Vitamin E and heart disease: a thematic systematic review

The majority of observational studies approved that regular consumption of vitamin E would decrease the risk of cardiovascular events. However, a great number of randomised trials do not support this idea and dismiss the beneficial effect of vitamin E in reducing heart disease risk factors.

To test this hypothesis and identify whether vitamin E supplementation can reduce the risks of cardiovascular diseases, we organised a systematic review to reach out relevant articles. Insert the authors' criteria for inclusion and exclusion of studies; 58 papers were remained in the review.

Some of the studies revealed a significant role of vitamin E in preventing CVD, while almost all of the trials suggested no beneficial impact of vitamin E on cardiovascular outcomes. Thus, there is a need for further studies to be conducted in the field.

It is recommended to critically review the results of randomised trials based on a wide range of different parameters, including the form of vitamin E, the duration and dosage of vitamin E consumption, and the synergetic effects of vitamin E with other antioxidants or medication. The intervention studies also need to be considered in terms of specific clinical settings and be improved through successful study designs.