Nature Made Vitamin good for you?!
Question:
Nature Made Vitamin good for you?
I bought Nature Made Vitamin E 400 I.U. Supplement at Walgreens and I was just wandering if there are any bad side effects or if there is no good reason for me to really take these pills. Do they really work?
Answers:
I would like to disagree with the retired Naturopathic Physician (she may not be current on the scientific research on this issue). Recent studies have shown that high intakes of alpha-tocopherol (what is usually sold as 'vitamin E') can depress the body's level of one of the 7 other important forms of vitamin E called gamma-tocopherol. This is very important, because gamma-tocopherol has strong anti-inflammatory effects that are not nearly as strong in alpha-tocopherol. Both forms have good antioxidant effects, but the strong anti-inflammatory effect of gamma-tocopherol may be critical for inflammatory diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Additionally, you want to be careful that the vitamin E is the natural and not the synthetic form. Synthetic alpha-tocopherol (dl-alpha-tocopherol) has NO anti-inflammatory actions.
The best type of vitamin E supplements contain all 8 forms of naturally occurring vitamin E (alpha, beta, delta, and gamma tocopherols and tocotrienols). A high dose alpha-tocopherol (especially synthetic alpha-tocopherol) is inappropriate in light of the current available scientific evidence.
Best wishes and good luck.