Vitamins E plus C and interacting conutrients required for optimal health

Abstract Antioxidants are crucial components of fruit/vegetable‐rich diets preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer: —plasma vitamins C, E, carotenoids from diet correlate prevalence of CVD and cancer inversely, low levels predict an increased risk of individuals which is potentiated by combined inadequacy (e.g., vitamins C+E, C+carotene, A+carotene); —self‐prescribed rectification of vitamins C and E at adequacy of other micronutrients reduce forthcoming CVD, of vitamins A, C, E, carotene and conutrients also cancer; —randomized exclusive supplementation of β‐carotene±vitamin A or E lack benefits except prostate cancer reduction by vitamin E, and overall cancer reduction by selenium; —randomized intervention with synchronous rectification of vitamins A+C+E+B+minerals reduces CVD and counteracts precancerous lesions; —high vitamin E supplements reveal potentials in secondary CVD prevention. Plasma values desirable for primary prevention: ≥30μmol/l lipid‐standardized vitamin E (α‐tocopherol/cholesterol ≥5.0μmol/mmol); ≥50μmol/l vitamin C aiming at vitamin C/vitamin E ratio >1.3–1.5; ≥0.4μmol/l β‐ (≥0.5μmol/l α+β‐) carotene. Conclusions: —in CVD vitamin E acts as first risk discriminator, vitamin C as second one; —optimal health requires synchronously optimized vitamins C+E, A, carotenoids and vegetable conutrients.