Vitamin E: the evidence for an anti-atherogenic role.

Vitamin E is the major lipid-soluble antioxidant present in blood. It acts synergistically with other circulating and cellular antioxidants, to protect cells from damage and lysis induced by oxidative stress. Most of the vitamin E in blood plasma is present in the low density lipoprotein (LDL) fraction, hence it is optimally placed to prevent free-radical mediated modification of this lipoprotein. There is compelling evidence indicating that LDL oxidation, which occurs during atherogenesis and which is probably involved in lesion initiation and progression, is inhibited by vitamin E, and it has been proposed that vitamin E may be anti-atherogenic by virtue of its antioxidant properties alone. However recent studies suggest it may also act by other mechanisms.