Q. Is it true that vitamin E can reduce the risk of heart attacks? Answer from Dr. Andrew Carter, director of interventional cardiology research for Providence Heart and Vascular Institute: Evidence does suggest that natural vitamin E may help prevent the oxidation of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, thereby reducing the risk of atherosclerosis and heart attacks.
Clinical studies have demonstrated that synthetic vitamin E does not offer the same benefits as vitamin E found in food. Vitamin E supplements may even have a damaging effect when combined with cholesterol-lowering drugs.
It’s thought that other components found in vitamin E-rich foods may actually be responsible for the positive effects on the heart. For example, the benefits of drinking a small amount of red wine each day may be attributable to various complex chemicals derived from the skin of the grapes used in red wine.
Other kinds of alcohol do not offer benefits for the heart, and even with red wine, there are associated risks. I recommend limiting red wine intake to half a glass (3-4 ounces) a day. More than that amount increases the risk for other health problems associated with alcohol. Even two glasses of wine a day can lead to liver failure and cirrhosis, and can raise blood pressure. Alcohol also increases the level of some fats in the blood (triglycerides), and it’s high in calories.
Because of these and other risks, the American Heart Association currently does not recommend that people who don’t currently drink begin drinking red wine in order to reap benefits for the heart. Non-alcoholic red wine or red grape juice offer healthy alternatives, and they are believed to have the same benefits for the heart as red wine.
