Vitamin E in Heart Disease

Numerous preliminary and observational studies have looked at the role and benefits of Vitamin E supplements in heart disease. Some previous studies, such as the Nurse Study in 1993 involving 90,000 nurses, associated Vitamin E supplements to lower rate of coronary heart disease by 30 - 40%. Another observational study in Finland involving over 5000 people also suggested that Vitamin E supplements was associated with lower death rate from heart disease.

Until recently, a few randomized clinical studies could not confirm the role of Vitamin E supplements in heart disease prevention. A large-scale trial The Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation (HOPE) Study followed 95,000 patients for 4.5 years who were at high risk for heart attack or stroke. In this clinical trial, patients who received 400 IU of vitamin E daily did not experience significantly fewer cardiovascular events or hospitalizations for heart failure or chest pain when compared to those who received the placebo.

Johns Hopkins University also performed a meta-analysis of 19 clinical studies and they published their findings in January 2005. The result showed that a daily dose of 400 IU or more Vitamin E increased the risk of death from all cause.

In addition, the Women's Healthy Study published in July 2005 also showed that 600 IU of natural-source vitamin E also does little or nothing to prevent heart disease in healthy women