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Despite biological plausibility for the antioxidant effects of vitamins C and E in preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD), results from observational and randomized studies have ranged from mixed to mostly negative. In a randomized, controlled trial, 14,641 male physicians (mean age, 64) received daily vitamin E (400 IU), vitamin C (500 mg), both, or neither.
The men were at relatively low risk, but some had prior myocardial infarction (5%) or known hypertension (42%), dyslipidemia (37%), or diabetes (6%). During a mean follow-up of 8 years, 1245 cardiovascular events occurred — roughly 11 per 1000 person-years. Using a composite endpoint that included both fatal and nonfatal cardio- and cerebrovascular disease, researchers found no differe…