Vitamin E May Boost Return to Healthy Hearts in Former Smokers [news]

Smoking can harm the heart, and while quitting is the most powerful way to avoid heart disease, taking vitamin E after putting out the cigarettes may speed the process along. Studies show that it can take a decade or more after smokers stop lighting up for their hearts to resemble those of non smokers. That’s how long it takes for some of the damage due to inflammation to subside, and to return blood vessels back to their elastic, flexible selves so they’re no longer contributing to an increased risk of heart problems. So in an effort to find ways to accelerate the process, researchers from Ohio State University focused on vitamin E, since it works as an antioxidant to combat damage — to tissues like blood vessels — caused by free radicals.