| The
makers of a new Vitamin E antioxidant supplement claims it is 20
times more powerful than existing vitamin E products in protecting
the heart. But not all researchers are convinced of the vitamin's
benefits. Phoenix- based Bionutrics Inc. said its Vitenol E 20/20
contains all eight standard isomers of vitamin E together with phytosterols,
which are not found in standard vitamin E supplements. The compound
product is based on tocotrienol, one of several fractions of the
vitamin. But Jeffrey Blumberg, chief of the antioxidant research
laboratory at Boston's Tufts University, said the evidence does
not currently support any additional benefit of compound vitamin
E over the single isomer, called alpha-tocopherol. We know now that
humans only use one isomer, and any product that boasts of multiple
vitamin E isomers is ignoring the science, he said. And Blumberg
added that he does not trust comparison ranking of vitamins, and
that any claim that a vitamin will work 20 times better is suspect.
Howard Schneider, president of LipoGenics, Inc., a Bionutrics subsidiary,
said, Alpha-tocopherol vitamin E is not a highly potent antioxidant,
nor does it exhibit many benefits of the other vitamin E isomers.
Alpha- tocopherol vitamin E, therefore, requires relatively high
doses to provide its limited beneficial health effects. In recent
years vitamin E has become one of the most popular vitamins at health
stores. It's believed to protect the body against oxygen, which
has a tendency to form compounds that can contribute to the development
of heart disease, cancer, and other degenerative diseases. This
is where vitamin E and other antioxidants come into play: they all
help keep oxidized fat cells in the body from collecting against
the lining of arteries. Although a number of studies have shown
this beneficial effect on patients with heart disease, it remains
unclear whether healthy persons can avert cardiovascular problems
by taking vitamin E. Carey Ainsworth Wright of the FDA's Center
for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition stressed that all persons
should check with their health care provider before taking any new
dietary supplements. |
|
Homepage
Advantages of Vitamin E :: Go
to Main Page 
HEALTH
& BEAUTY