Hydrolyzed Collagen aids joint and bone

In this review it was found that 10 grams a day of hydrolyzed collagen may reduce pain in osteoarthritis of the hip or knee. In fact the worse the condition, the more helpful the collagen may be. Given the importance of collagen for bone structure it was found that giving collagen along with calcitonin treatment for osteoporosis was more bone building than giving the drug alone. The review was conducted by researchers at Case Western University, Division of Rheumatic Diseases and was published in Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism.

Vitamin C with Vitamin E supplements protect from senile mental decline

Researchers examined the data from the Canadian Study of Health and Aging: a population based investigation following individuals over 65 years of age for 5 years. The participants were given the Modified Mini Mental State test to determine signs of dementia at the beginning of the study. The 894 people with no sign of dementia at the start of the study were followed closely to assess the protective effects of antioxidant supplements. Individuals reporting a combined use of Vitamin C with Vitamin E supplements and/or Multivitamin use at the start of the study were significantly less likely to experience significant cognitive decline during a 5-year follow up period, cutting their risk in half. Any antioxidant supplement use had some protective value. The study is published in the April 2005 issue of the journal Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders.

Low vitamin E tied to physical decline in the elderly

Older adults with low levels of vitamin E are likely to see a steeper deterioration in physical function over a 3-year period than those with higher vitamin E levels, a study shows. Researchers from Yale University School of Medicine studied 698 adults age 65 or older who were randomly selected in Tuscany, Italy. Physical function was assessed using tests of walking speed, standing balance and other physical abilities. The researchers excluded people with already low scores less than 4 out of 12 possible points. Vitamin E was the only micronutrient associated with reduced physical function after taking account of factors such as illnesses, obesity, physical activity level, depression, and mental function. Compared to people with the highest level of vitamin E, those with the lowest amount were 62 percent more likely to have at least a 1-point drop in their physical capacities. The authors point out that vitamin E, being a powerful antioxidant, may protect against DNA and muscle damage, atherosclerosis, and neurodegenerative disorders. The study is published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, January 23, 2008.

Vitamin E reduces the risk of stroke and heart attack, or dying from them in a significant number of diabetics

Haptoglobin is a powerful antioxidant protein in our blood. Haptoglobin binds to free oxy-hemoglobin, a form of the substance in blood that carries oxygen, and prevents it from becoming cross linked; otherwise glycosylated hemoglobin would form, and this form of hemoglobin hardens tissues and reduces cellular function in a process that greatly accelerates aging in diabetics. In fact a major diagnostic tool doctors use to judge the effectiveness of a diabetics blood sugar control is a measure of the level of glycosylated hemoglobin; if it is high it shows poor blood sugar control over a two or three-month period. There are two forms of haptoglobin; 1 and 2 with haptoglobin 2 being less protective/ Genes control the quality of your haptoglobin's ability to protect you and if you have the poorer quality haptoglobin you are more prone to heart disease.
In this new study it was determined that many diabetics (2-3 % of the total population) have the gene that creates under-protective haptoglobin. Israeli researchers' split 1434 diabetic patients with under-functioning haptoglobin randomly into two groups; one group received Vitamin E 400 IU every day and the other group received inactive placebo. Within 18 months the Vitamin E supplementation was so effective at protecting these diabetics that the study was terminated early due to overwhelming evidence of its protective ability; The Vitamin significantly reduced the number of patients who suffered with a heart attack, a stroke, or who died from either event. The study is published online ahead of print in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology.

Higher dosage Vitamin E protects a woman from dangerous blood clots

If a blood clot forms in a vein it can dislodge and travel through the blood stream. If it lodges in the heart, lungs, or brain it can be life-threatening or lead to major disability. The formation of the clot is referred to as venous thromboembolism (VTE). The formation of these dangerous clots may be as common an occurrence as heart attacks or strokes. The current treatment for this condition is Coumadin (warfarin) a drug that is often unpredictable because it interacts with so many other drugs, nutrients and many of the healthiest of foods.
In this study Harvard researchers placed 39,876 women on either 600 IU of Vitamin E or inactive placebo every other day for 10.2 years on average. The women were 45 years of age or older. This higher potency Vitamin E cut the risk of VTE by a significant 21%. If the VTE was unprovoked, meaning it wasn't caused by an accident, surgery, or disease, the reduction in risk was 27%. If the woman had suffered from a VTE previously it reduced her risk by a solid 44%. If the women were born with specific gene mutations that increased their risk of suffering from VTE it reduced their risk by 49% or about one-half. The study is published online ahead of print in the journal Circulation, a journal of the American Heart Association.

Long term use of vitamin E slows the creation of cataracts

Cataracts often develop with age, and these age-related cataracts are the world's leading cause of blindness. More than 20 million Americans over the age of 40 are affected by cataracts. Surgical removal is the only known option for intervention, until now. Researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center for Aging at Tufts University are investigating how diet may prevent cataracts.
In this recent study the Tufts Scientists found that women who took vitamin E supplements for 10 years or more had significantly less cataract development within the next five years of follow-up. A similar decrease in cataract development was reported in women who had a higher intake of Riboflavin (vitamin B2) and Thiamin (vitamin B1). These same researchers found in a previous study that Vitamin C had a similar role in preventing cataracts. They also previously published studies that indicate that a high intake of omega-6 fatty acids may increase the risk of developing a cataract while fatty fish omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk. The current study is published in the April 2005 issue of the journal Archives of Ophthalmology

Vitamin C and Vitamin E taken together very protective against Alzheimer's disease

Researchers have found that Vitamin C and Vitamin E protect the aging brain - but only if taken together and at a sufficient strength. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland examined data on 4,740 people at or over the age of 65. The researchers found that taking a daily supplement of Vitamin C at 500mg a day or greater along with Vitamin E at 400 IU a day or greater, when taken in combination, decreased the likelihood of developing signs of Alzheimer's disease by 78% in the general public. Those not taking the combination or taking lower dosages did not have protection. The study is published in the journal Archives of Neurology a journal of the American Medical Association.