Research supports the contention that vitamin E appears to help prevent heart disease, boost the immune system, slow down Alzheimer's disease, decrease the risk of prostate cancer, keep HIV from developing into full-blown AIDS, and enhance male fertility--and this is just the beginning of the list of benefits, says author Andreas M. Papas. But it isn't enough to pop a multivitamin pill. You need to understand what form of the nutrient is best for you, and how much. Vitamin E is really eight different compounds. Synthetic supplements contain only one (alpha-tocopherol), while the whole "family" is important and can be found only in some natural supplements. The Vitamin E Factor decodes all this and shows you how to develop a personalized strategy for getting the most from this nutrient. This book contains everything you could want to know about this "master antioxidant" and "super nutrient" and a few items you didn't know you wanted to know--its discovery, the origin of the name alpha-tocopherol, anecdotes from its history, and elephant research, for example. If you're a chemistry buff, special sections explain and illustrate the science of vitamin E. If you just want the basics, some of the book will be more technical than you want, but each chapter has helpful "straight talk" and/or "recommendations" that summarize the major points clearly. --Joan Price