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Vitamin E Seen as Preventing Early Artery Damage; Women May Need
More Vitamin E Than Men
Washington
DC, 25 October 2002
New
research at two leading institutions -- Johns Hopkins in Baltimore
and the University of California at Berkeley -- has found that Vitamin
E helps prevent oxidation leading to early artery damage, and that
women may need higher amounts of antioxidant vitamins than men to
counter oxidation.
Cornell
University's "Food and Fitness Advisor," a publication of Weill
Medical College that is designed to "help women live healthier,
more active lives," reports in the coming November issue on the
studies.
At
Johns Hopkins, researchers conducting a clinical trial found that
Vitamin E and Vitamin C, both known as effective antioxidants, appear
to prevent early artery damage -- when taken separately, but not
together.
[Editor's
note: The abstract of this research indicates that when vitamins
E and C are taken together, there is no synergistic increase in
benefits. However, taking both vitamins together does provide the
same level of benefits associated with each vitamin alone.]
The
two-month trial involved 184 non-smoking adults who were middle-aged
or older. Four daily regimens were tested: 400 international units
(IU) of Vitamin E alone, 500 milligrams a day of Vitamin C alone,
both vitamins taken together, and a placebo pill.
Both
Vitamin E and Vitamin C reduced oxidation of blood fats, which can
play a key role in early formation of plaque that clogs arteries.
Results
of the trial have been published in the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition (see citation in sources, below). The researchers
noted that food intake alone doesn't provide the necessary level
of Vitamin E, a finding of many previous studies recommending additional
Vitamin E in supplement form.
At
the University of California at Berkeley, preliminary research has
found that women may experience more oxidation than men, leading
to suggestions that women may need higher amounts of antioxidant
vitamins such as Vitamin E to fight off the damaging oxidation.
Sources
Han-Yao
Huang, Lawrence J Appel, Kevin D Croft, Edgar R Miller, III, Trevor
A Mori and Ian B Puddey. Abstract of " Effects of vitamin C and
vitamin E on in vivo lipid peroxidation: results of a randomized
controlled trial." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
Vol. 76, No. 3, 549-555, September 2002.
Foods
for the Future, via PR Newswire.
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