Vitamin E – Less is More

Essential nutrients are deemed so because we need to get certain minimal amounts of these substances on a regular basis in order to be vigorous and healthy. But just because a little is good, doesn’t necessary mean that a lot is better.

The latest vitamin to flame out in a large randomized trial was vitamin E. As an essential nutrient, and antioxidant, that promotes heart and cell health, when used in low doses, a large trial found a very small, but statistically significant increased risk of prostate cancer in men who took a 400 IU vitamin E daily for 7 years.

While the study was well conducted, this prostate cancer finding was used via a reductionist approach, meaning researchers made this conclusion purely from vitamin E and its reaction with the body. When researchers combined vitamin E with selenium, the risk was reduced to a non-significant level. As a typical composite in multivitamins which include a cohort of supporting nutrients such as vitamin A, D, B, C, folic acid, zinc and more, isolating vitamin E may not be the most appropriate way to study its effects. Vitamin E reacts with other compounds producing effects dissimilar to how it singularly reacts with the body.

Although a separate supplement of vitamin E is not a good idea, the modest vitamin E amount of about 75 IU or less found in multivitamins appear to be harmless and might even provide some benefits for individuals who are not eating an ideal diet.

In most of the largest and best done trials, mega-dose vitamins in healthy populations tend to not be beneficial to health and longevity, and in some instances, may even cause harm. But here’s a key point to understand: supplementing with an essential nutrient to increase an already normal level to a super-normal (very high) level generally doesn’t provide health benefits.  On the other hand, taking a supplement to bring an abnormally low level of an essential nutrient, such as omega-3 fats or vitamin D – which most Americans are deficient in, into a normal range typically provides wide-ranging and powerful benefits to health and longevity.

I recommend that you get at least 33IU of vitamin E daily, if possible through nuts, extra virgin olive oil, avocados,  1,000 mg daily of DHA and EPA (the 2 most important omega-3 fats), and at least 2,000 IU daily of vitamin D3.

In Good Health,

James O’Keefe, MD

For additional information on health supplements, see cardiotabs.com.

Photo credit: cosmo flash

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