Vitamin E

[plumbago]

My doctor recommended vitamin E to me yesterday. 800 IUs. I came back, and googled, and came across a CBS article saying to stay away from Vitamin E because it can lead to something called increased death. Great. So obviously I'm not rushing out any time soon. But I just wanted to know if people on here have heard about those studies and what you all think about them? And also does anyone know of a gluten-free vitamin E, if I ever do decide to take it?

Plumbago

[amymarihof]

My doctor recommended vitamin E to me yesterday. 800 IUs. I came back, and googled, and came across a CBS article saying to stay away from Vitamin E because it can lead to something called increased death. Great. So obviously I'm not rushing out any time soon. But I just wanted to know if people on here have heard about those studies and what you all think about them? And also does anyone know of a gluten-free vitamin E, if I ever do decide to take it?

Plumbago

I heard about this study. Check out this web page for more accurate info on Vit E. Shaklee's Vitamin E Complex is gluten free. I use it every day. Safe, effective, backed with lots of science and clinical studies. Been using it for over 15 years. Couldn't be happier with the results!

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[Nurse Belly Blues]

Most problems with supplements, especially fat soluable ones like vitamin E are caused by overuse. People think, if a little is good, more is better. If you take the recommended dosage, FDA approved things are generally safe.

[YoloGx]

If you are concerned, take 400 IU's rather than 800. That is what I do. And do make sure it is gluten-free!

Its true your doc might not be aware of the new studies which show one should exercise caution taking a lot of vitamin E. However 400 IU's is completely safe. Even the dose of 800 IU's is not all bad for many, since the risk of any possible negative effect is very low (I think 1.5%? with 1.0 being Neutral). However, if you are still worried, just go off it for a day or two now and then so it won't build up in your system--and take the lower dose.

I take it since it appears I have too low a level of Vitamin E otherwise. I am allergic to all nuts for instance so its hard for me to get it naturally from a a dietary source. For years I avoided taking vitamin E due to it having been difficult to get gluten free vitamin E. However now it is not that difficult. I usually use the NOW brand since they tend to be cost effective and gluten free.

The benefits far outweigh any possible worries one might have. Basically, just use common sense by not overdoing it, and it should turn out fine.

Bea

[plumbago]

Thanks everyone for responding.

This is what I have found from the UC Berkeley Wellness Newsletter:

Vitamin E

This fat-soluble vitamin discovered at UC Berkeley more than 80 years ago has been a star among nutrients for at least 25 years. Vitamin E is an important antioxidant that exists in several forms, the most potent of which is alpha tocopherol, the form usually found in Vitamin E supplements. Like other antioxidants, Vitamin E protects cells against the effects of free radicals, which are potentially damaging by-products of life processes. Free radicals can damage cells and may contribute to the development of heart disease and cancer. Vitamin E may play a role in immune function. The RDA for vitamin E is just 15 milligrams (about 23 IU) a day. The upper limit is 1,000 milligrams (about 1,500 IU) a day.

In 1994, reacting to promising research, the Wellness Letter began recommending vitamin E supplements as a possible way to reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and other disorders. After reviewing subsequent clinical trials that had yielded disappointing or conflicting results, we softened our endorsement of vitamin E supplements. In 2004 a much-publicized meta-analysis from Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions concluded that high doses of vitamin E (more than 400 IU a day) taken long term may slightly increase the overall risk of dying