Meta-analysiscited by the Tayebat archiveabstract only checked★ key study A-SUP-03 in-depth review

High-dose vitamin E and mortality

Meta-analysis: high-dosage vitamin E supplementation may increase all-cause mortality.

Overview

Miller ER et al.. Ann Intern Med 2005 · PMID 15537682 · DOI 10.7326/0003-4819-142-1-200501040-00110

In high-dose trials, 39 more deaths per 10,000 people with vitamin E.

Does the study support the specific claim? Partly · Methodological quality: moderate

Study explained simply

What did the researchers want to find out?: Vitamin E and death.
How was the study done?: Meta-analysis.
How many people, animals or samples were studied?: 135,967.
What was actually found?: Small increase at high dose.
How large was the observed effect?: +39/10,000.
What do the results mean in everyday life?: Avoid high-dose vitamin E.
What are the study's limitations?: Sick populations.
What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?: Partly supports.
Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?: Applicable.
What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?: Effect in healthy adults.

Authors: Miller ER, Pastor-Barriuso R, Dalal D, Riemersma RA, Appel LJ, Guallar E
Journal: Ann Intern Med
Year: 2005
Identifier: PMID 15537682 DOI 10.7326/0003-4819-142-1-200501040-00110
Verification: verified – PubMed E-utilities efetch, 2026-10-25
Retracted: no
Corrections: none
Extent checked: abstract only
Conflicts of interest and funding: not stated in abstract

Dose-response relation between vitamin E and total mortality

Study design: Meta-analysis – Dose-response meta-analysis of RCTs of vitamin E
Population: 135,967 participants in 19 trials
Country: Multinational
Period: 1966–Aug 2004
Sample size: 19 trials
Inclusion and exclusion criteria: see abstract

Results: High-dose (≥400 IU/d) pooled risk difference +39/10,000 (3–74), P=0.035; low-dose −16/10,000 (n.s.); increased risk >150 IU/d.
Absolute risks: not reported in abstract
Authors' conclusion: High-dosage (≥400 IU/d) vitamin E may increase all-cause mortality and should be avoided.

See results.

USPSTF 2022 review (I-SUP-08): vitamin E OR 1.02 for mortality.

High: biology and trial populations comparable to European adults.

Signal of harm; uncertain for healthy people.

Multidimensional assessment
Multidimensional assessment
Authenticity of the source	verified
Methodological quality	moderate
Risk of bias	some concerns
Precision of results	low
Directness	direct
Reproducibility	partly replicated
Consistency with the overall evidence	inconsistent
Regional transferability	high
Adequacy of the interpretation (by the archive)	essentially correct but incomplete

Note: according to the archive, the studies were compiled by the archive operators. Whether Dr. Elawady himself cited this study is not established.

What the archive says about the study: High-dose vitamin E (≥400 IU/day) increased all-cause mortality by 39 per 10,000 persons across 19 trials.
A. What was actually studied?: Vitamin E dose vs mortality.
B. What did the authors find?: +39/10,000 in high-dose trials.
C. What conclusions do the authors themselves draw?: May increase mortality; avoid.
D. What does the archive derive from it?: Used as warning of harm.
E. Is this derivation scientifically justified?: Essentially correct; omits authors' caveat that high-dose trials were small and in chronically ill people.
Adequacy of the interpretation (by the archive): essentially correct but incomplete