Excess vitamin E intake not a health concern

Despite concerns that have been expressed about possible health risks from high intake of vitamin E, a new review concludes that biological mechanisms exist to routinely eliminate excess levels of the vitamin, and they make it almost impossible to take a harmful amount.

No level of vitamin E in the diet or from any normal use of supplements should be a concern, according to an expert from the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. The review was just published in the Journal of Lipid Research.

“I believe that past studies which have alleged adverse consequences from vitamin E have misinterpreted the data,” said Maret Traber, an internationally recognized expert on this micronutrient and professor in the OSU College of Public Health and Human Sciences.

“Taking too much vitamin E is not the real concern,” Traber said. “A much more important issue is that more than 90 percent of people in the U.S. have inadequate levels of vitamin E in their diet.”

Vitamin E is an antioxidant and a very important nutrient for proper function of many organs, nerves and muscles, and is also an anticoagulant that can reduce blood clotting. It can be found in oils, meat and some other foods, but is often consumed at inadequate dietary levels, especially with increasing emphasis on low-fat diets.

In the review of how vitamin E is metabolized, researchers have found that two major systems in the liver work to control the level of vitamin E in the body, and they routinely excrete excessive amounts. Very high intakes achieved with supplementation only succeed in doubling the tissue levels of vitamin E, which is not harmful.

“Toxic levels of vitamin E in the body simply do not occur,” Traber said. “Unlike some other fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A and D, it’s not possible for toxic levels of vitamin E to accumulate in the liver or other tissues.”

Vitamin E, because of its interaction with vitamin K, can cause some increase in bleeding, research has shown. But no research has found this poses a health risk.

On the other hand, vitamin E performs many critical roles in optimum health. It protects polyunsaturated fatty acids from oxidizing, may help protect other essential lipids, and has been studied for possible value in many degenerative diseases. Higher than normal intake levels may be needed for some people who have certain health problems, and smoking has also been shown to deplete vitamin E levels.

Traber said she recommends taking a daily multivitamin that has the full RDA of vitamin E, along with consuming a healthy and balanced diet.

High supplemental calcium intake may increase risk of cardiovascular disease death in men

A high intake of supplemental calcium appears to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) death in men but not in women in a study of more 388,000 participants between the ages of 50 and 71 years, according to a report published Online First by JAMA Internal Medicine, a JAMA Network publication.

Calcium supplementation has become widely used, especially among the elderly population, because of its proposed bone health benefits. However, beyond calciums established role in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, its health effect on nonskeletal outcomes, including cardiovascular health, remains largely unknown and has become "increasingly contentious," the authors write in the study background.

Qian Xiao, Ph.D., of the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Md., and colleagues examined whether the intake of dietary and supplemental calcium was associated with mortality from total CVD, heart disease and cerebrovascular diseases. The study participants were 388,229 men and women ages 50 to 71 years from the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study in six states and two metropolitan areas from 1995 through 1996.

"In this large, prospective study we found that supplemental but not dietary calcium intake was associated with an increased CVD mortality in men but not in women," the authors conclude.

During an average 12 years of follow-up, 7,904 CVD deaths in men and 3,874 CVD deaths in women were identified and supplements containing calcium were used by 51 percent of men and 70 percent of women. Compared with non-supplement users, men with an intake of supplemental calcium of more than 1,000 mg/day had an increased risk of total CVD death (risk ratio [RR], 1.20), more specifically with heart disease (RR, 1.19), but not significantly with cerebrovascular disease death (RR, 1.14).

For women, supplemental calcium intake was not associated with CVD death, heart disease death or cerebrovascular disease death. Dietary calcium intake also was not associated with CVD death in men or women.

"Whether there is a sex difference in the cardiovascular effect of calcium supplement warrants further investigation. Given the extensive use of calcium supplement in the population, it is of great importance to assess the effect of supplemental calcium use beyond bone health," the authors conclude.

Fruit juice intake is Ideal for Kids by Age

Health for human | Fresh fruit is the best option. However, presenting the fruit in the daily diet in the form of juice is also more practical. Some types of fruit juice can be part of a healthy diet for children. Because in addition contain various vitamins, some types of fruit also contains antioxidants. So the portions should be within their needs.

However, fruit juices do contain calories. Just like any other food or beverages that contain calories, too much fruit juice can contribute to weight gain.

If you choose to give children fruit juice, then make fruit juice without added sugar or sweeteners. Fruit juice and sweetened fruit drinks may indeed have the same number of calories, but the child will get more vitamins and nutrients if consumed fruit juice contains no added sugar or sweeteners.

Should serve juice in a cup or glass instead of dot. It is well to teach children to stop ngedot.

In addition, should serve fruit juice as a snack, do not allow children to drink juice all day. If a child becomes difficult to eat because they were given fruit juice. Then you should not give fruit juice 30 minutes before eating.

Each component of the food is ideally given in sufficient quantities. Too much or too little fruit juice, of course each has its impact.

To ensure that the child is not too much to drink juice, it can be by following limits are recommended intake of fruit juice of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association.

The following limit fruit juice intake recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association as quoted from :

1. Newborns to 6 months: No fruit juice, unless it is given with the aim to relieve constipation.

2. 6 months - 6 years: 4-6 ounces (118-177 milliliters) per day.

3. More than 7 years old: 8-12 ounces (237-355 milliliters) per day.

About 4 ounces (118 milliliters) of pure fruit juice equals one serving of fruit. However, the juice has no fiber and other nutrients such as fresh fruit. Although a reasonable amount of fruit juice every day is good for most children, be sure to offer fresh fruit for the children too.