Vitamin E Prevents Functional Decline in Alzheimer Disease

A study in the January 2014 issue of JAMA aimed to determine if vitamin E (alpha tocopherol), memantine, or both slow progression of mild to moderate AD in patients taking an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor.

Participants received either 2000 IU/d of alpha tocopherol, 20 mg/d of memantine, the combination, or placebo.

Over the mean follow-up of 2.27 years, ADCS-ADL Inventory scores declined by 3.15 units less in the alpha tocopherol group compared with the placebo group. This change in the alpha tocopherol group translates into a delay in clinical progression of 19% per year compared with placebo or a delay of approximately 6.2 months over the follow-up period. Serious adverse event of “infections or infestations,” with greater frequencies in the memantine and combination groups compared with placebo and alpha tocopherol group.

The researchers concluded that among patients with mild to moderate AD, 2000 IU/d of alpha tocopherol compared with placebo resulted in slower functional decline. There were no significant differences in the groups receiving memantine alone or memantine plus alpha tocopherol. These findings suggest benefit of alpha tocopherol in mild to moderate AD by slowing functional decline and decreasing caregiver burden.

Bonnie: This is not the first study to show this improvement. However, the fact that it is in JAMA should ruffle some feathers (the anti-vitamin E camp) and allow others (like me) to be encouraged that this much-maligned vitamin is proving the doubters wrong.