Lee Swanson Research Update

Conference Attendees Hear That Vitamin E May Cut COPD Risk

May 2010

Long-term, regular use of vitamin E in women 45 years of age and older may help decrease the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to the results of a study presented at the American Thoracic Society 2010 International Conference held recently in New Orleans.

The study, conducted by researchers at Cornell University and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, was presented at the conference before being published in a peer-reviewed journal.

"As lung disease develops, damage occurs to sensitive tissues through several proposed processes, including inflammation and damage from free radicals," said Anne Hermetet Agler, doctoral candidate with Cornell University’s Division of Nutritional Sciences. "Vitamin E may protect the lung against such damage."

"The findings from our study suggest that increasing vitamin E prevents COPD," Agler said. "Previous research found that higher intake of vitamin E was associated with lower risk of COPD, but the studies were not designed to answer the question of whether increasing vitamin E intake would prevent COPD. Using a large, randomized controlled trial to answer this question provided stronger evidence than previous studies."

Agler and colleagues reviewed data compiled by the Women’s Health Study, a multi-year, long-term effort ending in 2004 that focused on the effects of aspirin and vitamin E in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer in nearly 40,000 women aged 45 years and older. Study participants were randomly assigned to take a placebo, vitamin E supplements (600 IU every other day) or aspirin (100 mg per day), either alone or in combination.

At the end of 10 years, 760 of the 19,937 women who took vitamin E alone or with aspirin developed COPD compared with 846 of the 19,939 who took a placebo or aspirin alone—a 10% risk reduction. Vitamin E did not lower the risk of asthma, a condition associated with a higher risk of COPD. Importantly, Agler noted the decreased risk of COPD in women who were given vitamin E was the same for smokers and non-smokers.

Agler said further research will explore the way vitamin E affects lung tissue and function, and will assess the effects of vitamin E supplements on lung diseases in men.

Presented at the ATS 2010 International Conference

 

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