Vitamin E Is Vital to Alzheimer’s Risk Reduction

Alpha-tocopherol, one of the more common forms of Vitamin E, has been widely studied for potential protective effects against the onset of Alzheimer’s  Disease. Francesca Mangialasche, from the Karolinska Institutet (Sweden), and colleagues studied a group of 232 men and women, ages 80 years and older, who were dementia-free at the study’s start. The researchers follows the subjects for 6 years, tracking the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease and measuring blood levels of all eight natural vitamin E components.  Those subjects with higher blood levels of all the vitamin E family forms were at a markedly reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s  Disease, as compared to subjects with lower levels. After adjusting for confounding factors, the team reports the risk reduction in those with the higher blood levels of all the vitamin E family forms was 45-54%, depending on the vitamin E component.  The researchers conclude that: “The neuroprotective effect of vitamin E seems to be related to the combination of different forms, rather than to alpha-tocopherol alone.”