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# Vitamin E not protective against radiation-induced damage - study
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/vitamin_e_radioprotection_082420130815/
- Published: 2013-08-24T09:14:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:26:35.000Z
- Description: Rats given vitamin E before 15 Gy of gamma radiation preserved more parotid acinar cells, but not significantly more than other irradiated groups. The researchers concluded vitamin E seems to have failed as a radio-protective agent in rat parotid glands.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Vitamins, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

Sat. Aug 24, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- Evidence suggests that antioxidants like vitamin C can help mitigate the damage induced by radiation. But a recent study in Brazilian Dental Journal indicates vitamin E as an antioxidant does not provide such a benefit.

C. C. Gomes from UNICAMP - University of Campinas - Piracicaba in SP, Brazil and colleagues conducted the study and found vitamin E does not prevent parotid gland acinar cells from being damaged by radiation in rats.

For the study, five groups of male rats were randomized to receive either an olive oil solution, or olive oil plus15 Gy of gamma radiation, or 15 Gy of gamma radiation, or an alpha tocopherol acetate solution (vitamin E), or vitamin E plus 15 Gy of gamma rays.

Half of the animals were euthanized at eight hours of irradiation and the other half at 30 days of treatment. Both parotid glands were collected and acinar cells were analyzed.

As a result, the number of parotid acinar cells at 30 days was reduced significantly in the group of rats receiving olive oil plus radiation and other groups receiving radiation, indicating that radiation caused the damage to the cells of parotid glands.

The rats receiving both vitamin E and radiation were found to preserve more acinar cells but not significantly compared with other groups of rats.

The researchers concluded "vitamin E seems to have failed as a radio-protective agent on acinar cells in rat parotid glands."

In humans, the parotid gland is a major salivary gland. (Jimmy Downs)