HHS HealthBeat (February 14, 2008)

Older, active and vitamin E

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

In older people, low vitamin E concentration contributes to decline in physical function. A study found this when it looked at data on about 700 Italians.

Benedetta Bartali of Yale University School of Medicine and her colleagues measured vitamin E in the blood and assessed the abilities to walk a short distance, stand up from a chair, and balance.

In people with low vitamin E, the odds of declining in physical function after three years were greater than in those with higher levels.

Her conclusion:

``An adequate level of vitamin E may reduce the decline in physical function.’’ (5 seconds)

Good sources of vitamin E include olive oil, almonds and sunflower seeds.

The study, named InCHIANTI, in the Journal of the American Medical Association, was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: February, 13 2008