Many people welcomed the news from a US Government Health Agency that simply taking a baby aspirin daily would cut the risk for heart attacks. Not mentioned to the Public was the fact that this Agency also looked at other drugs as well as nutrients that would have the same results. They found that a low dose Vitamin E factor would give the same benefit. But, since vitamin E was more expensive compared to aspirin, the Agency decided not to mention the vitamin E fact.
How Aspirin Works Introduces a Problem
One of the benefits of aspirin is that it slows down platelet clumping to reduce blood clotting leading to heart attacks. But, it is interesting to note that this anti-clotting effect has to be tempered at just the right level to prevent generating spontaneous intestinal bleeding. Aspirin not only works to reduce the blood clotting mechanisms, but aspirin also hinders elements that protect the lining of the stomach. Thus, aspirin works against itself from these two forces. While it was known at the time that the regular dosages of aspirin could and did cause intestinal bleeding in some people, the US Health Agency hoped recommending the lower baby dose aspirin to prevent heart attacks would hopefully mitigate this bleeding potential. But...ref.. well, now they know this did not completely work. While aspirin does significantly reduce cardiovascular disease effects, this benefit comes with a price.
Vitamin E
Low dose vitamin E has not exhibited this bleeding potential and does not interfere with stomach lining protective elements. Plus, Vitamin E also has many other health benefits. BUT, in comparative studies, while aspirin revealed a beneficial impact on heart disease parameters, vitamin E had very little effect.
This is because Vitamin E is a family of 8 related vitamin E forms and the previous testing used just one, alpha tocopherol. The whole complement of factors is needed to benefit CVD. pages Past studies have to be reworked with the full vitamin E family. See this article for details.
While vitamin E as alpha tocopherol, the common form used in almost all multivitamins, has some benefits on certain factors of heart disease, it is time to acknowledge that it is incomplete. It should not be used in higher amounts. The exact vitamin E family ratios and amounts needs to be determined now. The Public needs to know and get the protections of the whole family of vitamin E.
FYI: While all past artiles on this website mention 8 vitamin E factors, there are now known to be 10. Add in the two newly discovered epislon vitamin E family members..
Would knowing this comparative information have modified your choice if you were experiencing the conditions possibly leading to heart disease?