Supplementation of Vitamin E is Required for Significant Oxidative Stress Reduction.

A 2007 study conducted by researchers from the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University and the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, and published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine, concluded that the levels of vitamin E necessary to reduce oxidative stress are four to eight times higher than those used in almost all past clinical trials. They stated that the level of vitamin E that can clearly be shown to reduce oxidative stress is far higher than that which could be obtained in the diet. While the official “safe upper limit” for daily intake of vitamin E is 1,000 I.U. and researchers were not ready to recommend exceeding it, they did suggest that the safe upper limit should be reevaluated and higher doses considered.The average daily dietary intake of alpha-tocopherol in the U.S. is about 9 mg (13.5 I.U.) for men and 6 mg (9 I.U.) for women, well below the RDA of 15 mg (22.5 I.U.) per day of alpha-tocopherol. Although true vitamin E deficiency is rare, suboptimal intake of vitamin E is relatively common in the U.S. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III (NHANES III) evaluated dietary intake and blood levels of alpha-tocopherol in 16,295 adults over the age of 18. Low alpha-tocopherol levels, suggestive of an increased risk for development of cardiovascular disease, were found in 27% of Caucasians, 41% of African Americans, and 28% of Mexican Americans. Many authorities suggest that it is difficult to consume more than 15 mg per day of alpha-tocopherol from the diet without excessive fat intake. The “d” isomer of alpha-tocopherol is the naturally occurring form and is the most bioavailable. The best supplemental form of Vitamin E therefore is d-alpha-tocopherol. Vitamin E supplements labeled ”dl” are synthetic and have lesser bio-availability and activity.