Vitamins E plus C and interacting conutrients required for optimal health. A critical and constructive review of epidemiology and supplementation data regarding cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Antioxidants are crucial components of fruit/vegetable rich diets preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer: plasma vitamins C, E, carotenoids from diet correlate prevalence of CVD and cancer inversely, low levels predict an increased risk of individuals which is potentiated by combined inadequacy (e.g., vitamins C + E, C + carotene, A + carotene); self-prescribed rectification of vitamins C and E at adequacy of other micronutrients reduce forthcoming CVD, of vitamins A, C, E, carotene and conutrients also cancer; randomized exclusive supplementation of beta-carotene +/- vitamin A or E lack benefits except prostate cancer reduction by vitamin E, and overall cancer reduction by selenium; randomized intervention with synchronous rectification of vitamins A + C + E + B + minerals reduces CVD and counteracts precancerous lesions; high vitamin E supplements reveal potentials in secondary CVD prevention. Plasma values desirable for primary prevention: > or = 30 mumol/l lipid-standardized vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol/cholesterol > or = 5.0 mumol/mmol); > or = 50 mumol/l vitamin C aiming at vitamin C/vitamin E ratio > 1.3-1.5; > or = 0.4 mumol/l beta- (> or = 0.5 mumol/l alpha+ beta-) carotene.


CONCLUSIONS
In CVD vitamin E acts as first risk discriminator, vitamin C as second one; optimal health requires synchronously optimized vitamins C + E, A, carotenoids and vegetable conutrients.
Gey
K F
KF
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Berne, Switzerland.
D000975:Antioxidants; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D018977:Micronutrients; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D000975:Antioxidants; D018977:Micronutrients; D014810:Vitamin E; D001205:Ascorbic Acid