November 2, 2016.
According to a study by a team of researchers from the University of Helsinki, Finland, taking vitamin E supplements may lead to an increased risk of pneumonia.
Population at risk: elderly and sedentary smokers
Vitamin E can be prescribed as a food supplement for people looking to strengthen their natural defenses. But it is not recommendable to the whole population. This is what a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition. According to this work, one in four senior smokers and sedentary people see their risk of pneumonia increased because of this vitamin.
To reach this conclusion, the Finnish researchers followed more than 29,000 people aged 50 to 69 at the start of the study, between 1985 and 1993. By the end of the experiment, 898 people had declared pneumonia. More precisely, in older men who smoked and did not exercise, the risk of developing pneumonia was 68%.
Antioxidant virtues
Thanks to these antioxidant properties, vitamin E is indicated in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, cancers or infections. We now know that not all patients can be accommodated in the same boat. Other studies have indeed shown that in smokers vitamin E supplementation could lead to lung cancer and increase the risk of stroke.
According to the Finnish study, in older people less exposed to smoking and the most active, vitamin E reduced the risk of pneumonia by 69%. According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), adequate intake of vitamin E is 13 mg per day for men and 11 mg per day for women. It is naturally found in sardines, avocados, sunflower oil or even hazelnuts.
Also read: The best sources of vitamin E
