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Vitamin E Supplements Might Increase Heart Failure Risks Forcertain Patients

Posted on: Wednesday, 16 March 2005, 09:00 CST

Vitamin E supplements might increase heart failure risks for certain patients

WASHINGTON, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Daily Vitamin E supplements do not protect older people with vascular disease or diabetes from cancer, strokes or heart attacks, and might increase their risk of heart failure, showed a study on Tuesday.

"In conjunction with its lack of efficacy, the potential for harm suggested by our findings strongly supports the view that vitamin E supplements should not be used in patients with vascular disease or diabetes mellitus," said the study conducted by Canada' s McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences Corp.

The study involved about 7,000 patients with diabetes or cardiovascular disease other than heart failure.

Patients age 55 and older who were given about 400 international units of vitamin E daily -- a standard dosage-- for about seven years on average were 13 percent more likely to develop heart failure than the placebo group.

The vitamin "had no clear impact on fatal and nonfatal cancers, major cardiovascular events or deaths," the study said.

The study, published in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association, is the latest to add to a growing body of evidence that suggests harm to health rather than benefit from vitamin E supplements, which millions of people take.

A study presented at an American Heart Association conference in November found that people taking high doses were 10 percent more likely to die of any cause than those taking smaller amounts.

Source: Xinhua News Agency - CEIS

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