Vitamin e: heart protection

Large doses of vitamin E can protect men and women against heart disease, according to two major American studies.

In one study researchers from Harvard Medical School studied more than 80,000 women aged 34 to 59 over eight years; in the second, they looked at nearly 40,000 men aged between 40 to 75 over four years.

The respective conclusions of the two studies were: "Among middle age women, the use of vitamin E supplements is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease;" and: "After controlling for age and several coronary risk factors, we observed a lower risk of coronary heart disease among men with higher intakes of vitamin E."

They found that vitamin E afforded most protection if taken in large doses over long periods at least two years. "Within the range of vitamin E intakes afforded by natural foodstuffs, even when supplemented by multivitamins at usual doses, there was little or no protective effect."