Vitamin E Can Slow Physical Decline

It’s been known for years that vitamin E helps prevent heart disease, stave off Alzheimer’s, and protect against cancer. This vitamin is also therapeutic for patients with high cholesterol, PMS, and Parkinson’s disease. Now, new research from the Yale School of Medicine reveals another benefit of this powerful antioxidant: Vitamin E also appears to halt physical decline. Scientists took blood samples from nearly 700 people, age 65 and older, who lived in Tuscany, Italy, and determined their levels of iron, folate, and vitamins B6, B12, D, and E. Over three years, they measured the study volunteers’ rates of decline in three areas: rising multiple times from a chair, walking speed, and standing balance. What they found was that people with low levels of vitamin E were 60 percent more likely to have declining physical function. Folks, this is big news. If a simple nutrient can stave off disability in an aging population, it should be recommended for everyone over age 60. You won’t find adequate levels of vitamin E in food sources, so look in your health food store for supplements containing natural vitamin E and take 400 IU daily.