London: Contrary to popular belief, US health experts have found that Vitamin E and Beta Carotene do not protect people against heart disease, in fact, in some cases, Beta Carotene could be actually harmful for the heart.

Doctors at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation based the findings, on a review of 15 different studies, each involving more than 1,000 people, according to a report in 'BBC'.

They found that people who take Beta Carotene might slightly increase their risks of developing heart disease or dying early. They also found no evidence that vitamin E protected against heart disease.

Moreover, the doctors said the findings applied to vitamin A supplements too, since the body converts Beta Carotene into vitamin A.

According to their analysis, people who took Beta Carotene had a 0.4 per cent increased risk of dying early and a 0.3 per cent increased risk of dying from heart disease compared to those who did not take the supplement.

While these percentages are small, the doctors said they were statistically significant.

Dr Marc Penn, who led the study, said the findings suggested people should stop taking supplements containing these vitamins.

"The use of vitamin supplements containing Beta Carotene and vitamin A, Beta Carotene's biologically active metabolite, should be actively discouraged because this family of agents is associated with a small but significant excess of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular death," he said.

ANI