Earlier this year, news about vitamin E research hit the press and caused some confusion.

The report referred to a meta-analysis of 19 studies, which individually did not find

 any concerns with vitamin E. These studies were selected from 2,170 studies on

vitamin E, and the authors of the meta-analysis concluded that high-dose vitamin E,

 greater than 400 IU per day, may result in a small increase in deaths - from different

causes - in elderly patients with chronic diseases.

The authors themselves found flaws in their analysis: The small size of the majority of

 the studies in the meta-analysis; the inclusion of patients with chronic diseases

 (which limits the relevance of the data for healthy adults); the concurrent use of other

 vitamins in the studies; and the inconsistent use of different forms of vitamin E,

particularly the synthetic form.

The benefits of vitamin E, found in many of the trials, were not discussed. In the

Cambridge Heart and Antioxidant Study, vitamin E was actually found to reduce

 heart attacks by 70-77 percent. This was one of the three larger studies included

in the meta-analysis and included 2,002 people.

Even more impressive information was found in the MRC/BHF Heart Protection Study

 of 20,536 high-risk individuals using synthetic vitamin E, vitamin C and beta carotene.

This study identified no reductions or increases in heart attacks, strokes, cancers or

 other major adverse events in five years.

One study, using combined "high-dose" antioxidants, showed a 34 percent reduction

in age-related macular degeneration without any significant side effects.

It is important to remember there are numerous studies, not included in the meta-analysis,

showing no significant increases in cardiac or other mortality with doses of vitamin E up

 to 800 IU per day.

Vitamin E is one of the body's principle fat-soluble antioxidants. At doses of 1200 IU,

it decreases C-reactive protein, a measurable indicator of inflammation in our blood.

Recent studies show vitamin E decreases inflammation in patients with rheumatoid

arthritis and allergies by reducing substances that initiate inflammation and excessive

immune system responses.

Research always reveals conflicting data. There were literally hundreds of responses to

 the authors' analysis, questioning the interpretation of the information. They again

concluded that vitamin E at 400 IU per day is a safe dose for most healthy adults.

This will probably continue to be a hot topic debated in coming years, as research

reveals more data on which to base recommendations.

In the meantime, it's probably best to be conservative: Use vitamin E in its natural forms

and do not exceed 400 IU per day.