Damage From Vitamin E
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Date   : 23 Apr 97 07:41:40 EDT
>From  : Vincent Sawka <102641.14@CompuServe.COM>
Subject: Damage From Vitamin E
 
There have been a lot of things said about vitamin E recently but to my
knowledge, no one has mentioned a recent article in Science News.
 
The article which appeared in Science News on 3/1/97, page 135, was titled,
Vitamin E Helps, But Don't Overdose.  It described a study conducted at the
Rowett Research Institute in Aberdeen, Scotland which examined the efficacy
of vitamin E supplements.  The article did not describe which tocopherols 
were used but it's a safe bet they were the alpha type usually sold over 
the counter.  The following is a summary of the results which were reported
in the February American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: 
 
Forty male smokers and and equal number of nonsmokers took capsules contain-
ing 70, 140, 560, or 1,050 milligrams of vitamin E daily.  After 20 weeks,
the researchers sampled red blood cells from each man and incubated them for
1 hour with hydrogen peroxide, one of the body's natural free radicals. They
then measured the oxidation that had occured. 
 
Cells from men taking the three lower doses sustained far less damage from
free radicals than did cells from men not taking supplements.  All three 
lower doses provided comparable protection to nonsmokers and smokers alike.  
 
Too much vitamin E appeared to be detrimental. Among nonsmokers, the highest
dose supplementation did not offer protection. In fact, things appeared to 
go the other way.  The vitamin seemed to foster the production of free 
radicals.  Blood cells from heavily supplemented smokers didn't show the 
same effect, presumably because excess vitamin was being used up detoxifying
radicals generated by smoking.
 
{end of summary}
 
I wrote to the editors of Science News who informed me that for the partic-
ular tocopherals used in the study (type not named), 280 milligrams converts
into 400 IU's.  Using this conversion factor, the dosages of 70, 140, 560, 
or 1,050 milligrams convert into 100, 200, 800, and 1500 IU respectively.  
 
I took 2400 IU of vitamin E per day (the MDA's recommendation) for many 
months.  I then switched to 4800 IU for several months.  I developed severe
headaches that would occur shortly after the dosing and which disappeared 
when I quit taking the vitamin. I avoided it for several weeks and then 
resumed at 800 IU per day without problems.  It doesn't prove cause and 
effect but it was my experience and I would like to share it.  
 
I do not wish to become involved in any debates about vitamins.  I am just 
a PALS trying to pass on a bit of real science on a subject of great interest
to many others.  I think we all should think twice before gobbling any 
vitamins in large doses.  Not that it's wrong, it just isn't necessarily 
right.
 
Vincent Sawka    Fredonia, NY