Vitamin E Associated With Lower Risk of Liver Cancer

According to recent research, high intake of vitamin E may significantly reduce the risk of liver cancer, even in people with family history of the disease. The results were the same for dietary intake and supplement consumption.

The researchers examined data from the Shanghai Women's Health Study, which took place between 1997 and 2000, and the Shanghai Men's Health Study, which took place between 2002 and 2006. In total, 132,837 people participated in the study.

To determine vitamin E intake, the researchers administered food-frequency questionnaires. They found that the individuals who consumed the most vitamin E had a noticeably lower risk of developing liver cancer than those who consumed the least vitamin E.

The study was conducted by researchers at the Shanghai Cancer Institute and Vanderbilt University. Their results were published online ahead of print on July 17, 2012, in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin with high antioxidant content. Previous studies have shown that vitamin E is associated with lower cholesterol, healthier skin, maintaining a proper hormonal balance, and preventing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).