With Vitamin E Supplements, Risk Is Lower for Ischemic Stroke but Higher for Hemorrhagic Stroke

A plausible theory exists that vitamin E, an antioxidant, would prevent cardiovascular disease. The results of prospective randomized trials, however, have been mostly negative, and some have suggested harm, including excess risk for hemorrhagic stroke (JW Gen Med Nov 13 2008, JW Gen Med Sep 27 2007, and JW Gen Med Aug 2 2005). In this meta-analysis of nine randomized placebo-controlled trials with nearly 119,000 participants, investigators evaluated the effect of vitamin E supplementation on risk for overall, ischemic, and hemorrhagic strokes.

Seven trials provided information on overall stroke, and five trials each provided information on ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. Vitamin E had no effect on risk for overall stroke. Risk for i…