Vitamin E Reduces C-reactive protein (CRP)

The antioxidant Vitamin E may help reduce high levels of inflammation-causing proteins, C-reactive protein (CRP) and IL-6, that may contribute to heart disease. Blood levels of both CRP and IL-6 are often elevated in patients with heart disease, indicating an increased risk for heart attack.

Although investigators studied the effect of vitamin E on diabetes patients, they found that both diabetics and healthy people benefited from taking the vitamin.

Use of vitamin E supplements lowered levels of CRP by 30% and IL-6 up to 50% in all three groups, according to a statement from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.

Researchers divided participants into three groups:

*One group had type 2 diabetes and heart disease

*Another group was comprised of those with only type 2 diabetes

*Another group consisted of healthy adults

All the participants had blood work done at the beginning of the study, after 3 months of taking a natural vitamin E supplement (1,200 IU), and again 2 months after consuming no vitamin E supplement.

“This study shows that vitamin E lowers CRP significantly in both diabetics and nondiabetics. The research suggests that vitamin E could be an additional therapy on our quest to reduce (heart) disease,” study co-author Dr. Sridevi Devaraj, noted in a statement.

Free Radical Biology and Medicine October 23, 2000