Nutrition

  1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Nutrition

Vitamin E Controversy - Cause or Correlation?

The Safety 0f Vitamin E is Questioned

By Shereen Jegtvig, About.com

Updated: April 10, 2007

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

How Much Vitamin E is Safe

The study claims to find a relative risk of 1.05. A relative risk of 1.05 is not really significant for an association between death of any kind and high dose vitamin E consumption, since a relative risk of 1.0 is neutral. Due to the conditions of this study, warnings that claim vitamin E consumption is a danger are premature and the slight risk noted may be due to some of the problems noted. Patients currently undertaking high dose vitamin E therapy need not panic, however it is understandable that these people might like to discuss their current therapy with their doctor or nutritionist. Most nutrition experts agree that taking vitamin E supplements is safe.

Vitamin E may be deficient in some diets, especially very low fat diets. If you want to take supplemental vitamin E each day to help maintain your good health, it is perfectly safe and beneficial to do so; just be sure to follow label instructions.

If you are considering taking higher doses of vitamin E for therapeutic benefit, consult a health professional first to discuss your health conditions, the possible side effects of vitamin E, and to help determine a dosage of vitamin E that will work best for you.

Sources:

Miller ER 3rd, Pastor-Barriuso R, Dalal D, Riemersma RA, Appel LJ, Guallar E. "Meta-Analysis: High-Dosage Vitamin E Supplementation May Increase All-Cause Mortality." Ann Intern Med. 2004 Nov 10.

Traber, Maret G. "Which Form of Vitamin E, Alpha- or Gamma-Tocopherol, is Better?" Linus Pauling Institute Report.

Cathcart, III, M.D, Robert F. "Vitamin E and Leg Cramps." JAMA, Jan. 10, 1972, Vol. 219, No. 2.

Aslam A, Misbah SA, Talbot K, Chapel H. "Vitamin E deficiency induced neurological disease in common variable immunodeficiency: two cases and a review of the literature of vitamin E deficiency." Clin Immunol. 2004 Jul;112(1):24-9.

Gray SL, Hanlon JT, Fillenbaum GG, Wall WE Jr, Bales. "Predictors of nutritional supplement use by the elderly." Pharmacotherapy. 1996 Jul-Aug;16(4):715-20.

Stampfer MJ, Hennekens CH, Manson JE, Colditz GA, Rosner B, Willett WC. "Vitamin E consumption and the risk of coronary disease in women." N Engl J Med. 1993 May 20;328(20):1444-9.

Rimm EB, Stampfer MJ, Ascherio A, Giovannucci E, Colditz GA, Willett WC. "Vitamin E consumption and the risk of coronary heart disease in men. "N Engl J Med. 1993 May 20;328(20):1450-6.

Vitamin E Position Statement, Council for Responsible Nutrition, November 19, 2002.

Kofman OS, Shoulson I. "Protective Effect or Symptomatic Effect of Deprenyl?" N Engl J Med 1993; 328:1715, Jun 10, 1993.

Explore Nutrition

About.com Special Features

We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.

Nutrition

  1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Nutrition
  4. Take Your Vitamins
  5. Vitamin E Danger - Is Vitamin E Safe or is There Danger in Taking Vitamin E

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.