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Review · Brain and nerve = Shinkei kenkyu no shinpo · 2015Abstract only

Vitamin E and Alzheimer's disease: what trials show

Shinohara M, Yamada M · Abstract on PubMed

What it found

In people, vitamin E treatment delayed functional decline in mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, but showed no cognitive benefits in mild cognitive impairment or in generally healthy older women.

What they found

Studies in people

Population studies

Some studies that followed people over time found that a high intake of vitamin E from food was linked to fewer cases of Alzheimer's disease.

Mild to moderate Alzheimer's

Randomised controlled trials found that treatment with vitamin E could delay functional decline in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.

Mild cognitive impairment

Vitamin E gave no cognitive benefits in patients with mild cognitive impairment.

Healthy older women

Vitamin E gave no cognitive benefits in generally healthy older women.

What the authors conclude

“Well-designed clinical trials or preventive interventions with vitamin E are necessary to establish its efficacy as therapeutic or preventive agents for Alzheimer's disease.”
Shinohara M, Yamada M, 2015

Also in their conclusions

  • They say that well-designed clinical trials or preventive interventions with vitamin E are necessary to establish its efficacy as therapeutic or preventive agents for Alzheimer's disease.

How it was done

Oxidative stress may play a role in Alzheimer's disease, and some population studies suggested that eating more vitamin E was linked to fewer cases.

What it can’t tell you

  • We summarised it from the abstract only.
  • The population studies can show a link between vitamin E intake and Alzheimer's disease, but not that vitamin E caused the difference.
  • The trials tested vitamin E in particular groups, so the results may not apply to everyone.

The paper

Title
[Vitamin E and Alzheimer's Disease]
Type
ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
Evidence
Studies in people
Summarised from
Abstract only
Cite
Shinohara M, Yamada M (2015). [Vitamin E and Alzheimer's Disease]. Brain and nerve = Shinkei kenkyu no shinpo. doi:10.11477/mf.1416200330PubMed 26618765DOI

Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error