Pharmavite Calls for Balanced Reporting on Vitamin E Analysis

    NORTHRIDGE, Calif., Nov. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Pharmavite, makers of Nature
 Made(R) vitamins and supplements said the conclusions drawn by Johns Hopkins
 researchers on vitamin E use and increased mortality risk are misleading
 because the researchers only looked at a select, limited group of studies.
 The researcher's conclusions appeared in the November 10 online edition of The
 Annals of Internal Medicine.
     "This analysis focused on a carefully selected group of earlier published
 clinical studies whose populations suffered from a number of grave diseases
 where there was a very high risk of mortality to begin with, including
 Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, cancer, cardiovascular disease and more," said Dave
 Madsen, Ph.D., Pharmavite director of scientific affairs.  "The researchers
 chose not to review long term studies of the general population which
 demonstrate vitamin E's positive health benefits, including the Nurses Study,
 the Finnish Study and the Iowa Women's Study." (1) (2) (3)
     For example, a study of approximately 90,000 nurses suggested that the
 incidence of heart disease was 30 to 40 percent lower among nurses with the
 highest intake of vitamin E from diet and supplements.  Researchers found that
 the apparent benefit was mainly associated with intake of vitamin E from
 dietary supplements.  High vitamin E intake from food was not associated with
 significant cardiac risk reduction.
     Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin and a powerful antioxidant that has
 been touted for its numerous health benefits, including a study by Johns
 Hopkins researchers published in the Annals of Neurology showing that 400 IUs
 of vitamin E, taken in concert with 500 mg of vitamin C, reduced the risk of
 Alzheimer's by 60 percent. (4)
     "There is a great body of evidence documenting the proven health benefits
 of Vitamin E.  People who want to maintain good health should consume 100 to
 400 IUs of vitamin E every day, in addition to maintaining a healthy diet,"
 says Carroll Reider, M.S., R.D., Pharmavite director of consumer education.
     Madsen reported other weaknesses in the analysis including the fact that
 only nine of the studies reviewed had people taking vitamin E alone, and that
 18 of the 19 studies analyzed had no statistically significant increase in
 mortality.   Further, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) has set the upper
 tolerable intake level for vitamin E at 1,000 mg or 1,600 IUs per day.
     Madsen said, "The IOM defines upper limit as 'the maximum intake of a
 nutrient that is likely to pose no risk of adverse health effects in almost
 all healthy individuals in the general population.'  It will take more than
 one skewed analysis of pre-existing studies to refute this long-standing
 guideline.
     "The bottom line:  Overwhelming evidence supports that vitamin E is safe
 when taken as recommended and has proven health benefits for healthy people."
     People concerned about Vitamin E can get the facts at Nature Made's
 Wellness Advisor at www.NatureMade.com or by calling 1800-276-2878.
 
     About Pharmavite LLC
     For more than 30 years, Pharmavite has earned and maintained the trust of
 pharmacists, consumers, and retailers by manufacturing high-quality vitamins,
 minerals, herbs and other dietary supplements that are safe, effective and
 science-based.  An industry leader, Pharmavite adheres to manufacturing
 standards recommended by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), a
 not-for-profit organization that has set pharmaceutical and dietary supplement
 quality standards since 1820.  In addition, Pharmavite participates in USP's
 Verification Program for dietary supplements.
     The dietary supplement industry is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug
 Administration and the Federal Trade Commission, as well as by government
 agencies in each of the 50 states.
 
      (1)  Stampfer MJ, Hennekens CH, Manson JE, Colditz GA, Rosner B, Willett
           WC.  Vitamin E consumption and the risk of coronary disease in
           women.  N Engl J Med 1993;328:1444-9.
      (2)  Knekt P, Reunanen A, Jarvinen R, Seppanen R, Heliovaara M, Aromaa A.
           Antioxidant vitamin intake and coronary mortality in a longitudinal
           population study.  Am J Epidemiol 1994;139:1180-9.
      (3)  Bostick RM, Potter JD, McKenzie DR, Sellers TA, Kushi LH, Steinmetz
           KA, Folsom AR.  Reduced risk of colon cancer with high intakes of
           vitamin E: The Iowa Women's Health Study.  Cancer Res 1993;
           15:4230-17.
      (4)  Zandi, P.  Archives of Neurology, January 2004; vol 61: pp 82-88.
 
 

SOURCE  Pharmavite LLC