| Recently the news carried the story that a | | | | of vitamin E. Vitamin E is a mixture of tocopherols: |
| researcher had discovered that taking vitamin E at a | | | | alpha, beta, gamma and delta. But only alpha- |
| level of 400IU or more increases the risk of death. | | | | tocopheral was used. Not only that, but the synthetic |
| (Jan 2005, Annals of Internal Medicine I was | | | | isomeric form, D, L-alpha tocopherol was used in |
| immediately suspicious because I have studied the | | | | many of the studies. Natural vitamin E exists in only |
| scientific literature on vitamin E for over two decades | | | | the D isomeric form. The synthetic L form is not |
| and have come to the exact opposite conclusion. | | | | produced in nature and may even interfere with the |
| Hundreds of studies have shown the beneficial | | | | benefits of the natural D form. |
| effects of vitamin E on numerous modern diseases | | | | The gamma-tocopherol has many proven |
| including cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's, | | | | life-lengthening and disease preventing benefits but |
| claudication, arthritis, fibrocystic breast disease, | | | | when high levels of alpha-tocopherol are consumed |
| epilepsy, infertility, intelligence…you name it. | | | | these benefits may be cancelled by a kind of |
| This evidence comes from carefully controlled clinical | | | | biochemical interference. Therefore, whatever |
| trials and meta-nalyses and is published in | | | | gamma-tocopherol was being consumed in the diet |
| peer-reviewed publications. So what gives with this | | | | may have been cancelled out by the supplements in |
| new "scoop?" Why did it receive the headlines while | | | | the study. |
| all the other studies aren't? | | | | When one is done looking at the details behind the |
| Actually this new information is not new at all. The | | | | headlines there remains no basis for suggesting that |
| researcher merely investigated mortality statistics | | | | high levels of natural vitamin E are dangerous, but |
| from existing studies and came to a conclusion that | | | | rather, when considering the entire body of scientific |
| people should not take 400IUs of vitamin E (exactly | | | | evidence, there is significant reason for believing |
| what I have been taking for years and | | | | exactly the opposite! So much for headlines. |
| recommending to others) or they may die. In effect | | | | Perhaps more important than the misleading nature |
| he wrote an editorial on other people's work. That is | | | | of the story is the reason why it would receive top |
| not science. | | | | billing. News organizations seem to be fiendishly |
| Although the writer conceded his conclusions may | | | | rubbing their hands together just waiting for any little |
| only apply to those who are already seriously ill and | | | | tidbit that could debunk the value of supplements or |
| not to healthy people, that is the only balance given | | | | a natural approach to health. (They receive huge |
| in the article. He examined 19 different vitamin E | | | | advertising dollars from the pharmaceutical and other |
| studies performed by others including almost 140,000 | | | | medical industries.) Of course the medical community |
| people. Surely it would seem statistical meaning would | | | | is right there ready to pile on as well. They have a |
| emerge out of that. But as science (and life) always | | | | vested interest in maintaining the popular mindset |
| goes, the truth is in the details…details too | | | | that disease is just one of those things that happen, |
| often left out. | | | | that people are victims of disease, and doctors are |
| For example in one of the 19 studies, large doses of | | | | needed for repair. The notion that supplements, food, |
| zinc were also given and this can create a copper | | | | and lifestyle can prevent or cure disease threatens |
| deficiency which can lead to heart and other | | | | their grip and profitability. |
| diseases. Although a copper supplement was given, it | | | | Never mind that modern health care is the greatest |
| was in the form of cupric oxide, which is poorly | | | | threat to life and health, killing more people than any |
| absorbed in the gut. | | | | other cause. |
| In another of the studies the group being given the | | | | Wysong e-Health Letter: June 19, 2002 |
| vitamin E were much sicker to begin with, including | | | | That's not worthy of news, but scaring people away |
| larger numbers of smokers and higher numbers of | | | | from supplements based upon a flawed study is. We |
| those with coronary artery disease and high blood | | | | do not live in a rational world. |
| pressure. Of course there will be greater mortality in | | | | Is vitamin E supplementation necessary? No, not if |
| such a group, but it would have nothing to do with | | | | you are eating a varied diet of raw, organic, natural |
| the vitamin E they were taking. | | | | foods, living out of doors, exercising daily and are not |
| Another study was skewed by the fact that | | | | subject to any workplace or other environmental |
| participants were also taking a synthetic form of | | | | pollutants. If that is not how you are living, then |
| beta-carotene, which has been linked to increased | | | | 400IU of a natural vitamin E tocopherol mix is a very |
| lung cancer and liver damage. You can't give vitamin E | | | | good idea. It is logical since it replaces what would be |
| and synthetic beta-carotene to a group and blame | | | | present in a natural raw diet and helps offset modern |
| mortality on vitamin E! | | | | toxins, pollutants and stresses. It is also supported by |
| Finally, not one of the studies used the natural form | | | | a mountain of good scientific research. |