Health Benefits and Cautions of Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an essential fat soluble vitamin, required for proper functioning of our system.  This article introduces you to its important role... by Carrie North, a writer specializing in nutrition and health issues

Vitamin E exists in 8 different forms with varying levels of activity. Alpha-tocopherol is the most active form of this vitamin. It is also a powerful biological antioxidant plays a role in maintaining the body's immune system. Some of the benefits include maintaining a healthy the immune system, DNA repair and slow the ageing process of the skin. Another benefit is that it slows down terminal diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Sources

Some good dietary sources of this vitamin are vegetable oils such as sunflower and safflower, nuts like almonds, hazelnuts, and peanuts. Some green leafy vegetables contain small amounts of his vitamin. Wheat germ is an excellent source of this vitamin.

Requirements

The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of for people is 15 mg/day or 22 IU of alpha-tocopherol in the natural form and 33 IU in the synthetic form. Pregnant and breast feeding women are asked to have more. 400 IU per day or more is considered to be "high dose".

High doses of this vitamin may actually increase the risk of heart disease and cancer. A diet high in unsaturated fat causes an increase in the body’s vitamin E requirements. A benefit of this vitamin is that it can work synergistically with selenium to protect fat-soluble parts of the body. Too much of vitamin can lead to anti coagulation problems.

People over 55 who have already suffered a heart attack, Cancer or diabetes or have heart problems are asked not take E vitamin supplements without consulting their physician.

What is it?

D-Alpha-tocopherol succinate is the succinate ester of d-alpha-tocopherol which is the natural-source of this vitamin. It is sometimes called "dry". D-Alpha-tocopheryl succinate is available as a stand-alone supplement and also in combination with vitamin preparations.

The succinate group of this compound protects the hydroxyl group of the chromanol ring against oxidation; it is a more stable form than the d-alpha-tocopherol supplements found in the market in the free or unesterified form. Being more stable it will be to enter the cell in the succinate form and subsequently hydrolyzed to its natural form.

Whereas, the natural form D-Alpha-tocopherol is more susceptible to oxidation and will be degraded rapidly. Thus, it will be absorbed better and can perform its function the cell more efficiently.

Precautions

People taking warfarin should be careful about using high doses of this vitamin. Similarly, those with vitamin K deficiencies should be cautious while this vitamin supplements.

Those with any lesions that have a propensity to bleed and those with a history of hemorrhagic stroke or hemophilia should avoid it.

High doses supplementation of E vitamins must be stopped a month before surgical procedures and may be resumed following recovery from the procedure.

We get our Vitamin E supplement from the product called Total Balance.

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