Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Researchers found that out of 12 studies of 246 subjects, those who supplemented with  vitamin E had a significant reduction in Creactive protein levels, which are increased during inflammation in the body.

Chronic inflammation is an important aspect of the development of cardiovascular disease and is responsible for the onset of many other chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis, diabetes and metabolic syndrome (1, 2). A reliable marker for chronic inflammation is C-reactive protein, which increases during inflammatory conditions or any stresses such as infection, surgery lesions and trauma (3, 4). As a result, ways to help maintain healthy C-reactive protein levels can have long-term benefits regarding cardiovascular disease risk.

Now a new research review (5) suggests that vitamin E may help with C-reactive protein levels. In the review, researchers analyzed 12 randomized controlled trials, with 246 subjects supplemented with vitamin E and 249 subjects taking placebo (control group). The researcher found that vitamin E supplementation produced a “significant reduction” in C-reactive protein levels of 0.62 milligrams/Liter (p < 0.001). Specifically, of the 12 studies in the review, a 2000 study (6) most closely resembled the overall results: 800 IU per day of vitamin E for 4 weeks in 57 patients with type 2 diabetes decreased C-reactive protein levels by 49% (p = 0.004).

While the exact mechanism by which vitamin E may help optimize C-reactive protein levels “is not completely known”, the researchers cite a 1998 study showing vitamin E to prevent the release of a protein called IL-1 beta from white blood cells which contributes to the formation of C-reactive protein (7).

For the researchers, “vitamin E in the form of either alpha-tocopherol or gamma-tocopherol would reduce serum C-reactive protein levels” and “vitamin E supplementation may be a good strategy for decreasing inflammatory conditions in susceptible people, although large well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these results, which are based on a total sample of less than 500 subjects.”

Source: Saboori, S., et al. “Effect of vitamin E supplementation on serum C-reactive protein level: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.” European journal of clinical nutrition 69.8 (2015): 867-873.

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Posted April 23, 2015.

Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY.  You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com

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