Facts about Vitamin E

Vitamin E encompasses a group of fat-soluble compounds, all of which exhibit characteristic antioxidant properties. In other words, vitamin E exists in eight antioxidant forms - four tocopherols (alpha/α-, beta/β-, gamma/γ-, and delta/δ-) and four tocotrienols (alpha/α-, beta/β-, gamma/γ-, and delta/δ-). Among these, alpha-tocopherol plays an active role in the body metabolism. In fact, this form is found in high quantities in the blood and body cells. Extensive studies have been carried out in α-tocopherol. In general, the recommended daily allowance (RDA) and international unit (IU) of vitamin E are available in α-tocopherol.

Facts about Vitamin E

Vitamin E plays a major role in the formation of red blood cells (RBCs) and activation of vitamin K. It prevents oxidation of essential fatty acids and vitamin A inside the body. Vitamin E also protects the skin from the harmful effects of ultraviolet light. Here are some amazing facts about vitamin E.

Sources of Vitamin E
Vitamin E is found naturally in various foods such as milk, eggs, seeds and nuts, green leafy vegetables and wholegrain foods. Some excellent sources of this fat-soluble vitamin are spinach, mustard leaves, turnip and sunflower seeds. It is also available as a nutritional supplement in the form of tablets and capsules. Vitamin E supplements can be natural or synthetic forms, which can be identified from the label. Natural vitamin E supplements are labeled with the letter 'd', whereas synthetic is labeled with 'dl'. For example; d-alpha-tocopherol is natural and dl-alpha-tocopherol is synthetic.

Antioxidant Property of Vitamin E
Free radicals are unstable compounds generated from the metabolism process as well as exposure to environmental factors like smoke and hazardous chemicals. These free radicals have the potential to damage the body cells by oxidizing the fats present in the cell membranes. Vitamin E, a fat-soluble antioxidant, helps in combating the damaging effects of free radicals by preventing the entry of free radicals inside the cell.

Vitamin E Deficiency
The RDA of vitamin E for adults is 15 mg/day. The requirements may vary depending upon the age, sex and other health factors like pregnancy. The best option to get the daily recommended dose of vitamin E is to consume a balanced diet that contains vitamin E rich foods. Though the deficiency of vitamin E is rare, it may occur among people with fat metabolism disorder and those who are born premature with low birth weight. A deficiency of vitamin E causes various problems related to the eyes, nervous system, liver, gallbladder and digestion process. It may also result in the loss of sensation in the arms, hands and legs.

Overdose of Vitamin E
Regular intake of vitamin E supplements in high doses may lead to bleeding disorders. People who administer blood thinning agents and those who suffer from vitamin K deficiency are at a higher risk of heavy bleeding problem than others. Considering this, it is always advisable to take vitamin E supplements under medical supervision, especially if you are taking high doses for a prolonged duration.

Vitamin E for Treatment of Diseases
Due to its strong antioxidant property, vitamin E has been proposed for the treatment of various ailments. According to the medical study conducted on the relation between vitamin E and breast cancer, it is opined that vitamin E helps in preventing the onset of predisposed breast cancer. However, as of now, there is no proven scientific report on the therapeutic uses of vitamin E (except in treating vitamin E deficiency). Current researches are ongoing about the benefits of vitamin E in the treatment of chronic health conditions like heart disease and cancer.