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Vitamin E Controversy - Cause or Correlation?

By , About.com Guide

Updated September 14, 2011

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How Much Vitamin E is Safe?

The study claims to find a relative risk of 1.05. A relative risk of 1.05 is barely 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.

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:

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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