NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 10 (UPI) -- Researchers at Johns Hopkins reported Wednesday the use of high-dose vitamin E supplements is linked to a higher overall risk of dying.
The team identified high-dose as anything above 400 international units in their presentation at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2004 in New Orleans.
"A lot of people take vitamins because they believe it will benefit their health in the long term and prolong life," said study lead author and internist Edgar Miller III. "But our study shows that use of high-dose vitamin E supplements certainly did not prolong life, but was associated with a higher risk of death."
In the current study, the Hopkins team re-analyzed raw data from 19 major clinical trials that took place between 1993 and 2004 and involved more than 136,000 patients in North America, Europe and China. Risk of death was estimated by comparing the death rates in both groups.
When the data for the trials was re-evaluated, nine of 11 trials involving high-dose vitamin E showed an increased risk of death. The other eight trials involved low-dose vitamin E users.
