Women may be able to reduce their risk of life-threatening blood clots by taking regular vitamin E supplements, researchers have said.
Scientists from Harvard Medical School looked at data on 39,876 women over the age of 45 who were given either 600 international units of vitamin E on alternate days or a placebo.
They found that women in the placebo group were more likely to have a venous thromboembolism (blood clot) than those taking vitamin E.
In addition, vitamin E appeared to be most beneficial among those women who had a genetic tendency to get blood clots.
The findings are published in the journal Circulation and the American Heart Association said in a statement: "The data indicated that, in general, women taking vitamin E were 21 per cent less likely to suffer a blood clot."
However, the researchers warned women not to stop taking their prescribed blood thinning medication and said that the findings are as yet unproven.
Women may be able to reduce their risk of life-threatening blood clots by taking regular vitamin E supplements, researchers have said.
