In November 2004, a study was released in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggesting that vitamin E supplementation increased the risk of death. Vitamin E sales plummeted and have never recovered. The paper was a meta-analysis combining the data from 19 different vitamin E studies. 

There were several inherent problems in the meta-analysis. First, if the original studies were outdated and poorly conducted - and some were more than 10 years old and of questionable quality - pooling them together doesn't make them better. Most of the studies involved older subjects who were suffering from some type of chronic degenerative disease.     

The data that was pooled together barely achieved "statistical significance." Of the original 19 studies, 18 did not provide statistically significant results. Also, many of the subjects, who were older and sick, were living in institutional settings. The authors themselves questioned whether the results could be applied to younger, healthier people.

More important, there are various types and compounds of vitamin E, including both synthetic and natural formulations. In these 19 studies, most used synthetic vitamin E (d-L alpha tocopherol). But cheap, synthetic vitamin E - manufactured from petroleum byproducts - behaves differently in the human body than natural vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol).   

Any valid scientific study must control the variables and this was not done in the meta-analysis; different vitamin E formulations - mostly synthetic - were employed. Also, vitamin E does not include just alpha tocopherl. Although alpha was discovered first and is possibly most active, the natural vitamin E  complex includes beta, delta, and gamma. 

Research during the last several years confirms that gamma tocopherol may be most protective and should be included in a 1:1 relationship with alpha. Also, in addition to the four (4) tocopherols, natural vitamin E complex also contains four (4) tocotrienols - alpha, beta, delta, and gamma. Because the meta-analysis did not include this natural vitamin E complex described above, the meta-analysis itself is invalid and should be totally disregarded.

There have been several long term, well conducted studies that showed a benefit from supplementing with modest amounts of vitamin E. As an example, in the Harvard Nurses' Study, a study of 87,000 nurses conducted by Harvard over an eight year period, women who regularly used vitamin E supplements (of at least 100 I.U. per day, had a 31 percent reduction in relative risk for nonfatal heart attacks and death from cardiovascular disease. 

A large number of landmark epidemiological studies have, in fact, established that vitamin E supplementation reduces cardiovascular disease progression and improves mortality. To get the maximum benefit, however, it is necessary to supplement with a natural vitamin E complex that emphasizes gamma tocopherol and includes the four (4) tocotrienols as well.

As an  example, NOW Foods Advanced Gamma-E Complex provides gamma tocopherol (300 mg per serving). Gamma tocopherol has very important and unique functions. Central to these functions is its capacity to detoxify reactive nitrogen species, an especially destructive form of free radical. In addition, gamma tocopherol acts to trap and remove free radicals from the body in a way that alpha tocopherol alone cannot. 

High quality products like Advanced Gamma E provide the necessary full range of antioxidant protection because they contain a more natural balance of tocopherols plus the full complement of tocotrienols derived from natural palm oil. Suggested use is 1 to 4 soft gels per day, depending on your body weight, diet, and general health conditions.