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Article: Vitamin E to the Rescue; Megadoses May Help Keep Colds at Bay
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- January 17, 1989
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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While many people pop vitamin C this time of year, hoping to ward
off infections, a better choice, particularly for the elderly, may be
vitamin E.
"Megadoses of vitamin E can recharge the immune system of older
people," possibly making them less susceptible to infections,
according to new research at the U.S. Agriculture Department's Human
Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. In a 30-day
test, a group of 34 healthy men and women over age 60 took either a
pill of 400 international units (IU) of vitamin E or a placebo at
both breakfast and dinner.
In most, vitamin E produced a dramatic boost in immune
functioning-by 10 to 50 percent-compared with both their pre-test ...