Byron J. Richards, CCN
Source: http://www.newswithviews.com
August 18, 2007

A new randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cardiovascular study evaluating natural vitamin E, synthetic vitamin C, and synthetic beta-carotene shows that natural vitamin E significantly reduced heart disease and is a wonderful dietary supplement for any person concerned about their heart and cardiovascular health. The primary end point of the study was to determine the prevention of either cardiovascular death or serious cardiovascular disease. Natural vitamin E showed an impressive and statistically significant 13% reduction. Natural vitamin E also showed improvement in secondary end points of the study, including a 22% reduction in heart attacks, a 27% reduction in strokes (31% when combined with vitamin C), and a 9% reduction in cardiovascular death. These results for natural vitamin E are nothing short of astounding as they used the gold standard of human testing!

In an absolutely unbelievable reporting of their own study information the authors erroneously concluded “There were no overall effects of ascorbic acid, vitamin E, or beta carotene on cardiovascular events among women at high risk for cardiovascular disease.” This is a flat out lie based on their own study data that they report in the American Medical Association’s Archives of Internal Medicine. They concocted this false and misleading conclusion by including the people who said they were supposed to be taking vitamin E but really didn’t take the vitamin E in the final statistical analysis. The study participants who actually took the natural vitamin E had the dramatic benefits listed in the first paragraph, which the authors failed to report in the study abstract. Instead, the authors fed a false and negatively slanted view of the study to the media, none of whom bothered to check the actual study. The media then proceeded to spread a false negative view of truly remarkable findings on vitamin E and heart health.

Taking a Closer Look at the Study Results

The following two paragraphs are what the study actually says about vitamin E. The first paragraph says that vitamin E did not do much of anything, which is what the authors reported. The second paragraph says that when they re-evaluated the Vitamin E data by removing people from the vitamin E group who failed to actually take the vitamin E, the results were extremely good. This is the important information about what natural vitamin E actually did. The authors didn’t tell the media about this and the media didn’t bother looking into the study.

VITAMIN E

No differences were seen in the primary end point by randomized vitamin E assignment (RR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.85-1.04 [P=.23]) (Table 2 and Figure 2), with no significant variation in the relative risk over time. We found a nonsignificant 16% reduction in total stroke, with a 21% reduction in ischemic stroke (P=.06) and an increase in hemorrhagic stroke based on small numbers. There was an overall 10% reduction in the combination of MI, stroke, and CVD death, with a nonsignificant decrease (P=.08) in benefit over time. No difference in total mortality by vitamin E group was found.

Censoring participants on noncompliance led to a significant 13% reduction in the primary end point (RR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.76-0.99 [P=.04]). Reductions in secondary study end points were also stronger, with a 22% reduction in MI (RR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.58-1.06 [P=.11]), a 27% reduction in stroke (RR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.54-0.98 [P=.04]), and a 9% reduction in CVD mortality (RR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.66-1.25 [P=.55]). There was a 23% reduction in the combination of MI, stroke, or CVD death (RR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.64-0.92 [P=.005]). Among those with prior CVD, the active vitamin E group experienced fewer major CVD events (RR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.79-1.00 [P=.04]; P value for interaction, .07) (Table 3).

In order for a result to be statistically significant the P value must be less than .05. In this case the primary end point of the study, the 27% reduction in stroke, the 23% reduction in the combination of MI (heart attack), stroke, or CVD death, and the fewer major CVD events in those with a history of CVD were all statistically significant. These are the impressive results of the people who actually took the natural vitamin E.

Vitamin E has Been Wrongly Attacked Before

As I have pointed out in my previous writing, Vitamin E has been viciously and fraudulently attacked by powerful vested interests, especially researchers funded primarily by Big Pharma. This has nothing to do with real science, and everything to do with a media-backed Big Pharma PR machine trying to convince Americans to take toxic and health-deteriorating drugs instead of safe and effective vitamins. It is likely the study authors, researchers of the heavily Big Pharma-backed Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, were pressured into writing findings that negated vitamin E. Or else the study authors were totally biased and could not believe the spectacular vitamin E results.

In the current study the natural form of vitamin E used was d alpha tocopherol acetate at the dose of 600 IU every other day. Even this form of vitamin E could have been improved upon by using a full mixture of tocopherols or the truly superior tocotrienols. However, at least it was a high quality form of natural vitamin E that was used, unlike studies that used synthetic vitamin E and produced questionable outcomes. Consumers should always avoid synthetic vitamin E, which has an “l” after the “d”, so it looks like “dl alpha” on the label instead of “d alpha.”

Synthetic Beta Carotene did not Help the Heart – No Surprise

I would also like to point out that the synthetic beta carotene used in the study (Lurotin from the BASF, 50 mg every other day) is the same worthless compound found to increase lung cancer in smokers. This pathetic “vitamin” is produced by a German drug company that is actively participating to have vitamins regulated worldwide as well as to promote synthetic vitamins as no different than natural. Since the end of the 1930s BASF has been pouring millions of tons of coal tar-derived food coloring into our food supply, poisoning our citizens - with the blessings of the Big Pharma-owned FDA. The Germans like to synthesize vitamins from chemical sources, as their own country is so poor in natural resources that they can’t make anything from a real food source and thus can’t make a profit selling vitamins unless they are concocted from chemicals. Synthetic beta carotene is made by extracting benzene rings from acetylene gas, and then attaching the benzene rings together to form 100% all-trans-beta-carotene. There is no food source that contains 100% all-trans-beta-carotene.

One example of high quality natural beta carotene is the sea algae Dunaliella salinas, which contains a mixture of 9-cis-beta carotene as well as trans-beta-carotene along with related nutrients such as alpha-carotene, cryptoxanthin, and zeaxanthin. Natural source beta carotene contains a powerful complex of nutrients not present in synthetic beta carotene. Research shows that 9-cis-beta carotene transports much more efficiently in the body. My advice is to avoid synthetic beta carotene which can always be identified because the natural source of the beta carotene is not listed on the label.  

Consumer Action is Needed

I have been working with Mike Adams over at NewsTarget.com to help get the word out about the false impression the media has given the world about this study. It is a shame that health-related politics, financial pressures, or researcher bias prevent the publishing of the true meaning of an important study, especially when the findings would cause millions of consumers to abandon dangerous drugs in favor of natural vitamin E. It is a shame that the media has been conditioned like Pavlovian dogs to spread Big Pharma sponsored anti-vitamin bad news as if it is the truth. It is also a shame that important studies fail to use the high quality forms of nutrients, proving only that synthetic garbage does not work. A combination of antioxidants from natural sources is primary dietary support for the reduction of heart disease and cancer, as well as naturally boosting the immune system – the science in this regard is overwhelmingly positive.  

You can help. Click on this link to see all the media that falsely reported on this study and demand they make the proper correction. The various places to contact and a sample letter can be found at this link. Your voice matters. We cannot allow Big Pharma and the mainstream media to act with complete irresponsibility to promote dangerous drugs while negating safe and effective natural options.

© 2007 Truth in Wellness, LLC - All Rights Reserved

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Link to original story here.