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How ‘safe’ Are Antioxidant Vitamins?

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Summary

Interest in a putative disease-preventive role for the so-called antioxidant nutrients derives from a large body of evidence suggesting that oxidative damage is a contributing cause of many life-shortening diseases. Since their use is in an otherwise healthy population, it is important that such agents be virtually free of toxicity. The agents of most interest are α-tocopherol (vitamin E), ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and β-carotene. When used for disease prevention, the doses given are several-fold greater the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), the latter being based on amounts necessary for the prevention of classic deficiency conditions recognised decades ago.

α-Tocopherol, ascorbic acid and β-carotene are remarkably well tolerated and free from toxicity. Consequently, they are well suited for testing as preventive agents, since their use does not require any toxicity monitoring except in unusual circumstances. An example of the latter would be in patients who are vitamin K deficient, perhaps through anticoagulation with drugs such as warfarin, in which case use of high doses of α-tocopherol may increase the bleeding tendency.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Hematology-Oncology (111D), Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, University of Arizona, 3501 S. 6th Avenue, Tucson, Arizona, AZ 85723, USA

    Harinder S. Garewal

  2. Division of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Guy’s Hospital, University of London, London, England

    A. T. Diplock

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Garewal, H.S., Diplock, A.T. How ‘safe’ Are Antioxidant Vitamins?. Drug-Safety 13, 8–14 (1995). https://doi.org/10.2165/00002018-199513010-00002

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