By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    headphones can create health problems
    The Harmful Health Effects of Using Headphones
    September 24, 2021
    Headache causes
    4 Causes Of Headache You Probably Didn’t Know About
    December 28, 2021
    follow these steps to recover from your injury
    What Steps Should You Take to Recover More Quickly from an Injury?
    April 12, 2022
    Latest News
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
    The Hidden Impact Of Stress On Your Body’s Alignment And Balance
    May 22, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Cash Transfers: Good for HIV/AIDS Too
    August 9, 2012
    unnecessary medical tests
    Eagerly Awaiting the Death of Defensive Medicine
    September 5, 2013
    Image
    Mobile Health Around the Globe – mHealth Fighting Malnutrition in India
    December 17, 2012
    Latest News
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
    Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
    June 25, 2025
    When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
    June 20, 2025
    Preventing Contamination In Healthcare Facilities Starts With Hygiene
    June 15, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Vitamin E Supplements May be Hazardous to Bone Health
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Public Health > Vitamin E Supplements May be Hazardous to Bone Health
NewsPublic Health

Vitamin E Supplements May be Hazardous to Bone Health

Dov Michaeli
Dov Michaeli
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

 

 

miracle in a bottle?

 

 

miracle in a bottle?

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that has antioxidant properties. It is present in vegetable oils (safflower, sunflower, corn, soybean), nuts (almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts), sunflower seeds, and green leafy vegetables (spinach, broccoli). A balanced diet provides all the vitamin E you need, but most people take supplements of the vitamin, on the assumption that if a little is good, more is better. Is it really so? Let’s examine the evidence.

The health claims of vitamin E

Vitamin E has been claimed to protect against heart disease, certain cancers, dementia, skin aging and scar formation. None of these claims has the data to support it. It does has a role in red blood cell formation and in vitamin K synthesis, which is important in blood clotting. But the amount of the vitamin needed for these functions is found in a well-balanced diet. So what’s the basis for all the other claims?

This one is for massage; at least it makes feel good

The chemical name of vitamin E is tocopherol, and it is present in two forms (isomers): alpha-tocophrol and gamma-tocopherol. The supplements are usually made up of the alpha-tocopherol isomer, but both forms are antioxidants.

Many studies have shown that oxygen radicals are part of the inflammatory process and are injurious to tissues. Hence the conclusion that vitamin E, being an antioxidant, must be “good for you”. EXCEPT, that the antioxidant effect is not the only biological activity of the vitamin. In fact, several studies failed to show a biological effect of the vitamin, its chemical antioxidant activity notwithstanding.

Bones are metabolically very active organs: they are being constantly resorbed by cells called osteoclasts and built up by cells called osteoblasts. The balance between the two is crucial: if the activity of osteoclasts (the Yin half of the famous twins) is not balanced by the osteoblasts (the Yang half), osteoporosis is the all too familiar result. Postmenopausal women lose the antiinflammatory protection of estrogen, causing an accelerated resorption of bone. Under normal circumstances the osteoblasts would spring into action and work overtime to right the imbalance. And it is the gamma-tocopherol that apparently prods the osteoblasts into action.  In the Journal of Bone and mineral research Maryam Hamidi and her colleagues showed that women who took vitamin E, comprising alpha-tocopherol, suppressed their levels of gamma-tocopherol, with the result that the natural balance between bone formation and bone resorption was disrupted, leading to loss of bone tissue.

How does it work?

Fujita and his colleagues (Nature Medicine) showed in mice what is happening. Alpha tocopherol, the synthetic form of vitamin E supplements, stimulates the formation of osteoclasts from precurser cells, and suppresses gamma-tocopherol, thus tilting the balance toward bone reosorption.

In summary: the first study showed suppression of gamma-tocopherol by alpha-tocopherol, the form we take as a vitamin E supplement. The second study, albeit in mice, showed in great molecular detail how alpha tocopherol enables the formation of osteoclasts, the destroyers of bone tissue.

There are two lessons here. First, we assumed that vitamin E exerts its influence by virtue of being an antioxidant. It is now evident that it has other effects, like stimulation of osteoclasts, that have nothing to do with antioxidant activity. Second, based on skimpy evidence we rushed to conclusions that were later shown to be inaccurate at best. In biology and medicine, conclusions based on “it makes sense” are simply not good enough. Biology is infinitely more complex than our powers of reasoning. We need to be a bit more humble.

What’s to be done?

My first preference would be to recommend having a diet rich in vegatables and other good sources of vitamin E. If you feel that you absolutely need supplementation, using multivitamins; the recommended RDA is 15 mg (or 22.4 International Units) a day. And by all means avoid the mega-doses of vitamin E pills.

 

 

TAGGED:bone strengthvitamin Ewellness
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

9 Lifestyle Tweaks That Can Add Years to Your Life
9 Healthcare Lifestyle Tweaks That can Add Years to Your Life
lifestyle
July 11, 2025
car accident lawsuit
Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
Policy & Law
July 6, 2025
women dental care
What Is a Smile Makeover and How Much Does It Cost?
Dental health
June 30, 2025
HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps
Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
June 25, 2025

You Might also Like

Mental HealthWellness

Why Wellness Vacations Are Important For Mental Health

July 25, 2019

Trust Is What Makes Health Care Work: A Success Story from Belgium

October 14, 2013
Image
Medical DevicesMedical InnovationsNewsTechnology

Does Moore’s Law Make Better Health Care Inevitable?

April 12, 2012
cuts-medicare
BusinessFinancePublic Health

Medicare Advantage Cuts Don’t Bite: Health Insurers’ Stocks Rally

February 28, 2014
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?