Vitamin E improves arterial compliance in middle-aged men and women

Diminished arterial compliance, or loss of elasticity in large arteries, is an emerging cardiovascular risk factor with a reversible component that includes improved endothelial function. Vitamin E, which may reduce cardiovascular risk, can lower vascular resistance. Twenty-eight middle-aged men and women were randomized through a double-blind design to 8 weeks of supplemental vitamin E (400 IU daily) or placebo. Compliance was determined non-invasively from simultaneous measurements of aortic flow and carotid pressure at baseline and after 4 and 8 weeks. Results: arterial compliance increased by 37% at 4 weeks and by 44% at 8 weeks (P=0.01) only in the vitamin E group and was independent of an effect on arterial pressure. A rise was seen in 12/14 subjects. There was no significant change with placebo (+8%). Conclusions: short-term vitamin E supplementation improves arterial compliance.