High plasma levels of vitamin E forms and reduced Alzheimer's disease risk in advanced age

In this study we investigated the association between plasma levels of eight forms of vitamin E and incidence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) among oldest-old individuals in a population-based setting. A dementia-free sample of 232 subjects aged 80+ years, derived from the Kungsholmen Project, was followed-up to 6 years to detect incident AD. Plasma levels of vitamin E (alpha-, beta-, gamma, and delta-tocopherol; alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-tocotrienol) were measured at baseline. Vitamin E forms-AD association was analyzed with Cox proportional hazard model after adjustment for several potential confounders. Subjects with plasma levels of total tocopherols, total tocotrienols, or total vitamin E in the highest tertile had a reduced risk of developing AD in comparison to persons in the lowest tertile. Multi-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were 0.55 (0.32-0.94) for total tocopherols, 0.46 (0.23-0.92) for total tocotrienols, and 0.55 (0.32-0.94) for total vitamin E. When considering each vitamin E form, the risk of developing AD was reduced only in association with high plasma levels of beta-tocopherol (HR: 0.62, 95% CI 0.39-0.99), whereas alpha-tocopherol, alpha- tocotrienol, and beta-tocotrienol showed only a marginally significant effect in the multiadjusted model [HR (95% CI): alpha-tocopherol: 0.72 (0.48-1.09); alpha-tocotrienol: 0.70 (0.44-1.11); beta-tocotrienol: 0.69 (0.45-1.06)]. In conclusion, high plasma levels of vitamin E are associated with a reduced risk of AD in advanced age. The neuroprotective effect of vitamin E seems to be related to the combination of different forms, rather than to alpha-tocopherol alone, whose efficacy in interventions against AD is currently debated.

FYI: NOW, this data has been available for over 15 years. WHY do you think the FDA has remained silent about this positive result????

Here are three issues that confound FDA decisions about vitamins and health.

• First, FDA is slow to accept new research and some changes in the past took over 20 years to gain acceptance. Example: Negative health impact and label listing of Trans-Fats. 
• Second, any changes to RDI such as increases in vitamin amounts would mean increases of millions of dollars since by law, the Federal meal programs must have every meal served contain a third of RDI vitamin amounts.
• And last, any healthful vitamin changes could result in improved health of the Public. And this would result in decreased Big Pharma profits. Most of the Scientists at the FDA were previously employed in Big Pharma and many return after time at FDA. This possible conflict of interest might alter FDA decisions. EXAMPLE: Scientists that worked on drug development at a Medical Company often later become FDA Scienctist and are put on the approval team for that drug since they have working knowledge already. One rather large impact to Big Pharma profits came with the FDA decision to partner with Big Pharma by increasing FDA Lab R&D for new drug evaluations and faster clinical testing evaluations. Plus the Government offered other benefits such as tax incentives and Fast Track drug acceptance time reductions. Unfortunately, some of  the Covid-19 vaccines came in under a FastTrack program leading to acceptance of benefit over now known risks, such as myocarditis and thrombosis, both microvessel blood clot conditions.

A more recent study from 2017 is here.   <Copied from study... "Among the different form of tocopherols, α- and γ-tocopherols were associated with a slower cognitive decline and reduced AD risk. In particular, the results suggested that the combined intake of the different tocopherol forms, may be more useful than α-tocopherol alone in the protection against AD