While many nutrition experts caution against taking high doses of vitamin E and other Fat-soluble vitamins, Rimm said vitamin E is one of the least toxic of the vitamins.
Although no studies have been completed on vitamin E's toxicity over the course of many years, Rimm said there have been no reports of its toxicity at 100 to 400 units for up to one year.
At extremely high levels, however, hundreds of times the amount contained in one supplement, Rimm said, vitamin E may prevent absorption of other vitamins.
"It's too early to be making national policy recommendations that people should be taking vitamin E," said Rimm, who recommends that individuals decide for themselves how applicable the study's findings are to their lifestyles and dietary habits, and weigh the risks.
"This is just the beginning of understanding the potential health benefits of antioxidants," he said.
But Rimm seems convinced. "I take vitamin E," he said. "I'm taking that risk."