Vitamin E may prevent brain damage from stroke

Published on 06/05/2014 Vitamin E could help reduce or even prevent brain damage being caused during a stroke, according to a new study.

Nuts are a good source of vitamin E

The process involves improving the supply of blood to the brain following a stroke, which is currently treated with tissue plasminogen activators. These activators are the only approved method of improving blood flow to the brain three hours after the onset of stroke.
The study was led by Dr Cameron Rink from The Ohio State University and along with his colleagues he researched the effect of tocotrienol supplements on blood vessels during a stroke.
Tocotrienol supplements are a type of vitamin E found in palm oil and is usually taken to aid the cholesterol levels in the blood by blocking cholesterol production in the liver.

Experts believe that vitamin E may be prescribed in the future to prevent strokes the same way aspirin is recommended for cardiac patients.

The team at the University’s Wexner Medical Center identified 10 weeks’ worth of supplementation of vitamin E activated the process of increasing the diameter of arteries in response to oxygen demand, this process is known as arteriogenesis.
It is believed that this process would prevent brain damage as it provides the body with a contingency bloody supply following a stroke.
Dr Rink said: “We know that people who have good collaterals have better recovery from strokes. We think that tocotrienol helps improve the function of collaterals, which would offer someone better protection from an initial or secondary stroke."
Following the findings if this study Dr Rink is focuses on conducting more research to assess if the vitamin reduces brain damage in secondary strokes, which are typically more debilitating that the initial stroke.
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