Study shows vitamin E has anti-inflammatory effect
Vitamin E reduces LDL cholesterol in diabetes
In the first demonstration ever that vitamin E may act as an anti-inflammatory agent, researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas have added significant information to the growing body of research on that vitamin.1
They found that patients with Type 2 diabetes with and without vascular complications had significantly reduced low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels when they took 1,200 IU of alpha-tocopherol (naturally derived vitamin E) for 12 weeks.
Perhaps even more significant, the study showed a 30% decrease in levels of soluble cell adhesion molecules, which are markers of inflammation, says lead author Sridevi Devaraj, PhD, assistant professor of pathology at the University of Texas-Dallas and associate director of the clinical chemistry laboratory and clinical nutrition fellow at the university.
"This is very significant and was somewhat unexpected," says Devaraj.
Even more interesting, she says, when patients were taken off the vitamin E supplementation for two months, their inflammatory markers returned to pre-study levels.
"The lipid soluble antioxidants just seemed to wash off," says Devaraj. "This means vitamin E needs to be taken on an ongoing basis to get the protective results."
An ongoing study at lower dosage levels with just 400 IU of vitamin E has not produced encouraging results, according to Devaraj.
An important adjunct therapy
The author’s advice to clinicians: "We already know that vitamin E supplementation decreases morbidity and mortality in patients with diabetes, so we think vitamin E is important as an adjunct to blood pressure medications, lipid lowering drugs, and weight loss.
"It could be a very important adjunctive therapy which is safe and will help in decreasing morbidity and mortality in patients at very high risk of heart disease," she adds.
Pending future investigation, Devaraj says her results present "very strong evidence for the anti-inflammatory role of alpha-tocopherol."
Previous research has well-established vitamin E as a strong antioxidant and anticoagulant.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has no recommendation whatsoever on vitamin supplementation, because diabetes educators and clinicians prefer for patients to obtain their nutritional needs from food sources, according to Marion Parrott, MD, the Alexandria, VA-based ADA’s director of clinical affairs. However, Parrott says Devaraj’s results are "interesting and bear further study."
While there is no recommendation on vitamin E supplementation from the ADA, Parrott says 1,200 IU of vitamin is "a little high since there have been no long-term studies on the safety of that dosage level."
Parrot expressed concern about the anticoagulant effects of such dosages on patients who are taking blood-thinning agents like warfarin. "Nevertheless, . . . this may be something we end up recommending after it has been further studied."
Reference
1. Devaraj S, Jialal I. Low-density lipoprotein postsecretory modification, monocyte function and circulating adhesion molecules in Type 2 diabetic patients with and without macrovascular complications. Circulation 2000; 102:191.
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