Alpha-tocopherol supplements and blood fats in diabetes
What it found
In people with diabetes, alpha-tocopherol supplements made no clear difference to blood fat levels, except when taken for 12 weeks or longer.
What they found
Studies in people
Blood fats overall
Alpha-tocopherol supplements had no clear effect on blood fat levels in people with diabetes.
Longer use
An effect on blood fats appeared only when the supplement was used for 12 weeks or more.
What the authors conclude
“α-tocopherol supplementation in DM patients had no significant effect on lipid profiles.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that alpha-tocopherol supplementation in people with diabetes had no significant effect on lipid profiles.
How it was done
Earlier studies suggested alpha-tocopherol might improve blood fats in people with diabetes, but the results were inconsistent.
The authors searched four medical databases for randomised controlled trials of alpha-tocopherol supplements in people with diabetes, up to October 2020.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This review can only report on the trials it found, which all tested alpha-tocopherol supplements in people with diabetes.
- It cannot show whether alpha-tocopherol affects blood fats in people without diabetes.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- Declaration of competing interest No conflict of interest declared by the authors.
- Authors work at
- University Putra Malaysia, Malaysia; Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Iran; Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia
The paper
- Title
- Systematic review and meta-analyses of vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) supplementation and blood lipid parameters in patients with diabetes mellitus
- Type
- Systematic review and meta-analysisThe authors follow a set, published method to find every relevant study, then combine the numbers from them into one result.
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Mohammad A, Falahi E, Barakatun-Nisak MY, et al (2021). Systematic review and meta-analyses of vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) supplementation and blood lipid parameters in patients with diabetes mellitus. Diabetes & metabolic syndrome. doi:10.1016/j.dsx.2021.05.031PubMed 34186370DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error