Vitamin E, Genetics, and Inflammation

Vitamin E is an antioxidant often promoted as a supplement that prevents cardiovascular disease and the oxidation of LDL cholesterol. It is an essential nutrient found in various foods, including wheat germ, almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, and peanut butter.

Vitamin E as a supplement

The RDA for adults is 15 mg/day (22.4 IU/day), and the tolerable upper limit is 1,00 mg (1,500 IU). This vitamin has several drug interaction warnings, including antidepressants and blood thinners. Check on drug interactions if you are taking a medication daily.

There are two forms of Vitamin E: tocopherol and tocotrienol. Those forms are subdivided into alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-. Alpha-tocopherol is the only one that is known to be necessary for people. It is the most common form to find in supplements and enriched foods.

Heart Disease and Vitamin E:

A headline-grabbing study in 1993 of 90,000 nurses found that those who supplemented with Vitamin E had fewer incidences of cardiovascular disease. Since then, large clinical trials haven’t upheld the idea that Vitamin E prevents cardiovascular disease.

In fact, two studies, HOPE and HOPE TOO, actually found that in a randomized controlled trial of over 10,000 people, supplementing with Vitamin E did not lower the risk of heart disease. There was actually a slight increase in mortality due to heart problems in those who supplemented with Vitamin E vs. placebo.

One possible reason for the inconclusive studies is genetic variations. A more recent study showed that indeed there is a genetic component to whether a person benefits from supplementing with Vitamin E.

Conclusion:

In summary, for some people, vitamin E supplementation may be beneficial, but for others, there may be no benefit or even possible detrimental effects. One-size fits all recommendations don’t work here.

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