Vitamin E makes a quarter of older men who smoke and don’t exercise ‘more prone to pneumonia’

A common vitamin that boosts the immune system can actually make older men more prone to pneumonia, scientists warn.

Vitamin E is found in a wide variety of foods with the richest sources being plant oils, such as corn and olive oil, nuts and seeds and wheat germ.

It acts as an antioxidant, which protects cell membranes, and helps maintain healthy skin and eyes and strengthens the immune system.

It increased the risk of pneumonia for nearly one in four older men who smoked and did not exercise.

However, the opposite effect was true for older men who exercised and did not smoke – in that vitamin E actually decreased their risk of contracting pneumonia.

The study shows a patient’s lifestyle should be considered before they are recommended to take supplements.

Researchers looked at the effect of vitamin E on the risk of pneumonia in a large trial conducted between 1985 and 1993.

There were 898 cases of pneumonia among 29,133 participants.

Vitamin E increased pneumonia risk by 68 per cent among men who had the highest exposure to smoking and who did not exercise

Yet the nutrient actually decreased pneumonia risk by 69 per cent among participants who had the least exposure to smoking and who stayed active.

Lead researcher Dr Harri Hemilä said the findings refute there being a uniform effect of vitamin E supplementation on the risk of pneumonia.

Dr Hemilä added: ‘Given the current limited understanding about who might benefit, vitamin E should not be suggested for the general population for improving the immune system.

‘There is a need for further research on vitamin E for non-smoking elderly men who exercise in their leisure time.’

Source: Daily mail

N.H.Kh