Low Chromium Levels May Increase Heart Attack Risk

A study published in the July 15, 2005 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology found an association between low chromium levels and heart attack risk. Researchers analyzed chromium levels in the toe nails of 684 men who had experienced heart attacks and a comparable number who had not.

The investigators found that the levels of chromium were reduced with advancing age and hypertension. In addition, chromium levels of heart attack patients were about 13% lower than those of comparison subjects. The men with the lowest chromium levels had a 35% greater risk of heart attack than those with the highest levels. These findings suggest that chromium intake may be associated with an increased risk of heart attack.

Vitamin E shows a heart health benefit in women

A new study published in the July 6, 2005 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association found that vitamin E significantly reduced the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

To date this is the largest and longest trial ever conducted on vitamin E, involving over 40,000 healthy women. When compared to placebo, there was a 24 percent reduction in cardiovascular deaths among the 20,000 women in the treatment group. Women over 65 received an even greater benefit, reducing their risk of heart attack incidence by 34 percent and heart attack death by 49 percent.

These findings are important since previous studies have examined unhealthy populations and then used the results to reach conclusions about the safety of vitamin E in healthy individuals. Many nutrition experts hope this will dispel some misconceptions about vitamin E and inspire other researchers to continue to study vitamin E and its potentially beneficial effects.