No Role for Vitamin E or Vitamin C in the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Men

Findings from a large randomized trial confirm that supplementation confers no benefit and suggest that vitamin E might increase risk for hemorrhagic stroke.

Although laboratory research suggests that antioxidants, including vitamins E and C, might be of value in reducing incident cardiovascular disease, observational and clinical studies have produced conflicting results. To assess whether long-term vitamin supplementation decreases the risk for major cardiovascular events in men, investigators for the Physicians’ Health Study II used a factorial design to randomize 14,641 male physicians in the U.S. to 400 IU of vitamin E every other day, 500 mg of vitamin C daily, both, or placebo. The primary study outcome was a composite of major cardiovascular events including nonfatal MI, nonfatal stroke, and cardiovascular death.

During a mean follow-up of 8 years, >1200 major cardiovascular events occurr…

Reviewing Author

JoAnne M. Foody, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardAegerion; Amarin; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Janssen; Merck; Pfizer; Sanofi-Aventis; Boehringer Ingelheim

Leadership positions in professional societiesAmerican College of Cardiology, Cardiosmart (Co-chair)

JoAnne M. Foody, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardAegerion; Amarin; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Janssen; Merck; Pfizer; Sanofi-Aventis; Boehringer Ingelheim

Leadership positions in professional societiesAmerican College of Cardiology, Cardiosmart (Co-chair)

No Role for Vitamin E or Vitamin C in the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Men

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Reviewing Author