Extra dose of vitamin E may help protect against pneumonia

A new study has recently revealed that extra vitamin E may help protect against common type of Pneumonia in humans, as it showed promising results in protecting older mice from the disease.

Microbiologists and nutrition researchers from Tufts University reported that the extra vitamin E helped regulate the mice's immune system.

The reduced numbers of bacteria and white blood cells resulted in less lung damage in the older mice who received extra vitamin E. These mice were able to control the infection as efficiently as young mice.

A 2013 report on antibiotic resistance threats from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified infections from Streptococcus pneumoniae as a serious concern that requires "prompt and sustained action."

The bacterium causes 1.2 million drug-resistant infections, 19,000 excess hospitalizations, 7,000 deaths, and 96 million dollars in excess medical costs per year. Older adults and young children are at most risk for developing these drug-resistant infections.

The study is published in the Journal of Immunology.