Results from the Physicians’ Health Study-II, a large, long-term trial of male physicians, indicate neither vitamin E nor vitamin C supplementation reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events.

Findings from the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled factorial trial were recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

For this study, which began in 1997 and was completed in 2007, 14,641 U.S. male physicians enrolled, who were initially aged 50 years or older, including 754 men (5.1%) with prevalent cardiovascular disease at randomization. Participants received individual supplements of 400 IU of vitamin E every other day and 500 mg of vitamin C daily.

According to the study’s conclusions, data provide no support for the use of these supplements for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in middle-aged and older men.

During a mean follow-up of eight years, there were 1245 confirmed major cardiovascular events. Compared with placebo, neither vitamin E nor vitamin C had any effect on the incidence of major cardiovascular events.

“We commend the researchers for undertaking this important prevention trial, which sought to confirm positive results demonstrated by earlier observational trials on these antioxidant vitamins,” said Andrew Shao, PhD, vice president, scientific and regulatory affairs, with the Washington, D.C.-based Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN). “Although the results did not demonstrate an overall benefit, the results also do not discount the earlier epidemiological data showing that people with high intakes of vitamins E and C may have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Nutrition research is extremely complex, and doesn’t always provide clear-cut answers. This study raises an interesting set of scientific challenges as to why the benefits found in observational studies have not been confirmed in this kind of trial.”

He continued to say: “From a consumer’s point of view, it can be frustrating to have more questions than answers, but for scientists, this can be intriguing. The truth is, we don’t have conclusive scientific evidence in the form of randomized, controlled trials that demonstrate exactly how to prevent cardiovascular disease. We do know there are some well-known practical approaches—like not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, consuming a diet with a variety of foods, regular exercise, seeing your physician, and responsible use of vitamin supplements. Consumers should not take vitamins expecting that vitamins alone will prevent cardiovascular disease, but they should continue to take vitamins for the general health benefits they provide.”   
 
Annette Dickinson, PhD, consultant and past-president with CRN added, “These results do not of course negate other evidence of benefits for vitamin E and vitamin C for other conditions, including immune function, mental acuity, and eye health. Consumers would be well advised to ensure adequate intake of all essential nutrients through a good diet plus use of a multivitamin and selected other nutrients including vitamins E and C, vitamin D, calcium and EPA and DHA omega 3 fatty acids.”