Hundreds of research studies have shown that vitamin E has the ability to support cardiovascular, eye, and mental health, particularly when taken over an extended period of time. Vitamin E also plays an important role as an antioxidant, works as a vital part of our immune system, and is an integral component in the structure of our body’s cells.

In March 2005, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published the HOPE-TOO study. This study contained an unexpected finding regarding vitamin E and its role in heart health. It found that patients over the age of 55 years who took vitamin E supplements and had heart disease, stroke, or diabetes, and at least one other cardiovascular risk factor, had an increased risk of heart failure. The researchers noted, “This adverse effect of vitamin E was unexpected and cannot be confirmed at this time by other trials.”

Other studies have found no connection between taking vitamin E and an increase in heart failure. In fact, the safety of vitamin E in healthy people is well established. “Further studies need to be undertaken on the effects of vitamin E and heart disease. Until that occurs, these results can only be interpreted as questionable, chance findings that need to be confirmed,” noted Dr. Ishwarlal Jialal, M.D., Ph.D., Robert E. Stowell Endowed Chair in Experimental Pathology, Director of the Laboratory for Atherosclerosis and Metabolic Research and Professor of Internal Medicine and Pathology at UC Davis School of Medicine.

There are a number of studies underway on vitamin E. These studies include the National Cancer Institute’s SELECT trail, which is evaluating vitamin E’s ability to reduce prostate cancer risk among 35,000 men. The National Cancer Institute is also conducting the AREDS trial, which is examining the impact of vitamin E on age-related eye disease. In addition to these studies, government-sponsored trials designed to evaluate the health benefits of vitamin E are still seeking new participants.

Since previous studies have shown that vitamin E is essential to good health and has no adverse side effects, Leiner Health Products, as well as vitamin E experts, believe in the value of vitamin E and also agree that long-term studies are needed to continue to understand the health benefits vitamin E provides, as well as any potential, but unlikely, adverse side effects.