Positive Health Online

Abstract

SINGHAL and colleagues, Department of Home Science, University of Rajastan, Jaipur, India, compared the antioxidant effects of vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin A, and fruit in patients with coronary heart disease.

Background

Methodology

In this randomized controlled trial, 175 patients were randomized into five groups matched for age, lifestyle, clinical diagnosis and drug treatment status. The 35 patients in each group received either a placebo (group I), 400 units a day of vitamin E (group II), 1000 mg of vitamin C daily (group III), 25,000 IU daily of vitamin A (group IV), or 400 grams of fresh fruit daily (group V) for 30 days. Levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL and lipid peroxide were determined before and after the trial period.

Results

Lipid peroxide decreased significantly in all the treatment groups (groups II to V), most of all in the vitamin E group. None of the other parameters showed any changes in groups I to IV, but in group V (fruit), significant decreases in cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, and an increase in HDL cholesterol were found.

Conclusion

All the antioxidant vitamins and fruit decrease the degree of lipid peroxidation in coronary heart disease patients. However fresh fruit is clearly the best choice as it also favourably modifies the lipid profile in these patients.

References

Singhal S, Gupta R, Goyle A. Comparison of antioxidant efficacy of vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin A and fruits in coronary heart disease: a controlled trial. The Journal of the Association of Physicians of India 49:327-31. Mar 2001. @i:65