Emerging Evidence Highlights Vitamin E's Role Across Multiple Orthopaedic Conditions: Study

Dr Supreeth  D R

Emerging Evidence Highlights Vitamin E's Role Across Multiple Orthopaedic Conditions: Study

Written By : Dr Supreeth D R Published On 2025-12-17T20:15:32+05:30 | Updated On 18 Dec 2025 12:03 PM IST

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant, which is essential for diverse physiological functions. It plays a critical role in tissue protection from oxidative stress, mediation of the body’s immune mechanism and promotion of the general health of an individual. There is an emerging role for vitamin E in orthopaedics due to its antioxidant, immunomodulation and anti-inflammatory effects.

Vibhu Krishnan Viswanathan et al conducted a study to comprehensively evaluate evidence regarding the use, benefits, pitfalls and future implications of vitamin E in diverse subspecialties of orthopaedics.The authors performed a comprehensive search of literature on 5 databases. The manuscripts, which pertain to examining the role of vitamin E in orthopaedics, were considered. Opinions, editorials, letters, case reports and non-English manuscripts were excluded.

The key findings of the study were:

• 19 manuscripts were selected for the review. Vitamin E is utilised in diverse forms in orthopaedic patients: administered systemically, intraarticularly or locally.

• Systemically-administered vitamin E can mitigate osteoarthritis progression through strengthening of adjoining musculature, gene regulation, protection of subchondral vasculature, and anti-inflammatory properties.

• Vitamin E incorporation has been demonstrated to improve the wear characteristics of highly crosslinked polyethylene and metal alloys in arthroplasty through its antioxidant and osteointegrative abilities.

• Antioxidant vitamin E has been shown to mitigate postoperative arthrofibrosis and septic loosening. Vitamin E can positively influence late callus formation during secondary fracture healing.

• Through its effects on osteoblastic cells, proinflammatory cytokines, growth factors, antioxidant mechanism, hormones and micro-RNA, systemic vitamin E administration can meliorate osteoporosis and mitigate fractures.

The authors concluded - “There is emerging evidence regarding the promising roles of vitamin E in diverse orthopaedic conditions such as osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, fracture healing, osteomyelitis and arthroplasty. These actions of vitamin E are attributed to its antioxidant, anti-infl ammatory and immunomodulatory functions. Large-scale clinical trials are needed to ascertain its safety, effective administrative dosage and future prospects in the realm of orthopaedic surgery.”

MBBS, Dip. Ortho, DNB ortho, MNAMS

Dr Supreeth D R (MBBS, Dip. Ortho, DNB ortho, MNAMS) is a practicing orthopedician with interest in medical research and publishing articles. He completed MBBS from mysore medical college, dip ortho from Trivandrum medical college and sec. DNB from Manipal Hospital, Bengaluru. He has expirence of 7years in the field of orthopedics. He has presented scientific papers & posters in various state, national and international conferences. His interest in writing articles lead the way to join medical dialogues. He can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in.