Veris Research Information Service reports that a study in the journal Atherosclerosis found that "Vitamin E is protective against coronary heart disease" and can work against "diminished arterial compliance," or loss of elasticity in large arteries.

In the study of 28 middle aged subjects, the effect of Vitamin E taken at a rate of 400 international units daily was evaluated by measuring aortic blood flow and carotid pressure.

"Arterial compliance significantly increased by 37 percent at four weeks and by 44 percent at eight weeks in the Vitamin E-supplemented group," the research service reported.

"This study demonstrates that supplemental Vitamin E can increase arterial compliance over a relatively short time period," the publication said. "If this effect is maintained long term, it may be one factor contributing to the inverse relation between Vitamin E intake and cardiovascular risk."

A study of Vitamin E and cataract development was investigated in a random sample of 400 adults who were aged from 50 to 86 years, Veris said. Vitamin E was found to "influence the process of cataract development by decreasing oxidative damage to lens tissue." The study was reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

"Cataract development may be initiated or promoted by oxidative damage," the report noted. Vitamin E is widely regarded in the scientific community as one of the strongest antioxidants.

Veris also reported on antioxidants being protective "against memory loss, which is a major feature of dementing disorders such as Alzheimer's disease."

In a study of memory performance in 4,808 adults who were 60 years of age or older, it was found that lower Vitamin E concentrations "were consistently associated with increasing prevalence of poor memory ... " Veris said of the study reported in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

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