High-Dose Vitamin E, C Combo Effective Against Alzheimers

High-Dose Vitamin E, C Combo Effective Against Alzheimers

BALTIMOREResearchers from Johns Hopkins University reported a combination of vitamins E and C reduced both the prevalence and incidence of Alzheimers disease. In the January edition of the Archives of Neurology (61:82-8, 2004; http://archneur.ama-assn.org), the researchers investigation uncovered high doses of certain antioxidants may mitigate age-related cognitive decline by protecting neurons from free radical damage.

Using data gathered from a total of 3,200 respondents age 65 and older from Cache County, Utah, the studys authors found 185 participants with incident dementia and 104 with Alzheimers. Participants were then categorized according to their supplement use. Approximately 17 percent took a vitamin E or C supplement, containing 400 IU/d and 500 mg/d, respectively. Another 20 percent reported using multivitamins, although without the high levels of vitamins E and C. Interestingly, multivitamin users were mainly female and in poorer general health.

The researchers found taking vitamin E or C alone, B-complex vitamins, or a combination of a vitamin C supplement and multivitamins did not reduce the prevalence of Alzheimers. However, there was a significant inverse relationship seen with a combination of vitamin E and multivitamins, with the strongest inverse relationship seen with the use of both vitamins E and C, with or without concomitant use of multivitamins.

Vitamin E, a lipid-soluble molecule, is one of the strongest nutritional antioxidants, the authors wrote. Sufficient levels of vitamin E may reduce the oxidative stress-related damage associated with pathological changes of Alzheimers.

They added the studys findings suggest taking vitamins E and C together at higher doses may offer greater protection against Alzheimers disease. However, the current Institute of Medicine recommendations are 22 IU/d for vitamin E (18 percent the effective dose seen in this study) and 75 mg/d to 90 mg/d for vitamin C (15 percent and 18 percent the effective dose seen here). Multivitamin preparations typically contain these approximate quantities of both vitamins E and C, more vitamin C in some instances, while individual supplements typically contain doses up to 1,000 IU/d of vitamin E and 500 mg/d to 1,000 mg/d or more of vitamin C, the studys authors concluded.

According to David Seckman, executive director of the National Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA; www.nnfa.org), it is not unusual for studies such as this one to find that a supplements therapeutic dose is much higher than the RDA. The process for reviewing and amending RDAs is not swift and a gap tends to grow between current science and established dosages for essential nutrients, he told INSIDER. Seckman added that he took issue with a comment made by the researchers, that multivitamins typically contain just the RDA and no more. The industry has been very proactive in keeping pace with findings in the scientific literature that higher amounts of key nutrients, such as vitamins E and C, offer increased benefits, he said. Product ingredients, whether in a multi or a single ingredient vitamin, tend to reflect that fact.

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