Almost a century has passed since Evans and Bishop (Evans & Bishop, 1922) first described a “substance X” (today known as vitamin E) as a critical factor for post-fertilization placental development in rats. Recently, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that more than 10% of the U.S. population may have nutritional deficiencies, including vitamin E. These deficiencies may result from inadequate consumption of nutrient-rich foods; lack of absorption in the digestive tract; illness and disease; interactions among prescription medications, over-the-counter (OTC) medicine and dietary supplements; and following “fad” diets that limit the intake of a variety of foods.
Since its discovery, vitamin E has been extensively researched by a large number of investigators in an attempt to understand its role in a variety of pathophysiological contexts. However, several recent randomized controlled trials have generated negative images of this well-publicized vitamin.