Vitamin E Gains Super Vitamin Status in Press Reports
Your patients may have heard much about the potential antioxidant effects of vitamin E and perhaps have heard that it can prevent coronary disease. Here is what the media have said:Harvard Heart Letter, in its August 1997 issue, notes that vitamin E has moved into a "gray zone" where many physicians are already prescribing it for patients because of its antioxidant effect. The authors note, however, that evidence for vitamin E use is mixed, and the definitive study has yet to be done. Despite that, members of the board thought it was important for readers to know that the case for taking vitamin E in dosages of 200-800 mg/d is strong and getting stronger.
Consumer Reports, in its March 1997 issue, also noted the lack of conclusive studies but still recommended that readers consider daily vitamin E supplementation of 100-400 IU as a safe option to help prevent coronary heart disease.
In its July 1997 issue, Runner’s World touted vitamin E as a way to reduce heart disease risk. The editors note, however, that getting sufficient amounts of the antioxidant through food is impractical and advised readers to supplement with about 400 IU daily to get enough vitamin E for cardioprotective effects.
The trade journal Prepared Foods, in its July 1997 issue, gave a different spin on vitamin E by noting that almonds are good sources of the vitamin. The magazine went on to explain how the Almond Board of California was promoting almonds as a healthy source of vitamin E while also touting the almond’s fat as being the "safer" monosaturated kind.
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