Expert opinion
What Vitamins Can and Cannot Do
1 May 2009
“Every micronutrient unfolds a specific effect in the human organism. These effects are complex, sometimes dose-dependent and can vary from one type of tissue or organ to another;
27 February 2015
A new review from Iran suggests that vitamin E supplementation can have significant anti-inflammatory effects.
The meta-analysis included data from 12 intervention studies, which investigated a potential link between supplemental vitamin E intakes and blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, among a total of 495 participants who received vitamin E or placebo (1). The study results showed that participants receiving vitamin E had a significant reduction in CRP levels. This significant effect was maintained in all subgroups.
The researchers noted that inflammation is widely believed to be a contributing factor to the development of cardiovascular disease and chronic respiratory and neurological diseases. Elevated circulating concentrations of CRP, a protein produced by the liver that increases in circulation when there is inflammation throughout the body, have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease (2). Vitamin E has a well-established role in defending against oxidative stress and maintaining the normal functioning of the immune system. The ability of vitamin E to maintain normal immune system functioning provides it with anti-inflammatory characteristics, and several clinical trials have been performed which have tested the impact of the vitamin on circulating CRP levels.
1 May 2009
“Every micronutrient unfolds a specific effect in the human organism. These effects are complex, sometimes dose-dependent and can vary from one type of tissue or organ to another;
5 September 2012
According to a new review, data from dietary intake surveys indicate that vitamin inadequacy is widespread among healthy, elderly people, even those in affluent Western countries.
3 December 2015
A new paper using data from the DIAMOND (DHA Intake And Measurement Of Neural Development) study has shown that supplementation of infant formula with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) during the first year of life has a protective effect against allergy in early childhood. The allergy status of the mother was shown to have a profound effect on the nature of the protection for the infant.