Industry Groups Launch Vitamin E Info Centers

WASHINGTON--Following the Nov. 10 release of an analysis questioning the benefits--and suggesting possible adverse effects--of vitamin E supplementation, several industry groups launched online resource centers. The Dietary Supplement Education Alliance (DSEA), National Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA) and Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) debuted Web sites designed to give talking points on the totality of evidence about vitamin E and its health effects.

DSEA's Dietary Supplement Information Bureau (DSIB) coordinated www.vitaminEfacts.org, which includes reviews of the meta-analysis with descriptions of flaws in the study and its conclusions, a vitamin E safety fact sheet from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and advice from physicians and researchers about taking vitamin E. "We have carefully reviewed almost 100 articles about vitamin E, its benefits, activity and more," said Ronald Watson, Ph.D., a member of the DSIB scientific advisory board and professor at the University of Arizona Medical School. "There is almost no evidence of toxicity or adverse effects in doses used by the average American. In fact, multitudinous animal and human studies proclaim it has limited toxicity and significant benefits."

The online Vitamin E Resource Center from NNFA (www.nnfa.org/vitamine.htm) includes press releases from the association about the controversial study, a vitamin E fact sheet, and links to articles and audio interviews about vitamin E. The site also features a letter to the editor from The New York Times from NNFA's executive director, David Seckman. In his editorial, Seckman advised placing the new study's findings in context of the vast number of studies showing positive effects of vitamin E on cardiovascular health and other health conditions.

Finally, CRN uploaded "Vitamin E is Safe: Get the Facts" (www.crnusa.org/vitaminEissafe.html) to its Web site. The site includes fact sheets, press releases, information from CRN publications and expert opinions about the safety and efficacy of vitamin E. Visitors are greeted by a Q&A section answering questions about the new study, whether vitamin E supplements are safe and what specific health benefits have been shown in previous studies. It also covers the methodological shortcomings of the meta-analysis, and notes, "This meta-analysis does not change what is known about vitamin E safety. The authors have exaggerated the practical significance of their findings to attract attention and scare the public."