> The BBC article summarizes the findings of many studies (see excerpt from
> The Nutrition News Below).  However, its way thing to say that vitamin E
> doesn't prevent heart disease.  But, vitamin E may prevent fish and other
> polyunsaturated oils from oxidizing and may prevent oxidation at the cell
> membrane.


There have been a few too many studies lately showing that taking vitamin
supplements may increase one's risk of heart disease and cancer.  There are
also a number of studies showing that eating the foods containing the
vitamins is beneficial.  The Eades' talk about this in Protein Power
Lifeplan.  The theory must be that eating the supplement is not the same as
eating the vitamins in foods where they are present with other vitamins,
anti-oxidants etc. It may also be the case that taking supplements leads to
an excessive dose of vitamins that are beneficial in smaller quantities.  It
may be that taking too many antioxidants is harmful.  The body may need some
free radicals to combat cancer.

Whatever the possible explanation, I have stopped buying vitamin
supplements.  I would keep taking them if I thought they were probably
useless but I am concerned that they are actually harmful.  Oddly, I am too
cheap to throw them out so I have been using them up.  I have a bunch of
vitamin C left and a few Selenium pills but the latter will be gone in 2
weeks.  I  eat a lot fruit and vegetables, mostly organic and lots of meat
(free range) and fish (wild caught) as well as eggs and raw nuts.  I will
keep taking a mini aspirin each day and three of  Dr. Sears fish oil pills,
but no more vitamins.  Ken