Staying Healthy
Is Vitamin E bad for your bones?
Normal doses are okay; megadoses can be dangerous.
Vitamin E is a popular supplement, hyped to improve your health for everything from the brain to the bedroom. However, the science backing up those claims is largely inconclusive. Now, a recent study published in the journal Nature Medicine further suggests that too much vitamin E may even weaken your bones.
Cartiginous Joint
A. Vertebrae. B. Cartilage disk |
Researchers found that rats given megadoses of vitamin E developed bones 20% weaker than those of rats on a normal diet. The amount of vitamin E given the rats was proportionately far in excess of what most human beings consume in their regular diet, or what is in a typical vitamin E supplement. But you should still be careful how much vitamin E you consume, cautions Dr. Bruce Bistrian, chief of clinical nutrition at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.
To continue reading this article, you must log in.
Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.
- Research health conditions
- Check your symptoms
- Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise
I'd like to receive access to Harvard Health Online for only $4.99 a month.
Sign Me UpAlready a member? Login ».
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
