Educational only. Not medical advice.
Researchers reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association (August 2004) that vitamin E supplementation may help reduce the risk of upper-respiratory infections in older adults. In a study involving 617 nursing home residents aged 65 and older, those taking vitamin E daily experienced significantly fewer common colds and had an overall 20% lower risk of developing a cold.
A second trial, published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (2004 Dec;1031:214–22), found similar results. The authors concluded that vitamin E supplementation “significantly reduces the incidence rate of common colds and the number of subjects who acquire a cold among elderly nursing home residents.” They also noted a nonsignificant trend toward shorter cold duration.
Respiratory infections remain a concern in long-term care settings due to ease of spread and increased morbidity in older populations. These findings suggest a potential supportive role for antioxidant status in immune health, particularly in elderly individuals.
