Vitamin E

Stephen B. Strum M.D. 2001

Vitamin E is an important antioxidant. It acts as a free radical scavenger to prevent the byproducts of chemical-cell interaction to cause cell damage. Free radicals are likely responsible for all or most of the degenerative diseases e.g. arthritis, heart disease, cancer, senility etc. Neutralization or scavenging of free radicals protects cells from this type of injury. Other free radical scavengers include zinc, vitamin C, and selenium.

Studies have reported vitamin E to protect against some of the toxicities of ionizing radiation. Vitamin E may help to decrease the toxicity of certain chemotherapy drugs. Adriamycin is an important anticancer drug with potential major toxicity to the heart. The use of 1,000 to 2,000 units of vitamin E per day may help to decrease this toxicity. Vitamin E may decrease some of the harmful effects of solar radiation on the skin. It works well in conjunction with Beta-carotene. Vitamin E appears to have a stabilizing effect on the vascular system and is useful in decreasing menopausal and premenstrual symptoms. It is useful in decreasing leg cramps occurring mainly at night.

Vitamin E can be used in lotions or creams to protect the skin or to treat for burns. It is also helpful to treat burns secondary to radiation therapy. I have also used it with good results in patients with dermatitis (inflammation of the skin) resulting from poor blood circulation, i.e. stasis dermatitis. It is commonly prescribed for topical use in pregnant women to prevent stretch marks on the abdomen. More recently, it has been used to prevent or treat mucositis (inflammation of the lining of the mouth and throat) resulting from chemotherapy. I advise patients to bite into a 1,000 unit capsule and swish the vitamin E around the mouth and over the lining the cheeks. This is done three to four times a day. You can also use liquid vitamin E to do this.

The recommended dose of vitamin E for patient with prostate cancer is 800-1,200 mg per day. Higher doses of vitamin E can have blood-thinning effects and can cause bleeding tendencies, and are not recommended. Vitamin E, selenium and zinc are intimately involved in a number of complimentary cellular enzyme systems. Therefore, supplementation with vitamin E should always be done in conjunction with selenium and zinc supplementation. Vitamins E and C also work side by side in antioxidant systems and supplementation programs should balance these vitamins.

 

 

Prostate Cancer Research Institute (PCRI)

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