Meta-Analysis: High-Dosage Vitamin E Supplementation May Increase All-Cause Mortality
Edgar R. Miller, Roberto Pastor‐Barriuso, Darshan Dalal, Rudolph A. Riemersma, Lawrence J. Appel, Eliseo Güallar
Annals of Internal Medicine
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Experimental models and observational studies suggest that vitamin E supplementation may prevent cardiovascular disease and cancer. However, several trials of high-dosage vitamin E supplementation showed non-statistically significant increases in total mortality. PURPOSE: To perform a meta-analysis of the dose-response relationship between vitamin E supplementation and total mortality by using data from randomized, controlled trials. PATIENTS: 135,967 participants in 19 clinical trials. Of these trials, 9 tested vitamin E alone and 10 tested vitamin E combined with other vitamins or minerals. The dosages of vitamin E ranged from 16.5 to 2000 IU/d (median, 400 IU/d). DATA SOURCES: PubMed search from 1966 through August 2004, complemented by a search of the Cochrane Clinical Tria