Vitamin E for a Longer Life?

Taking vitamin E supplements^[1] may lengthen lifespan for certain groups of men, a recent study^[2] from the journal Age and Ageing shows.

For the study, researchers looked at data on 10,837 adults who were followed for eight years. While vitamin E had no effect on mortality when participants were 65- to 70-years-old, the antioxidant^[3] appeared to reduce mortality when participants were 71 or older.

According to the study’s authors, vitamin E may increase life expectancy by protecting against oxidative stress (an aging^[4]-related process that occurs when free radicals^[5] overwhelm cells and damage their DNA). However, past research on vitamin E supplements and mortality has yielded mixed results. In a 2005 research review from the Annals of Internal Medicine, for instance, scientists sized up 19 clinical trials and found that the supplements failed to reduce risk of heart disease^[6] or cancer.

To boost your vitamin E intake without turning to supplements, go for vitamin-E-rich foods^[7] like almonds, mango, and broccoli.

References^{^} vitamin E supplements (altmedicine.about.com)^{^} study (ageing.oxfordjournals.org)^{^} antioxidant (altmedicine.about.com)^{^} aging (altmedicine.about.com)^{^} free radicals (altmedicine.about.com)^{^} heart disease (altmedicine.about.com)^{^} vitamin-E-rich foods (altmedicine.about.com)