Research suggests your COMT gene may influence how vitamin E supplementation affects your cancer risk.
Vitamin E is an antioxidant found in many multivitamins and supplements, but research on the COMT gene and vitamin E suggests that genetics may influence cancer risk.
Because it is a vitamin, most people assume taking more is harmless.
But research involving thousands of people found something surprising: the effect of vitamin E supplementation on cancer risk differed depending on a person’s COMT genotype.
Same vitamin. Same supplement. Different outcomes.
COMT Gene and Vitamin E: What Did the Research Find?
Researchers examined a common genetic variant called COMT rs4680, also known as Val158Met, in two large randomized clinical trials involving vitamin E supplementation.
When researchers combined the results, they found different outcomes depending on COMT genotype.
People with two Met copies (Met/Met) who received vitamin E had about a 12% lower rate of total cancer compared with placebo.
For people with Val/Met, there was essentially no difference.
People with two Val copies (Val/Val) who received vitamin E had about an 18% higher rate of total cancer compared with placebo.
The interaction between COMT genotype and vitamin E supplementation was statistically significant.
Same supplement, but very different results based on genetics.
It raises an important question: Should everyone be taking the same supplements without considering individual differences?
What Is the COMT Gene?
COMT stands for catechol-O-methyltransferase.
The COMT gene provides instructions for an enzyme that helps process certain compounds in the body. One of the most studied COMT variants is rs4680, also known as Val158Met.
You inherit one copy from each parent, which is why someone may have a Val/Val, Val/Met or Met/Met genotype.
This variant can affect COMT enzyme activity, which is one reason COMT continues to be studied in personalized medicine.
The vitamin E research is a great example of why I don’t think we should look at a supplement and simply ask, “Is this good for me?”
A better question may be, “Is this right for me?”
Check Your Genetics
If you’ve already had a genetic cheek swab done, pull out your results and look for COMT rs4680. You may see your result reported as Met/Met, Val/Met, or Val/Val.
Compare your result with the research above. This is a great example of how knowing your genetics can give you information you may never get from looking at a supplement label.
If you haven’t had your genetics tested yet, Precision Wellness uses a simple cheek swab to look at genetic pathways related to nutrient needs, metabolism, inflammation and more. You complete the test at home and mail it back in the pre-stamped package.
COMT Gene and Vitamin E: Understanding Cancer Risk
Research on the COMT gene and vitamin E is one reason to look more closely at supplement use, but it isn’t the only reason.
The National Institutes of Health discusses results from the SELECT trial, which included more than 35,000 men. Men taking 400 IU (180 mg) of synthetic vitamin E daily had a statistically significant increased risk of prostate cancer compared with men receiving placebo.
That doesn’t mean vitamin E is bad. Vitamin E is an essential nutrient, and we naturally get it from foods such as nuts, seeds, vegetable oils and green vegetables.
The amount you take, where it comes from and your individual health needs matter.
Your Supplement Bottle Doesn’t Know Your Genetics
Walk down a supplement aisle and you’ll see products for energy, immunity, heart health, healthy aging and just about everything in between.
What that bottle doesn’t know is you.
Your genetics can be one piece of the puzzle when deciding which supplements make sense for you. Your diet, medications, health history and laboratory results matter too.
Before taking a supplement every day, I want people to ask three simple questions:
Do I need it?
Why am I taking it?
Is this the right form and amount for me?
More isn’t always better when it comes to supplements.
What Can Your Genetics Tell You?
At Genetic Wellness, we use genetic testing to look at individual differences in pathways related to nutrition and wellness.
Our Precision Wellness genetic test looks at areas including nutrient needs, metabolism, inflammation and other wellness-related pathways.
Testing is simple. You complete a cheek swab at home and mail it back in the pre-stamped package.
Your genetics are information you carry with you for life. Understanding that information can help you have more personalized conversations about nutrition, supplements and your health.
Stop Guessing. Start Testing.
Genetic Wellness, LLC
Precision Wellness Genetic Testing
843-865-2020
mygeneticwellness.com
References
Hall KT, et al. COMT and Alpha-Tocopherol Effects in Cancer Prevention: Gene-Supplement Interactions in Two Randomized Clinical Trials. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 2019;111(7):684–694. PMID: 30624689.
National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin E: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.