Improvement of early functional atherosclerotic changes in males with hypercholesterolemia after vitamin E supplementation

Vitamin E as an antioxidant vitamin reduces the susceptibility of low-densi ty lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol to oxidation and may have antiatherosclero tic effects. We tested the hypothesis that six months of 400 mg vitamin E s upplementation favourably affects early functional changes in atherosclerot ic process in subjects with hypercholesterolemia. The diameter of the brach ial artery at rest, after reactive hyperemia (representing endothelium - de pendent vasodilatation) and after sublingual glyceryl - trinitrate (represe nting endothelium independent vasodilatation), were determined by ultrasono graphic method (B mode) before and after the intervention period. After the intervention period the brachial endothelium - dependent vasodilatation in creased significantly in the vitamin E group while it did not change in the placebo group. In conclusion, six months of oral vitamin E supplementation results in improvement of the endothelium - dependent vasodilatation in me n with hypercholesterolemia.