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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #224689

Title: Genetic polymorphisms as determinants for disease preventive effects of vitamin E

Author
item ZINGG, JEAN-MARC - JM USDA HNRCA @ TUFTS
item AZZI, ANGELO - JM USDA HNRCA @ TUFTS
item Meydani, Mohsen

Submitted to: Nutrition Reviews
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/14/2008
Publication Date: 6/1/2008
Citation: Zingg, J., Azzi, A., Meydani, M. 2008. Genetic polymorphisms as determinants for disease preventive effects of vitamin E. Nutrition Reviews. 66(7):406-414.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Polymorphisms in genes involved in vitamin E uptake, distribution, metabolism and molecular action may be important determinants for the protective effects of vitamin E supplementation. The haptoglobin 2-2 polymorphism is associated with increased production of oxygen free radicals and the consequent elevated risk for cardiovascular disease can be prevented by vitamin E supplementation. Atherosclerosis underlies important adverse vascular events such as coronary artery disease, stroke and peripheral artery disease that are responsible for most of the cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In the last two decades, numerous clinical studies have addressed the possible benefits of supplementation with vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) and other micronutrients against atherosclerosis and other diseases such as cancer and neurodegeneration. Randomized clinical trials and epidemiologic studies with vitamin E supplementation intended to protect against cardiovascular disease (CVD) reported both positive and negative effects. Recent meta-analyses of the clinical studies even suggested an increased, all-cause mortality with high doses of vitamin E supplementation. However, there is little evidence for adverse effects of vitamin E in adults when taken below the tolerable upper limit intake (1000 mg/day vitamin E according to the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine). Vitamin E supplementation studies were generally aimed at reducing the amount of free radicals generated by inflammatory processes during disease development, and were based on the findings that vitamin E levels in plasma and tissues can be increased by dietary supplementation where it chemically can act as an antioxidant.