 56% of those not receiving vitamin E"
  • Vitamin E Supplements Effective Treatment for Mild Hypertension - Doctor's Guide, 10/1/03 - "Vitamin E supplements of 200 IU/day improved the blood pressure status of 70 mild hypertensive ... Subjects who received vitamin E supplements had a 24% decrease in systolic blood pressure compared to a 1.6% decrease among placebo controls"
  • Vitamin Supplements Improve Blood Vessel Function - Physician's Weekly, 9/8/03 - "In a study where children with hyperlipidemia were given doses of the antioxidants vitamins C and E, researchers have found that the supplements can significantly improve blood vessel function ... the test group received 500 mg of vitamin C and 400 IU of vitamin E daily. Both groups saw an 8% decline in LDL cholesterol and the test group had significant improvement in endothelial function comparable to the levels of normal healthy children"
  • Age-Related Disease: Reduce Risk with Vitamin E, Exercise - Physician's Weekly, 8/25/03 - "Free radical cells, which are unstable molecules that damage cells and are believed to contribute to the development of various diseases, were significantly reduced when exercise was combined with taking vitamin E. Moreover, the combined strategies reduced the risk of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes, all of which worsen free radical cell damage. The researchers note that after age 40, the body produces more free radicals and fewer natural antioxidants to fight them, and taking vitamin E supplements can be beneficial to the well-being of patients"
  • Exercise, Vitamin E Combo Can Slow Aging - HealthDay, 8/11/03 - "those who exercised regularly and took vitamin E supplements became healthier and greatly decreased their levels of a blood marker that signals destruction of certain cells ... people who didn't exercise, but took vitamin E, had large decreases in oxidative stress and blood pressure ... Cells, tissues and organs are damaged by the oxidation caused by free radicals. Previous research has shown that free radicals play a role in the development of cancer, obstructed arteries, Alzheimer's disease and some 200 other diseases, as well as the aging process itself"
  • Vitamins E and C Lower Kids' Heart Risks - WebMD, 8/11/03
  • Can Vitamins Help Kids With High Cholesterol? - HealthDay, 8/11/03 - "All of the participants followed the National Cholesterol Education Program Step II diet for the entire six months of the study ... After an initial six-week period, the participants were randomly assigned to receive either 500 milligrams of vitamin C and 400 international units of vitamin E per day or placebos for the next six weeks ... The diet had no effect on endothelial dysfunction ... The vitamin supplements, however, improved endothelial function to almost normal levels" - [Abstract]
  • E and C May Give Older Women a Mental Edge - Natural Foods Merchandiser, 8/03 - "The women who had taken vitamin C and E supplements for more than 10 years scored an average of 1.5 years younger in cognitive function than those not taking vitamins. The results were even more marked for those with low dietary vitamin E intake: Women with the lowest 30 percent of dietary vitamin E intake who did not take supplements tested two years older in mental function than women who compensated for low dietary intake with antioxidant supplements"
  • Protecting Muscle Mass As You Age - Life Extension Magazine, 8/03 - "researchers gave both young (age 23 to 35) and elderly (age 66 to 78) men who were in an intensive exercise program either 1000 IU of vitamin E or a placebo daily for three months. The results showed that both the young and older men who were taking the daily vitamin E supplements had significantly less biochemical markers of free radical damage when compared to the men who were taking placebo"
  • Vitamin E, Exercise Prevent Aging Damage - WebMD, 7/31/03 - "Whether they exercised or not, those taking vitamin E pills had the same reduction in harmful substances known as free radicals -- unstable molecules that damage cells and are believed to contribute to the development of some 200 different diseases, many of them age-related. The levels of a blood marker that signals free-radical damage were cut in half ... Basically, vitamin E prevents free radicals from bumping into cell walls and destroying them"
  • What do you think of the new study showing that antioxidants don’t cut the risk of heart disease - Dr. Weil, 7/14/03 - "If you want to supplement your diet, take a product that provides as many members of this family of protective pigments as possible: alpha-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene, etc. As for vitamin E, most studies use synthetic alpha-tocopherol. I recommend using natural vitamin E supplements that provide all four tocopherols and all four tocotrienols"
  • Alpha-Tocopheryl Succinate Seen as Auxiliary Cancer Treatment - AltMedicine.com, 5/22/03 - "alpha-tocopheryl succinate has inhibited and killed both human and rodent cancer cells in test tubes (in vitro) and later in the living body of rodents (in vivo)—without causing normal cells to proliferate. So far, tests in living human bodies have not been conducted"
  • NOW Foods Introduces Advanced Gamma E Complex - NPI Center, 5/22/03 - "Gamma and alpha tocopherols must both be present in the correct ratios to provide Vitamin E’s broad range of benefits"
  • Delta-tocotrienol - The 21st Century Vitamin E? - Dr. Murray's Newsletter, 3/19/03
  • Vitamin E Protects Against Neurotoxicity From Cisplatin - Medscape, 3/10/03 - "Among 27 patients who completed six cycles of cisplatin chemotherapy, the incidence of neurotoxicity was 30.7% in the group receiving vitamin E compared with 85.7% in the unsupplemented group (P < .01), and the neurotoxicity that did occur in the supplemented group was less severe (P < .01)."
  • Is there anything that I can do to aid recovery and reduce soreness [from exercise]? - Dr. Murray - "Take 3,000-8,000 mg of vitamin C and 400-800 IU of vitamin E in divided doses daily"
  • Vitamins C and E may enhance effectiveness of insulin for diabetes - University of California at Irvine, 1/29/03 - "Boosting insulin with vitamins C and E may improve the drug's effectiveness for treating diabetes ... the popular antioxidant supplements not only enhance insulin's ability to reduce blood sugar, but also lower the risks of organ damage that can occur despite insulin treatments"
  • Bad Boy in the Blood: CRP - WebMD, 1/15/03 - "You can lower your CRP levels by doing the same things you would do to lower your cholesterol levels: lose weight, eat fewer calories and a very low fat diet, take the cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins, and the natural form of vitamin E"
  • Vitamins C and E Improve Outcome in Critically Ill Surgical Patients - New Hope Natural Media, 1/9/03 - "Five-hundred and ninety-five people admitted to a surgical intensive care unit (ICU), 91% of whom were victims of trauma, were randomly assigned to receive standard care (control group) or standard care plus vitamins C and E. Vitamin E was given orally in the amount of 1,000 IU three times per day, and vitamin C was given intravenously in the amount of 1,000 mg three times per day ... The incidence of multiple organ failure was significantly lower (by 57%) in the group receiving antioxidants than in the control group (2.7% vs. 6.1%). In addition, the average length of stay in the ICU was significantly lower (by 17%) in the antioxidant group.  After 28 days, the mortality rate was 44% lower in the antioxidant group than in the control group (1.3% vs. 2.4%), but this difference was not statistically significant"
  • Antioxidant Vitamins Improve Surgical Outcomes - Medscape, 12/20/02 - "Compared with patients receiving standard care, those who received antioxidant supplementation with alpha-tocopherol and ascorbate had a shorter duration of mechanical ventilation and length of ICU stay, and lower relative risk (RR) of pulmonary morbidity (RR, 0.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.60 - 1.1) and of multiple organ failure (RR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.19 - 0.96)"
  • HRT, Vitamins C & E Don't Help Heart - WebMD, 11/19/02 - "New research offers still more evidence that hormone replacement therapy does more harm that good in older women with heart disease, and it also raises doubts about the safety of the antioxidant vitamins E and C"
  • How many international units of vitamin E are in the Gamma E Tocopherol/Tocotrienol product? - Life Extension Magazine, 11/02 - "The only form of vitamin E that has a standard conversion formula from milligrams to international units is alpha tocopherol. The other forms of vitamin E, beta, gamma and delta, do not have a conversion formula and are therefore listed in milligrams on the bottle ... The point to remember is to make sure that your daily total intake of vitamin E contains at least 20% gamma tocopherol. A study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (April 1997) suggests that it could be dangerous to take high doses of alpha tocopherol without also consuming gamma tocopherol"
  • Dietary Intake Of Vitamin E May Reduce Risk Of Parkinson's Disease - Intelihealth, 10/22/02 - maybe the reason supplements didn't work is because most supplements only have the alpha form, which has been shown to lower the gamma.
  • Antioxidants May Reduce Alzheimer's Disease Risk - Clinical Psychiatry News, 10/02 - "Use of vitamins E and C together—which is what most subjects did—was associated with an eightfold reduction in prevalence and a fivefold lower incidence of Alzheimer's disease"
  • More Antioxidants, Less Fat May Reduce Alzheimer's Risk - Clinical Psychiatry News, 10/02 - "Data are now strong enough to recommend a dietary strategy for reducing Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk that includes low fat intake and high consumption of fish and antioxidants, along with vitamin E, folic acid, and vitamins B6 and B12 supplements"
  • Newly Discovered Benefits of Gamma Tocopherol - Life Extension Magazine, 10/02 - "Since taking large doses of alpha tocopherol depletes plasma levels of gamma tocopherol, the health-conscious consumer who takes only alpha tocopherol supplements needs to seriously reconsider this practice ... Likewise, most vitamin E supplements provide only alpha tocopherol. New evidence strongly suggests that this is inadequate supplementation ... men with the highest plasma levels of gamma tocopherol (the top quintile) had only one-fifth the risk of prostate cancer compared with the men with the lowest plasma levels" - I still feel that taking only the alpha can do more harm than good.  Here's the referenced Am J Clin Nutr abstract:
    • gamma-tocopherol, the major form of vitamin E in the US diet, deserves more attention - Am J Clin Nutr 2001 Dec;74(6):714-22 - "Both gamma-tocopherol and gamma-CEHC, but not alpha-tocopherol, inhibit cyclooxygenase activity and, thus, possess antiinflammatory properties. Some human and animal studies indicate that plasma concentrations of gamma-tocopherol are inversely associated with the incidence of cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer. These distinguishing features of gamma-tocopherol and its metabolite suggest that gamma-tocopherol may contribute significantly to human health in ways not recognized previously. This possibility should be further evaluated, especially considering that high doses of alpha-tocopherol deplete plasma and tissue gamma-tocopherol, in contrast with supplementation with gamma-tocopherol, which increases both"
  • Vitamins C And E Support Breathing Following An Operation - Intelihealth, 9/12/02 - "Patients who have recently undergone an operation experience less breathing problems after being given a cocktail of vitamins C and E"
  • Vitamin E Is Important For Early Prevention Of Cardiovascular Disease In Middle-Aged Women - Intelihealth, 8/23/02 - "Low intakes of vitamin E were significantly associated with plaques in the carotid bifurcations, which are the sites where most early atherosclerosis begins. Women with the lowest intakes and plasma concentrations of vitamin E were more than twice as likely to have this type of plaque"
  • Natural Remedies for Osteoarthritis: Now, More than Ever - New Hope Natural Media, 8/15/02 - "Other natural substances that have been reported to relieve the symptoms of OA include vitamin E (600 to 1,200 IU per day), Devil's claw, cat's claw and ginger root"
  • A Better Anti-Oxidant Formula? - Dr. Weil, 8/13/02
  • High Dose Vitamin E Appears to Reduce Alzheimer's Risk - Doctor's Guide, 7/24/02 - "An analysis of data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging suggests that vitamin E intake is associated with a statistically significant reduction in the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) ... People with the highest quartile of vitamin E intake, 46.5 mg, had a 26 percent reduction in risk for developing AD."
  • Vitamin E an Effective Treatment for Eczema - New Hope Natural Media, 7/11/02
  • Negative Results in Antioxidant-Heart Study Challenged: A Healthnotes Newswire Opinion - New Hope Natural Media, 7/11/02 - "Nutrients work in the body as a team, and all of them must be present in adequate amounts in order to promote good health. If magnesium, for example, were the weakest link in the nutritional chain, one would not expect antioxidants to do much good until the magnesium deficiency was corrected ... Rather than testing only one or a few nutrients at a time, researchers should use a supplement that contains all of the nutrients known to promote heart health" - Some of my concerns:  All the vitamin E studies I've read have only used the alpha tocopherol and taking only the alpha has been shown to significantly lower the gamma tocopherol.  I also feel that the studies using only beta carotene are pointless.  Beta carotene is just one of over 600 carotenoids and many researchers believe that taking mega doses of just one carotenoid can cause of deficiency of the others.
  • Link Found Between Vitamin E Intake and Immunoglobulin E In Treatment Of Atopic Dermatitis - Doctor's Guide, 5/31/02 - "Dietary vitamin E (VE) could be an excellent tool in treating atopic dermatitis"
  • Lipoprotein Alterations Impair Vitamin E In Patients With Parenchymal Liver Cirrhosis - Doctor's Guide, 5/21/02 - "Significant increases were seen in the plasma maximal oxidation rate in cirrhotic patients, which was inversely related to the serum concentration of vitamin E"
  • What's Wrong With Vitamin E? - Life Extension Magazine, 5/02 - "Most vitamin E supplements consist primarily of alpha tocopherol. Recent studies indicate that a lot more than alpha tocopherol is needed to protect against degenerative disease ... To obtain optimal health benefits from vitamin E, a mixture of tocopherols (alpha, beta, delta, and gamma) and tocotrienols (alpha, beta, delta, and gamma) are required ...In an animal model of aging, tocotrienols extended lifespan by 19% ... studies indicate that high dose alpha-tocopherol supplementation considerably decreases the absorption of gamma-tocopherol and reduces the effects of tocotrienols"
  • Does Vitamin E Prevent Breast Cancer? - Life Extension Magazine, 5/02 - "premenopausal women with a family history who consumed the highest quantity of vitamin E enjoyed a 43% reduction in breast cancer incidence compared to only a 16% risk reduction for women without a family history of breast cancer.[11] Based on this study, vitamin E appears to protect against genetic- predisposed breast cancer better than environmental-induced breast cancer. (Note that nutrients like indole-3-carbinol may specifically protect against environmental breast carcinogens.)"
  • Vitamin E Eases Aching Muscles - WebMD, 4/26/02
  • Vitamins Help After Heart Transplant - WebMD, 3/28/02 - "The plaque-fighting benefits of the antioxidant supplements were even greater than those found using statin medications, which have already been shown to slow hardening of the arteries after transplants. Previous research has shown that antioxidants, such as vitamin C and E, can promote heart health by reducing blood clots and keeping the blood vessels flexible"
  • Few Vitamins Effectively Prevent or Reverse Skin Damage - Medscape, 3/02 - "New laboratory studies suggest vitamin E helps inactivate free radicals, making them less likely to cause damage"
  • How Vitamin E Works - Nutrition Science News, 12/01
  • Antioxidants, At Certain Levels, May Reduce Blood Pressure - Doctor's Guide, 11/14/01 - "increasing levels of serum beta- carotene were associated with significant reductions in systolic blood pressure, while increasing levels of serum vitamin C were associated with significant reductions in diastolic pressure ... In contrast, serum levels of vitamin E were associated with significant increases in diastolic blood pressure"
  • Everbody's Getting Alzheimer's, Decline Can Happen Fast in Those Over 65 - WebMD, 11/12/01 - "We know that dementia is extremely common, especially as we age ... He recommends 800IU twice a day for people who are already have dementia; for older people at risk, 400IU twice a day. Younger people and people at low risk are advised to take 400 IU once a day"
  • The Wizard is Oz - Life Extension Magazine, 11/01 - "Best-selling author and nutritional guru to the rich and famous, Oz Garcia is singing the praises of the Life Extension Foundation and its products in his newest book, The Healthy High Tech Body, published in September 2001 ... Supplements at the top of Garcia's list of recommendations ... DHA ... NADH ... Alpah Lipoic Acid ... Acetyl-L-Carnitine ... An expanded list of his recommendations includes lycopene, gamma tocopherol, vinpocetine, SAMe, folic acid, carnosine, glutathione, DMAE, Huperzine A, probiotics, MSM, secretagogues, arginine pyroglutamate, IP-6, bioflavonoid formulas and grape skin/seed extracts"
  • Vitamin E Prevents - Nutrition Science News, 11/01
  • Zinc, Antioxidants Prevent Some Forms of Vision Loss - WebMD, 10/12/01 - "people at risk of losing more sight due to a condition called "age-related macular degeneration" (AMD) could prevent further vision loss by taking a combination of zinc and antioxidants, including vitamins C and E and beta-carotene ... The antioxidants were taken once a day at a dose of 500 mg of vitamin C, 400 IU of vitamin E, and 15 mg of beta-carotene. Zinc was given as 80 mg of zinc oxide along with 2 mg of copper in the form of cupric oxide to prevent anemia, which can occur from too much zinc ... the high levels of dietary supplements that were taken in this study are very difficult to achieve from diet alone"
  • A Prescription for Alarm - Nutrition Science News, 9/01 - "Taking natural vitamin E supplements to reduce levels of C-reactive protein, an inflammatory compound that increases the risk of heart disease by 4.5 times.  Heart disease is increasingly viewed as a disease of blood-vessel inflammation"
  • Antioxidants Resolve Radiation Side Effects - Nutrition Science News, 9/01
  • Could Nicotinamide And Vitamin E Have Synergistic Effect And Reduce Insulin Usage? - Doctor's Guide, 7/11/01 - "The combination of nicotinamide and vitamin E might have a synergistic effect in lowering daily insulin usage among newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetics"
  • Vitamin E May Help Prevent Menopause Bone Loss - WebMD, 6/28/01 - "Treating these rats with vitamin E at a dose comparable to 400 IU in humans was just as good as estrogen treatment in restoring bone density and weight"
  • Newer Agents Offer Better Hot Flash Control In Breast Cancer Patients - Doctor's Guide, 4/4/01 - "If hot flashes are mild and/or the patient is risk averse, vitamin E (800 IU/day) is reasonable to try, because it is safe, inexpensive, and has some demonstrated efficacy"
  • The Prediabetic Epidemic - Nutrition Science News, 3/01 - "Supplements to Regulate Glucose and Insulin ... Alpha-Lipoic Acid ... Vitamin E ... A British study of 2,000 subjects with carefully diagnosed heart disease found that people taking 400­800 IU natural vitamin E daily for an average of 18 months had a 77 percent lower prevalence of heart attacks, compared with people taking placebos ... Vitamin C ... Chromium ... Silymarin" - (I assume that the natural form includes gamma tocopheryls whereas most US studies I have read use only the alpha, which has been shown to lower gamma.  That's why I feel there is conflicting studies with vitamin E. - Ben)
  • Vitamin E 2000 - Nutrition Science News, 3/01
  • High-Dose Vitamin E May Help Hearts -  WebMD, 3/1/01 - "Rimm led a study of vitamin E supplements (100 IU/day) in 38,884 men aged 40-75 without heart disease. Those who received vitamin E had a 25% reduction in risk of heart disease."
  • Cardiologists Take Vitamin E and Recommend it to Their Patients - Council for Responsible Nutrition, 1/31/01
  • Antioxidant Vitamins Block Homocysteine's Acute Toxic Effects - Nutrition Science News, 12/00
  • Vitamins C and E May Reduce Risk, Complications of Diabetes - WebMD, 11/15/00
  • Vitamin E Supplements May Help Prevent Stroke In Men With Hypertension - Doctor's Guide, 11/6/00
  • Vitamin E Reduces Levels Of Protein That Predicts Heart Disease - Doctor's Guide, 10/24/00
  • Combining alpha- and gamma-tocopherol for maximum antioxidant effect - Life Extension Magazine, 10/00
  • Diabetic Kids May Benefit From Daily Vitamin E - WebMD, 9/26/00
  • E Gets an 'A' at Lowering Risk of Diabetes Complications - WebMD, 7/11/00
  • Vitamin E Works As Anti-Inflammatory Agent In Type II Diabetes - Doctor's Guide, 7/10/00 - "A high intake of vitamin E can help reduce heart disease and stroke risk in type II diabetics"
  • Fat-Soluble Vitamin Absorption Not Threatened by Fat Cutbacks - WebMD, 5/19/00
  • Vitamin E May Prevent Narrowing of the Arteries - Medscape, 4/19/00
  • Some Drugs May Protect Against Alzheimer's, Others Might Increase Risk - Doctor's Guide, 4/12/00
  • Diet May Prevent Alzheimer's Disease - Doctor's Guide, 4/9/00
  • Contradictory reports on vitamin E raise questions - CNN, 3/29/00
  • Americans Need E - Nutrition Science News, 1/00
  • Cocktails & Vitamin E Improve Memory - Nutrition Science News, 11/99
  • Vitamin E May Lower Cancer Risk - Intelihealth, 10/19/99
  • Essential Nutrients for Endurance Athletes - Nutrition Science News, 5/99
  • Vitamin E may reduce risk of stroke - CNN, 4/21/99
  • Vitamins May Reduce Stroke Risk - Doctor's Guide, 4/20/99
  • Brain Blood Flow, Alzheimer Linked - Intelihealth, 1/26/99
  • Understanding E - Nutrition Science News, 1/99
  • Vitamin E: Weighing the Tocopherols - Nutrition Science News, 1/99
  • Natural Vitamin E The Supplement Of Choice For Pregnant Women - Doctor's Guide, 3/24/98
  • Vitamin E May Prevent Prostate Cancer - Doctor's Guide, 3/18/98 - "long-term use of a moderate-dose vitamin E supplement substantially reduced prostate cancer incidence and deaths in male smokers"
  • Study: Vitamin E reduces prostate cancer risk, deaths - CNN, 3/17/98
  • Vitamin E May Reduce Smoking Damage In Pregnant Women - Doctor's Guide, 2/5/98
  • Vitamins C And E Temporarily Block Some Harmful Effects Of High-Fat Meal - Doctor's Guide, 11/25/97
  • Vitamin E May Enhance Effectiveness Of Colorectal Cancer Drug - Doctor's Guide, 11/20/97
  • Vitamin Supplements May Reduce Colon Cancer Risk - Doctor's Guide, 11/6/97
  • Vitamin E May Prevent Colon Cancer - Doctor's Guide, 11/5/97
  • Antioxidant Vitamins May Improve Cardiac Patient Outcomes - Doctor's Guide, 6/3/97
  • Military Program Proposes Saving Money Through Vitamin Supplementation - Doctor's Guide, 5/22/97 - "A new report by the National Defense Council Foundation finds that the federal government could save up to $6.3 billion annually by increasing the health of active and retired military personnel through a anti-aging program that includes the use of vitamin supplementation"
  • Vitamin E Supplements Provide Some Benefit To Immune System In Elderly - Doctor's Guide, 5/7/97
  • Report: Vitamin E, Parkinson's drug slow Alzheimer's disease - CNN, 4/23/97
  • Studies Indicate Vitamin E May Slow Aging - Doctor's Guide, 3/5/97
  • Vitamin E Protects Against Heart Attacks, Reports Study - Doctor's Guide, 1/29/97

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