General Cancer
Breast Cancer
Lung Cancer
Prostate Cancer
Other
Vitamin E destroys free radicals and prevents nitrates & nitrites from converting to nitrosamine (carcinogen). Besides, vitamin E is also thought to have immunomodulatory, neuroprotective and anti-viral actions. Deficiency may increase risk of certain degenerative disorders, such as coronary heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and cancer. Rich sources are unrefined vegetable oil and cereal grains, sunflower oil and seeds, fruits (avocado), nuts (almonds, pine nuts, walnuts), and vegetables (asparagus, spinach). Recommended daily allowance is 15 milligrams/day. (For more detailed information, please visit ISM’s searchable database: Nutraceutical Search.)
The cancer-preventive activity of vitamin E has been studied. Whereas some epidemiological studies have suggested a protective effect of vitamin E against cancer formation, many large-scale intervention studies with alpha-tocopherol (usually large doses) have not demonstrated a cancer-preventive effect…….It has been suggested that gamma-tocopherol, due to its strong anti-inflammatory and other activities, may be the more effective form of vitamin E in cancer prevention. Our recent results have demonstrated that a gamma-tocopherol-rich mixture of tocopherols inhibits colon, prostate, mammary and lung tumorigenesis [tumor formation] in animal models, suggesting that this mixture may have a high potential for applications in the prevention of human cancer……..Based on this information, we propose that a gamma-tocopherol-rich mixture of tocopherols is a very promising cancer-preventive agent and warrants extensive future research.
o Ju, J, Picinich, SC, Yang, Z, Zhao, Y, Suh, N, Kong, AN & Yang, CS (2010). Cancer-preventive activities of tocopherols and tocotrienols. Carcinogenesis, 31(4), 533-42.
Current observations in the literature suggest that vitamin E may be a suitable candidate for the adjuvant treatment of cancer. Even though historically most research focused on alpha-tocopherol, more recent evidence suggests that the other isomers of vitamin E (beta-, gamma- and delta-tocopherols and alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-tocotrienols) differ in their pro-apoptotic [the ability to cause death] potencies.
o Constantinou, C, Papas, A & Constantinou, AI (2008). Vitamin E and cancer: An insight into the anticancer activities of vitamin E isomers and analogs. Int J Cancer. 123(4), 739-52.
Vitamin E is a generic term that refers to a family of compounds that is further divided into two subgroups called tocopherols and tocotrienols. All natural forms of tocopherols and tocotrienols are potent antioxidants ………. and controls free radical production within the body……….One of the most intriguing therapeutic applications for natural vitamin E and vitamin E derivatives currently being investigated is their use as anticancer agents. Specific forms of vitamin E display potent apoptotic [the ability to cause death] activity against a wide range of cancer cell types, while having little or no effect on normal cell function or viability………These findings strongly suggest that some natural and synthetic analogues of vitamin E can be used effectively as anticancer therapy either alone or in combination to enhance the therapeutic efficacy and reduce toxicity of other anticancer agents.
o Sylvester, PW (2007). Vitamin E and apoptosis. Vitam Horm. 76, 329-56.
There is accumulating evidence that vitamin E may have different roles in the prevention and treatment of cancer………..There is evidence to suggest that those individuals with higher serum vitamin E levels and those receiving vitamin E supplementation have a decreased risk of some cancers, including lung, prostate, stomach, and gastrointestinal carcinoma.
o Sung, L, Greenberg, ML, Koren, G, Tomlinson, GA, Tong, A, Malkin, D & Feldman, BM (2003). Vitamin E: the evidence for multiple roles in cancer. Nutr Cancer, 46(1), 1-14.
Recent evidence suggests that vitamin E and its analogues, which have been used for many years as antioxidants, may not only protect cells from free radical damage but also induce apoptotic cell death in various cell types……….Alpha-TOS [alpha tocopherol – a type of vitamin E] has been shown to induce apoptosis in malignant cell lines but not, in general, in normal cells, and to inhibit tumorigenesis [tumor formation] in vivo [within living organisms]. These features suggest that this semi-synthetic analogue of vitamin E could be a promising anti-neoplastic agent.
o Neuzil, J, Weber, T, Terman, A, Weber, C & Brunk, UT (2001). Vitamin E analogues as inducers of apoptosis: implications for their potential antineoplastic role. Redox Rep. 6(3), 143-51.
Although vitamin E has been known as an essential nutrient for reproduction since 1922, we are far from understanding the mechanisms of its physiological functions. Vitamin E is the term for a group of tocopherols and tocotrienols, of which alpha-tocopherol has the highest biological activity. Due to the potent antioxidant properties of tocopherols, the impact of alpha-tocopherol in the prevention of chronic diseases believed to be associated with oxidative stress [the presence of free radicals leading to cellular damage and cancer] has often been studied, and beneficial effects have been demonstrated.
o Brigelius-Flohé, R & Traber, MG (1999). Vitamin E: Function and metabolism. FASEB J. 13(10), 1145-55.
Research examined the link between baseline serum alpha-tocopherol (Vit E) concentrations and death from certain causes and death from all causes, based on 29,092 Finnish male smokers. Total mortality for cancer and cardiovascular disease was reduced by 21 and 19 per cent. The study suggests that higher serum concentrations of alpha-tocopherol (up to 13 to 14 milligrams per litre, which is within the normal range) are associated with moderately lower total and cause-specific mortality in older male smokers.
o Margaret E. Wright et al.. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, November 2006, Volume 84, Number. 5, pages 1200-1207.
Patients undergoing chemo, radiation & bone marrow transplants have markedly depressed levels of Vit E.
o Clemens, Am. J. Clin. Nutr. (1990) vol 51, p 216.
Synergism with Selenium: (n=12,000). There was a reduction in cancer risk of 90% by taking Vit E & Se.
o Salonen, British Medical Journal (1985) 290: 417-20
Vit E dramatically improves tumour kill from pro-oxidative chemo & radiation, while protecting host tissue from damage. 31% of Vit E group developed neurotoxicity. 86% of placebo group had neurotoxicity.
o Pace, Journal of Clinical Oncology, (2003) vol 21, no.5, p.927
Getting more vitamin E in the diet appears to significantly decrease oxidative damage that is occurring in the body.
o Review of Nutr Cancer. 2005; 51(2):146-54.
The present study was undertaken to test whether vitamins C and E (VCE) supplementation protect against some of the harmful effects of commonly used anticancer drugs in breast-cancer patients……… Co-administration of VCE restored antioxidant status, lowered by the presence of breast-cancer and chemotherapy. DNA damage was also reduced by VCE. The results suggest that VCE should be useful in protecting against chemotherapy-related side-effects.
o Suhail, N, Bilal, N, Khan, HY, Hasan, S, Sharma, S, Khan, F, Mansoor, T & Banu, N (2011). Effect of vitamins C and E on antioxidant status of breast-cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. J Clin Pharm Ther. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2710.2010.01237.x. [Epub ahead of print]
The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between vitamin C, vitamin E, folate and beta-carotene from diet and supplements and risk of postmenopausal breast cancer………. This study found ……….. a potential beneficial effect of dietary beta-carotene in lobular breast cancer and dietary vitamin E in ER + PGR+ [estrogen and progesterone receptor positive] breast cancer.
o Roswall, N, Olsen, A, Christensen, J, Dragsted, LO, Overvad, K & Tjønneland, A (2010). Micronutrient intake and breast cancer characteristics among postmenopausal women. Eur J Cancer Prev. 19(5), 360-5.
Tocotrienols are vitamin E members with potent antiproliferative activity against pre-neoplastic [pre-cancerous] and neoplastic [cancerous] mammary [breast] epithelial cells with little or no effect on normal cell growth or functions.
o Behery, FA et al (2009). Redox-silent tocotrienol esters as breast cancer proliferation and migration inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem. 18(22), 8066-75.
Tocopherols and tocotrienol represent the two subgroups within the vitamin E family of compounds, but only tocotrienols display potent anticancer activity at doses that have little or no effect on normal cell growth or function. Tocotrienols are potent antioxidants……..experimental evidence strongly suggests that dietary supplementation of tocotrienols may provide significant health benefits in lowering the risk of breast cancer in women.
o Sylvester, PW & Shah, SJ (2005). Mechanisms mediating the antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of vitamin E in mammary cancer cells. Front Biosci. 10, 699-709.
Vitamin E is a collective term used to refer to a number of structurally and functionally different compounds. Although some vitamin E compounds are popular supplements marketed for their potential beneficial antioxidant effects for a number of chronic diseases including various forms of cancer, a recent report by the National Academy of Sciences Food and Nutrition Board concluded that too little is known at present to provide definitive answers regarding whether taking larger doses of dietary antioxidants will help prevent chronic diseases. Recent reviews of epidemiological data suggest that dietary source vitamin E may provide some protection against breast cancer, while vitamin E supplements do not.
o Kline, K, Lawson, KA, Yu, W & Sanders, BG (2003). Vitamin E and breast cancer prevention: current status and future potential. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia, 8(1), 91-102.
Vit E supplements for 3 months reversed fibrocystic breast disease in 22 out of 26 women.
J. Amer Med Assoc (1980) Vol 244, p 1077.
Women (n=5,000) with Vit E levels in lowest quintile had 5 times X higher risk of breast cancer.
Block, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1991) 53:270s-282s.
Increasing intakes of vitamin E may decrease the risk of lung cancer by over 50 per cent. o Mahabir, S et al. Dietary alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-tocopherols in lung cancer risk.
Int J Cancer, 123, 1173-80.
BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer among men………
.OBJECTIVES: To investigate the trace elements (Se, Zn, Cu and Cd) and vitamin E status of some Nigerian prostate cancer (PCa) patients relative to their prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values…….
CONCLUSIONS: Deficiency of vitamin E, Zn and Se may be risk factors for development of PCa.
o Adaramoye, OA, Akinloye, O & Olatunji, IK (2010). Trace elements and vitamin E status in Nigerian patients with prostate cancer. Afr Health Sci. 10(1), 2-8.
BACKGROUND: The epidemiologic evidence on dietary vitamins E and C and prostate cancer is controversial. Therefore, a case-control study was carried out to investigate the role of dietary intake of vitamins E and C in the etiology of prostate cancer………
DISCUSSION: The present study shows an inverse association between dietary intake of vitamins E and prostate cancer incidence.
o Bidoli, E et al (2009). Dietary vitamins E and C and prostate cancer risk. Acta Oncol. 48(6), 890-4.
BACKGROUND: There are conflicting results in published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the role of vitamin E in the prevention of cancer. We conducted a meta-analysis of RCTs to evaluate the role of vitamin E in the prevention of cancer in adults…………
CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin E supplementation was not associated with a reduction in total mortality, cancer incidence, or cancer mortality, but it was associated with a statistically significant reduction in the incidence of prostate cancer. Vitamin E can be used in the prevention of prostate cancer in men who are at high risk of prostate cancer.
o Alkhenizan, A & Hafez, K (2007). The role of vitamin E in the prevention of cancer: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Ann Saudi Med. 27(6), 409-14.
Prostate cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and the third leading fatal cancer in American men. Comprehensive studies from human epidemiological studies, animal tumor models, and cellular molecular levels suggested that alpha-vitamin E [the alpha analogues of vitamin E] and its derivatives possess remarkable chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic against prostate cancer.
o Ni, J & Yeh, S (2007). The roles of alpha-vitamin E and its analogues in prostate cancer. Vitam Horm. 76, 493-518.
Vitamin E supplementation in male smokers associated with reduced cancer incidence.
J Natl Cancer Inst. 2006 Feb 15; 98(4): 245-54
Preclinical, epidemiological, and phase III data from randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials suggest that both selenium and vitamin E have potential efficacy in prostate cancer prevention.
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004 Dec; 1031: 234-41.
Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties. A wealth of data is available for the preventive efficacy of alpha-T [alpha tocopherol – a form of vitamin E]. Alpha-T supplementation in human subjects and animal models has been shown to be antioxidant and anti-inflammatory………Furthermore, tocotrienols (alpha and gamma) [another form of vitamin E] also have implications for prevention of CVD [cardiovascular disease].
o Singh, U & Devaraj, S (2007). Vitamin E: inflammation and atherosclerosis. Vitam Horm. 76, 519-49.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the Western world. Its incidence has also been increasing lately in developing countries. Several lines of evidence support a role for oxidative stress and inflammation in atherogenesis [the process of plaque formation in arteries]………Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties. Several lines of evidence suggest that among different forms of vitamin E, alpha-tocopherol (AT) has potential beneficial effects with regard to cardiovascular disease………Based on its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, AT (at the appropriate dose and form) could have beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease in a high-risk population.
o Singh, U, Devaraj, S & Jialal I (2005). Vitamin E, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Annu Rev Nutr. 25, 151-74.
Several trials of high-dosage vitamin E supplementation showed non–statistically significant increases in total mortality. A meta-analysis of the dose–response relationship between vitamin E supplementation and total mortality by using data from randomized, controlled trials (was performed of) 135,967 participants in 19 clinical trials. PubMed search from 1966 through August 2004, complemented by a search of the Cochrane Clinical Trials Database and review of citations of published reviews and meta-analyses (was carried out). No language restrictions were applied. Precise estimation of the threshold at which risk increases is difficult……High-dosage (more than 400 IU/d) vitamin E supplements may increase all-cause mortality and should be avoided.
Miller, ER et al (2005). Meta-Analysis: High-Dosage Vitamin E Supplementation May Increase All-Cause Mortality. Annals of Internal Medicine, 142(1), 37-46.