Taking vitamin E supplements may lengthen lifespan for certain groups of men, a recent study from the journal Age and Ageing shows.
For the study, researchers looked at data on 10,837 adults who were followed for eight years. While vitamin E had no effect on mortality when participants were 65- to 70-years-old, the antioxidant appeared to reduce mortality when participants were 71 or older.
According to the study's authors, vitamin E may increase life expectancy by protecting against oxidative stress (an aging-related process that occurs when free radicals overwhelm cells and damage their DNA). However, past research on vitamin E supplements and mortality has yielded mixed results. In a 2005 research review from the Annals of Internal Medicine, for instance, scientists sized up 19 clinical trials and found that the supplements failed to reduce risk of heart disease or cancer.
To boost your vitamin E intake without turning to supplements, go for vitamin-E-rich foods like almonds, mango, and broccoli.
