OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and synthesize the evidence on the effect of supplements of vitamin E on the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular
disease.
DESIGN: Systematic review of placebo-controlled randomized controlled trials; meta-analysis where justified.
MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Eighty-four eligible trials were identified. For the outcomes of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, fatal or
nonfatal myocardial infarction, and blood lipids, neither supplements of vitamin E alone nor vitamin E given with other agents
yielded a statistically significant beneficial or adverse pooled relative risk (for example, pooled relative risk of vitamin
E alone=0.96 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.84 to 1.10]; 0.97 [95% CI, 0.80 to 1.90]; and 0.72 [95% CI, 0.51 to 1.02] for
all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and nonfatal myocardial infarction, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: There is good evidence that vitamin E supplementation does not beneficially or adversely affect cardiovascular outcomes.
Key words vitamin E - antioxidants - meta-analysis - systematic review - cardiovascular disease
This research was performed by the Southern California Evidence-Based Practice Center based at RAND, Santa Monica, Calif under
contract to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (contract no. 290-97-0001). The research was requested and funded
by The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Institutes of Health. The authors of this article
are responsible for its contents, including any clinical or treatment recommendations. No statement in this article should
be construed as an endorsement by an official position of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality or of The National
Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Institutes of Health, or of the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services.
Dr. Shekelle is a Senior Research Associate of the Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and Development Service.