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Nutrition & Diet News| Staff Reporter | August
24, 2006
Vitamin E: No disease prevention benefit, possible
risks
(Dubai Health & News) More is not
necessarily better when it comes to vitamin E, according to a recent
issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource, a publication of the Mayo
Clinic.
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that
protects body tissue from damage caused by unstable substances called
free radicals. Free radicals can harm cells, tissues and organs, and
they are believed to be one cause of the degenerative processes seen in
aging.
For years this popular antioxidant was
thought to offer protection against heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's
disease and cataracts. But in more recent clinical trials, the strongest
form of scientific proof, researchers were unable to show that vitamin E
offers a clear benefit in terms of disease prevention. A recent analysis
of 19 clinical trials suggests that too much of the vitamin - 400
international units (IU) or more - may actually increase health risks.
But all the answers aren't in yet.
Several studies are in progress to see if low levels of vitamin E may
offer some protection against illness. In the meantime, it's best to get
most of your vitamin E from dietary sources. Options include almonds,
sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, tomato sauce,
peanuts, mangos, spinach, kiwi and broccoli. If you decide to take a
supplement, don't take more than 400 IU daily unless directed by your
doctor.
Source: Mayo Clinic
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