Vitamin E important for cognition

You may have heard that some research suggests that it may not be healthy to take vitamin E. Usually these kinds of studies rely on people filling out food questionnaires which may not always be that accurate. That is why the reviewed research is interesting, since the researchers measured plasma tocopherols, tocotrienols and markers of damaged vitamin E (Mangialasche F, et al. 2011).

Usually when vitamin E is studied only the most common form is considered. This study tested all forms of vitamin E and looked at the association between the vitamin E levels and mild cognitive impairment and also Alzheimer’s disease.

When participants with normal cognition were compared with participants having mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease, those with cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease had lower level of total tocopherols, total tocotrienols, and total vitamin E. Both of these conditions were also associated with increased vitamin E damage.

The conclusion of the research was that low plasma tocopherols and tocotrienols levels are associated with increased odds of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease.

What this shows us is that vitamin E is indeed important, but it is important to take a vitamin E complex, not only one type of vitamin E. You can read more about a good vitamin E complex by clicking here.

Mangialasche F, Xu W, Kivipelto M, Costanzi E, Ercolani S, Pigliautile M, Cecchetti R, Baglioni M, Simmons A, Soininen H, Tsolaki M, Kloszewska I, Vellas B, Lovestone S, Mecocci P; AddNeuroMed Consortium. Tocopherols and tocotrienols plasma levels are associated with cognitive impairment. Neurobiol Aging. 2011 Dec 20.