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Last Updated: Dec 4, 2008 - 10:03:07 AM |
Thursday Dec 4, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- Sufficient intake of vitamin E may help people with chronic inflammation such as the elderly or patients with type II diabetes or chronic heart failure, a new study published in the December issue of the journal Experimental Physiology suggests.
The study led by researchers at the University of Illinois found that vitamin E reduced the oxidation in muscle cells and at least two cytokines involved in inflammation.
In vitro studies, University of Illinois kinesiology and community health professor Kimberly Huey demonstrated that the antioxidant reduced expression of certain pro-inflammatory cytokines in various types of cells.
In the current study, Huey and colleagues examined whether the administration of vitamin E might have similar effects on skeletal and cardiac muscle cells in mice.
Rodney Johnson, a professor of animal sciences at the university, who also participated in the current study found in a precious study that vitamin E supplementation for a short term reduced inflammation in the brain.
For the study, Huey and colleagues administered vitamin E in mice and then inoculated the animals with a low dose of E coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce acute systemic inflammation.
Then they examined the levels of three cytokines -interleukin (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and AL-1beta. And oxidized protein was also measured to assess the muscle strength.
The researchers found that mice given vitamin E had lower levels of oxidized proteins than those who did not receive the antioxidant meaning that vitamin E helps maintain the muscle strength.
In addition, two cytokines, IL-6 and IL-1beta were lower in the group of mice fed vitamin E than those in the placebo group.
Although a reduction in IL-1beta levels is certainly a benefit because IL-6 is pro-inflammatory, Huey acknowledged that a decrease in IL-6 may be tricky becauseIL-6 can have both pro- or anti-inflammatory actions.
Still Huey said that evidence suggests chronic increases in IL-6 may be detrimental while acute increases in IL-6 in skeletal muscles, which occur during exercise, may or may not be harmful.
Overall, Huey and colleagues believe that vitamin E "may be beneficial in individuals with chronic inflammation, such as the elderly or patients with type II diabetes or chronic heart failure."
Vitamin E is a term used for a family of eight antioxidants: four tocopherols (alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-) and four tocotrienols (alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-). But only Alpha-tocopherol is actively maintained in the human body, according to Linus Pauling Institute.
Alpha-tocopherol is found in many vegetable oils and nuts. Because most of vegetables have high amounts of omega-6 fatty acids, olive oil and canola oil may be the best sources for natural alpha-tocopherol. When a vitamin E supplement is considered, food consumer may want to make sure it is in the natural form.
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