Some Vitamin E Supplements May Increase Prostate Cancer Risk

Men with high blood levels of gamma-tocopherol, a form of vitamin E not usually found in vitamin supplements, have a reduced risk for prostate cancer. However, many vitamin E supplements contain only alpha tocopherol, which can actually lower levels of gamma tocopherol.

• Researchers looked at blood samples taken from nearly 10,500 men.

• The 20% with the highest levels of gamma-tocopherol were five times less likely than men with the lowest levels of the vitamin to get prostate cancer over the next seven years.

Vitamin E is found naturally in vegetable and seed oils, nuts, whole grains and leafy greens, but levels of the different forms of vitamin E vary.

Men with high levels of alpha-tocopherol and the mineral selenium, were less likely to develop prostate cancer only when gamma-tocopherol was also high, suggesting gamma-tocopherol boosts the power of the other two antioxidants.

In an editorial accompanying the report, Dr. Edward Giovannucci of Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts calls the findings "further reason for optimism" that vitamin E and other compounds may fight prostate cancer.

However, he notes that some vitamin E supplements — mainly alpha-tocopherol — can lower blood levels of gamma-tocopherol. According to Dr. Giovannucci, the average American's bloodstream is five times richer in alpha-tocopherol than gamma-tocopherol. And, that difference jumps to 20-fold among people who take vitamin E supplements.

Since vitamin E supplements may displace gamma-tocopherol, the researchers conclude, future studies aimed at prostate cancer prevention should include both forms of vitamin E.

Journal of the National Cancer Institute, December 20, 2000; 92: 44-49

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

Vitamin E is one of my absolute favorite supplements. I have been taking it regularly for well over 30 years. It is important to note that one should NOT use synthetic vitamin E and it is wise to get the natural vitamin E with the mixed tocopherols.

The most common form of vitamin E that is used is the alpha-tocopherol. But there are a number of other tocopherols that likely have major benefits, which is why it is important to get a product that has them. In addition to the alpha and gamma tocopherols, there are also beta and delta tocopherols.

If you do supplement with vitamin E, Living Fuel Omega & E comes with my highest recommendation. These are pure, very high-quality fish oil capsultes that contain both the omega-3 that is so severely lacking in most people's diets AND the full-spectrum vitamin E that is the form of vitamin E you should be taking.

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