Too Much Vitamin E May Do Harm

Taking high doses of vitamin E may do more harm than good for your heart, according to researchers at Tel Aviv University.

Researcher Dr. Ilya Pinchuk said in a news release that a study found that some people are harmed, but others get benefits. The researchers are working to figure out who falls into which group.

But they found, in reviewing previous studies, that those who do not take a vitamin E supplements have more healthy years of life.

The researchers examined data from more than 300,000 subjects in the U.S., Europe and Israel. Overall, people on vitamin E ended up with four fewer healthy months in their lives.

"This, of course, does not mean that everybody consuming vitamin E shortens their life by almost four months. But on average, the quality-adjusted longevity is lower for vitamin-treated people. This says something significant," Pinchuk said.

The work conflicts with the idea that antioxidants can help prevent heart disease.

"We've now concluded that going to the grocery or to a health food store to buy vitamin E supplements, for the most part, won't do you good. In some cases it can do harm," Pinchuk said. "A doctor wouldn't prescribe anti-hypertension drugs to the whole population, only to those with low blood pressure. It seems this is true for antioxidants, too."