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Health News Archive 156 - Cardiac Related Mortality
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Vitamin E Decreases Risk of Cardiac-Related Mortality in Women

Vitamin E decreased the risk of cardiovascular disease-related death among healthy women in the Women's Health Trial, a long-term study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Researchers conducted the study between 1992 and 2004 on 39,876 seemingly healthy U.S. women aged 45 years or older. Using a 2 x 2 factorial design, study participants were randomized to receive 600 IU of vitamin E (provided by the Natural Source Vitamin E Association) or placebo and aspirin or placebo on alternate days, and were monitored for major cardiovascular events (including nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke or cardiovascular death) as well as total invasive cancer for an average of 10.1 years.

The researchers recorded 482 and 517 major cardiovascular events in the vitamin E group and the placebo group, respectively, representing an insignificant, 7-percent reduction in the risk of major cardiovascular events among those supplemented with vitamin E. However, there was a significant, 24-percent reduction in cardiovascular death among individuals supplemented with vitamin E. The incidences of myocardial infarction, stroke and ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, total cancer, deaths from cancer and total mortality did not differ between groups.

The researchers concluded the data indicated 600 IU of natural-source vitamin E taken every other day provided no significant benefit for major cardiovascular events or cancer and did not affect total mortality, but decreased cardiovascular mortality in healthy women.

Source: JAMA. 294, 1:56-65, 2005

Related study:

• Higher Serum Vitamin E Levels Lower Mortality Risk NEW