Cardiologists Take Vitamin E
and Recommend it to Their Patients

Washington, DC, March 5, 2001 (revised version of 01/31/01 release)—A new survey of more than 300 cardiologists shows that many cardiologists take vitamin E supplements themselves and also recommend vitamin E supplements to their patients. The amount of vitamin E most commonly used or recommended is 400 International Units (IU).

The survey found that three-fourths (75%) of cardiologists recommend vitamin E to their patients at least some of the time, with 37% of cardiologists recommending vitamin E "often" or "usually." When vitamin E is recommended, the amount suggested is generally 400 IU, but 16% of the physicians said they recommend 800 IU. About half of the cardiologists surveyed (48%) said they personally use vitamin E supplements. The amount of vitamin E used is most often 400 IU, but 13% said they use 800 IU.

This survey shows that cardiologists are much more likely than the average American to be taking vitamin E to protect the heart, presumably because cardiologists are more aware of the scientific evidence. A recent survey by the Hartman Group showed that 19% of American adults used a single-nutrient vitamin E supplement. In comparison, the prevalence of vitamin E supplementation among cardiologists is two-and-a-half times as high (48%).

"The hypothesis that antioxidants such as vitamin E inhibit the atherosclerotic process remains valid," said Michael Davidson, M.D., Director of Preventive Cardiology at Rush Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical School in Chicago and President of the Chicago Center for Clinical Research (312-494-2221, mdavidson@protocare.com). "It makes sense to follow the example of cardiologists who are choosing to protect themselves and their patients now, while monitoring the results of new research as it emerges."

Dr. William A Pryor, an expert in the field of antioxidant research, recently concluded that "there is now sufficient evidence to recommend modest vitamin E supplementation (100 to 400 IU per day) as part of a general program of heart-healthy behavior that includes a fruit- and vegetable-rich diet and regular exercise." (Free Rad Biol & Med 2000;28:141-164) In his extensive article, Dr. Pryor reviews and critiques all the available evidence on vitamin E and heart disease, including animal and laboratory studies as well as epidemiological data and several large clinical trials. Eleven additional clinical trials are currently in progress, involving more than 100,000 study participants. Dr. Pryor emphasizes that vitamin E "is established as safe" at the levels being used in the clinical trials, ranging from 100 to 800 IU per day. He notes that, in addition to its heart-healthy effects, vitamin E also improves the immune function and provides protection against some other diseases, such as prostate cancer.

A report on dietary reference intakes for the antioxidant vitamins, released in 2000 by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, highlighted promising research on vitamin E and heart disease but did not establish target intakes for prevention of heart disease. The report acknowledged that current research on the prevention of heart disease is heavily focused on preventing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol. The report concluded that vitamin E does in fact inhibit LDL oxidation and could also affect the risk of heart disease in other ways, including effects on platelet aggregation, blood clotting, and the characteristics of smooth muscle cells. The report called for further research. On the issue of safety, the Food and Nutrition Board report said supplemental vitamin E is safe for use by adults at levels up to 1000 mg per day.

The Food and Nutrition Board report indicated that the maximum degree of protection against LDL oxidation requires dosages of vitamin E greater than 200 IU per day. These amounts cannot feasibly be obtained from conventional foods, but can only realistically be obtained from dietary supplements. For example, it would take 7 cups of peanuts or 19 cups of spinach to provide just 100 IU of vitamin E, and munching on peanuts delivers 166 calories per ounce, according to a database compiled by the Department of Agriculture. In contrast, a single soft gelatin capsule can provide 400 IU of vitamin E in an economical, safe, easy-to-use, low-calorie form.

The survey on vitamin E use among cardiologists was commissioned by the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), a trade association representing more than 110 companies in the dietary supplement industry, and was conducted by Psymed, Inc., a marketing research firm based in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.