Vitamin E Benefits,
Foods & Side Effects
Health is a great
asset of life and nowadays we lack in giving proper attention to what we need
the most .. a healthy way of living which should include necessary ingredients
like vitamins and proteins. With many
aspects and others to talk, What if I told you there is a vitamin that is essential
with other vitamins also act to plays the role of antioxidant, prevent free
radical damage to specific fats in the body which are critical for your
health and ultimately slow down aging?
Yes
friends I’m talking about vitamin E, and believe it or not, vitamin E benefits
don’t end there. Other vitamin E benefits include its role as an important
fat-soluble vitamin that’s required for the proper function of many
organs, enzymatic activities and neurological processes.
Most
benefits of consuming more vitamin E-rich foods, includes treating
and preventing diseases of the heart and blood vessels, such as chest pains,
high blood pressure, and blocked or hardened arteries. Vitamin E is found only
in plant foods, including certain oils, nuts, grains, fruits and wheat germ.
It’s also available as a supplement.
So
let’s find out ways that how you can get all these great vitamin E benefits,
along with the best vitamin E foods, supplements and various signs of a vitamin
E deficiency
Top Vitamin E Benefits
What
are the top vitamin E benefits? Here are various benefits that has been found
to be associated in supplementing and consuming vitamin E-rich :-
1. Repairs
Damaged Skin
Vitamin
E benefits skin by strengthening the capillary walls and improving moisture and
elasticity, acting as a natural anti-aging nutrient within
your body. Studies have shown that vitamin E reduces inflammation both within
your body and on your skin, helping maintain healthy, youthful skin. These
antioxidant properties are also helpful when you’re exposed to cigarette smoke
or ultraviolet rays from sunlight, protecting against skin cancer.
Taking
vitamin E with vitamin C fights skin inflammation after exposure to UV
radiation and can also be useful in decreasing signs of acne and eczema. Vitamin E also
helps the healing process in the skin. It’s absorbed by the epidermis layer of
the skin and can be used to treat sunburn, which is one of the
leading causes of skin cancer, among other factors. Because it speeds up cell
regeneration, it can be used to treat scars, acne and wrinkles;
this makes your skin look healthier and younger.
2.
Fights Free Radicals and Prevents Disease Development
Free
radicals fight and break down the healthy cells in your body, and this can lead
to heart disease and cancer. These molecules form naturally in your body, and
they can cause severe damage when they accelerate or oxidize. Certain isomers
of vitamin E have powerful antioxidant abilities that have the power to reduce
free radical damage, fight inflammation, and therefore help naturally
slow aging in your cells and fight off health issues like heart
disease.
Studies
have shown that these can significantly increase immunity, therefore helping
prevent both common illnesses and serious conditions from the very first step..Recent
research suggests that for immune enhancement and antioxidant effects, the
isomers alpha-tocotrienol, gamma-tocotrienol and to a lesser degree
delta-tocotrienol seem to be the most effective.
3. Balances
Cholesterol
Cholesterol
is a naturally occurring substance made by the liver and required by the body
for the proper function of your cells, nerves and hormones. When cholesterol
levels are in their natural state, they’re balanced, normal and
healthy. When cholesterol oxidizes, it becomes dangerous. Studies have
shown that certain isomers of vitamin E serve as a protective antioxidant that
fights cholesterol oxidation.This is because they can fight free radical damage
in the body, which leads to cholesterol oxidation.
Tocotrienol
isomers of vitamin E have three double bonds that positively impact
cardiovascular health due to their ability to reduce activity of an enzyme that
controls cholesterol production/synthesis (called HMG-CoA reductase).
Tocotrienol isomers can also prevent cell adhesion and therefore slow down
progression of atherosclerosis, or hardening/thickening of the
arteries. It’s important to note synthetic vitamin E doesn’t seem to have the
same benefits of natural forms. Too much alpha-tocopherol can actually
interfere with the cholesterol-lowering action of delta and gamma-tocotrienols,
which are the two most bioactive tocotrienols and the types linked to
cardioprotective activities.
4. Thickens
Hair
Because
vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant, it helps decrease environmental damage to
your hair. It can also promote circulation to the scalp. Vitamin E oil can
retain the natural moisture in your skin, which helps your scalp from becoming
dry and flakey. This oil also makes your hair look healthier and fresher. You
can apply a few drops of vitamin E oil on your hair, especially if it looks dry
and dull.
5. Balances
Hormones
Vitamin
E can play a crucial role in balancing your endocrine and nervous systems,
naturally working to balance hormones naturally.Symptoms of a hormonal
imbalance may include PMS, weight gain, allergies, urinary tract infections,
changes in the skin, anxiety and fatigue. By keeping your hormones in balance,
you will find it easier to maintain a healthy weight, keep a regular menstrual
cycle and find yourself feeling more energetic.
6. Helps
PMS Symptoms
Taking
a vitamin E supplement two to three days before and two to three days
after a menstrual period can reduce the cramping, anxiety and cravings and
other PMS symptoms. Vitamin E can decrease pain severity and
duration, and it can reduce menstrual blood loss. It does this by balancing
your hormones naturally, and it helps keep your menstrual cycle regulated.
7. Improves
Vision
Vitamin
E may help decrease the risk of age-related macular degeneration,
which is a common cause of blindness. Keep in mind, in order for vitamin E to
be effective for vision, it must also be consumed with adequate intakes
of vitamin C, beta-carotene and zinc. It’s also been found that
taking high doses of vitamin E and vitamin A daily seems to improve healing and
vision in people undergoing laser eye surgery.
8. Helps
People with Alzheimer’s Disease
Research
shows that the anti-inflammatory activity of tocotrienols contribute to
their protection against Alzheimer’s disease. Vitamin E may slow down
the worsening of memory loss and functional decline in people with moderately
severe Alzheimer’s disease or other neurodegenerative disorders. It may also
delay the loss of independence and the need for a caregiver or assistance.
Vitamin E, taken with vitamin C, can also decrease the risk of developing
several forms of dementia.
9.
May Lower Cancer Risk and Improve Effects of Medical Treatments
Vitamin
E is sometimes used to lessen the harmful effects of medical treatments, such
as radiation and dialysis for treating cancer. This is because it’s
a powerful antioxidant that fights off free radicals in the body. It’s also
used to reduce unwanted side effects of drugs that may cause hair loss or lung
damage.
Certain
isomers of vitamin E have also been tied to cancer protection. Several animal
studies have found evidence of suppression of tumor growth using oral doses of
tocotrienols. While there’s more to learn about how exactly this works, several
mechanisms of action are thought to be by tocotrienols, inducing cancer cell
death, turning off genes tied to cancer and inhibiting angiogenesis, or the
abnormal growth of blood vessels inside a tumor. In animal studies,
cancer-protective abilities have been demonstrated in cases of breast,
prostate, hepatic and skin cancers.
10. Improves
Physical Endurance and Muscle Strength
Vitamin
E can be used to improve your physical endurance. It can increase your energy
and reduce the level of oxidative stress on your muscles after you
exercise.Vitamin E can also improve your muscle strength. It eliminates
fatigue by promoting blood circulation and can also strengthen your capillary
walls and nourish your cells.
11.
Important During Pregnancy for Growth and Development
Vitamin
E is critical during pregnancy and for proper development in
infants and children because it protects critical fatty acids and helps
control inflammation. Some experts believe that the biggest need
for vitamin E is during the 1,000-day window that begins at conception, since
vitamin E impacts early stages of neurologic and brain development that can
only happen during this one specific period. Because of this, it’s recommended
that pregnant women, nursing mothers and children up until the age of
2 take a natural, food-based supplement to make sure they’re getting
enough to prevent abnormalities.
Vitamin E Foods
Most
people aren’t aware that “vitamin E” is a collective description for eight
compounds, four tocopherols and four tocotrienols. Getting enough vitamin E
seems to be especially critical for the very young (fetuses or infants), the
elderly, and women who are or may become pregnant. I recommend consuming two to
three of these vitamin E foods daily to meet your needs:
- Sunflower Seeds: 1
cup — 33.41 milligrams (220 percent)
- Almonds: 1
cup — 32.98 milligrams (218 percent)
- Hazelnuts: 1 cup — 20.29 milligrams (133 percent)
- Wheat Germ: 1 cup plain, uncooked — 18 milligrams (120 percent)
- Mango: 1 whole raw — 3.02 milligrams (20 percent)
- Avocado: One whole raw — 2.68 milligrams (18 percent)
- Butternut Squash: 1
cup cooked and cubed squash — 2.64 milligrams (17 percent)
- Broccoli: 1 cup cooked — 2.4 milligrams (12 percent)
- Spinach: ½ cup cooked or about 2 cups uncooked — 1.9 milligrams
(10 percent)
- Kiwi: 1 medium — 1.1 milligrams (6 percent)
- Tomato: 1 raw — 0.7 milligram (4 percent)
Recommended Daily Intake of
Vitamin E
The
recommended dietary allowance for vitamin E (including different isomers),
according to the USDA, includes the amount you get from both the food that you
eat and any supplements you take. The daily intake is measured in milligrams
(mg) and international units (IU). Recommendations for different age groups are
listed below:
Children:
- 1–3 years: 6 mg/day (9 IU)
- 4–8 years: 7 mg/day (10.4 IU)
- 9–13 years: 11 mg/day (16.4 IU)
Females:
- 14 years and up: 15 mg/day
(22.4 IU)
- Pregnant: 15 mg/day (22.4 IU)
- Breast-feeding: 19 mg/day (28.5
IU)
Males:
- 14 years and up: 15 mg/day
(22.4 IU)
The
tolerable upper intake levels are the highest amount of a vitamin that most
people can take safely. These high doses can be used to treat a vitamin E
deficiency, and it’s important to speak to a doctor before taking more than
these upper intake levels.
- 1–3 years: 200 mg/day (300 IU)
- 4–8 years: 300 mg/day (450 IU)
- 9–13 years: 600 mg/day (900 IU)
- 14–18 years: 800 mg/day (1,200
IU)
- 18 years and up: 1,000 mg/day
(1,500 IU)
Keep
in mind that because vitamin E is fat-soluble, supplements work best when
they’re absorbed with food, and the American Heart Association recommends
obtaining antioxidants, including vitamin E, by eating a healthy and
well-balanced diet that’s high in fruits, veggies and whole grains. Getting
your vitamins from the food you eat is always a better alternative than using a
supplement because it’s difficult to over-consume vitamin E when getting it
from your regular diet.
Vitamin E Deficiency
Symptoms
Vitamin
E deficiencies (meaning intake of all isomers) have long been thought to be
rare, and when they do happen, it’s commonly believed that it’s almost never
caused by a poor diet. However, some experts believe that many people
today are actually not getting enough vitamin E from their diets in natural
form, especially too little tocotrienols.
There
are specific situations that may lead to a vitamin E deficiency due to malfunctions
in terms of how nutrients are absorbed. A premature infant who is born weighing
less than 3.5 pounds is in danger of a vitamin E deficiency, but a pediatrician
who specializes in the care of newborns will typically evaluate the nutritional
needs of an infant to help spot and treat this early. People with fat
absorption problems, which is a common problem for those who struggle
with inflammatory bowel disease, may also struggle with a
vitamin E deficiency in some cases.
People
who have an issue with their dietary fat levels are at an increased risk
because as mentioned above, fat is needed for the absorption of vitamin E. This
includes anyone who has been diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, has
had gastric bypass surgery, or people with malabsorption problems, such as
Crohn’s disease, liver disease or pancreatic insufficiency.
Deficiency symptoms include loss of muscle coordination and impaired vision and
speech.
Vitamin E Side Effects
Vitamin
E benefits most healthy people when taken by mouth or applied directly to the
skin. Most people do not experience any side effects when taking the
recommended dose, but in high doses there are adverse reactions that have been
recorded. Vitamin E may be unsafe when taken in very high amounts, especially
for people who have conditions such as heart disease or diabetes. If you suffer
from these health issues, do not take doses of 400 IU/day or more.
Some
studies show that taking high doses of vitamin E, which is
between 300–800 IU each day, might increase the chance of having a
serious stroke called hemorrhagic stroke by 22 percent. One serious side effect
of too much vitamin E is an increased risk of bleeding, especially in the
brain.
Avoid
taking supplements containing vitamin E or any other antioxidant vitamins
immediately before and following angioplasty, a type of heart procedure. These
vitamins seem to interfere with proper healing, so speak to your health care
professional if you’re undergoing this kind of procedure and taking any
supplements/vitamins.
Supplementing
with very high levels of vitamin E could potentially lead to the following
health concerns:
- heart failure in people with
diabetes
- worsening bleeding disorders
- increasing the chances that
head, neck and prostate cancer will return
- increasing bleeding during and
after surgery
- increasing chance of death
after a heart attack or stroke
One
study found that vitamin E supplements can also be harmful to women who are in
the early stages of pregnancy. Women who took vitamin E supplements during
their first eight weeks of pregnancy showed an increase of congenital heart
defects. High doses of vitamin E can also sometimes lead to nausea, diarrhea,
stomach cramps, fatigue, weakness, headache, blurred vision, rash, bruising and
bleeding. Topical vitamin E can irritate some people’s skin, so try a small
amount first and make sure you don’t have a sensitivity.
Relationship with
Other Nutrients and Interactions
Vitamin
E supplements can slow down blood clotting, and when you use medications that
also slow clotting, you may increase the chances of bruising and bleeding. Some
medications that slow blood clotting include aspirin, clopidogrel, ibuprofen
and warfarin. Warfarin (Coumadin), in particular, is used to slow blood
clotting. Taking vitamin E with warfarin can increase your chances of bruising
and bleeding, so be sure to have your blood checked regularly in order to
regulate your dosing.
Medications
that are used for lowering cholesterol may also interact with vitamin E. It’s
not known if taking vitamin E alone decreases the effectiveness of some
cholesterol-lowering medications, but it does seem to affect cholesterol when
taken with beta-carotene, vitamin C and selenium.
Final Thoughts on Vitamin E Benefits
- Vitamin E benefits the body by
playing the role of an antioxidant. As a fat-soluble vitamin, vitamin E
benefits include its role in proper function of many organs, enzymatic
activities and neurological processes.
- Vitamin E is a collective
description for eight compounds, four tocopherols and four tocotrienols, and
they provide different vitamin E benefits. It’s best to get a variety of
vitamin E isomers from your diet, given that different types have
different benefits.
- Vitamin E benefits include
balancing cholesterol, fighting free radicals, preventing disease development,
repairing damaged skin, thickening hair, balancing hormones, helping PMS
symptoms, improving vision, helping people with Alzheimer’s, potentially
lowering cancer risk and improving effects of medical treatments, and
boosting physical endurance and muscle strength.
- Vitamin E is found only in
plant foods, including certain oils, nuts, grains, fruits and wheat germ.
It’s also available as a supplement. Some of the top vitamin E foods you
can eat to get these vitamin E benefits include sunflower seeds, almonds,
hazelnuts, wheat germ, mango, avocado, butternut squash, broccoli,
spinach, kiwi and tomato.
- Vitamin E benefits the mother
and child during pregnancy as well, as it’s a vital vitamin for growth and
development.
- Vitamin E deficiency symptoms include
include loss of muscle coordination and impaired vision and speech.
- Vitamin E may be unsafe when
taken in very high amounts, especially for people who have conditions such
as heart disease or diabetes. If you suffer from these health issues, do
not take doses of 400 IU/day or more.
