The Essential Vitamin "E".

Overview

Anywhere you look online, you'll find articles about vitamin E and its benefits pertaining to hair and skin. But it is so much more than that!

To begin, let's just get to know what vitamins are in the first place. Vitamins are essential in human nutrition. They are organic (found in plant and animal substances in small amounts) and we obtain them by eating the plants and animals that make them. Most cannot be manufactured in our body (except for some B vitamins) and are not sources of energy (calories). They are essential for growth, vitality, and health, and are helpful in digestion, elimination, and resistance to disease (Haas, E., 1992).

One way that vitamin E is depleted from our diets is when foods are fried, processed, milled, bleached, and cooked. Refined products literally remove all remnants of vitamin E and therefore, these are the reasons it is taken as a supplement. It isn't stored in the body very effectively and is only partially absorbed through the skin when used in moisturizers, oils, or ointments.

The recommended daily dosage for adults is 400 I.U.

Sources

The best sources of vitamin E are vegetable and seed, or nut oils. Cold-pressed vegetable oils are really the best source and are excellent when used in their raw form in salad dressings and sauces rather than cooking. Safflower oil is one of the best sources with 90% of it being the alpha-tocopherol variety (alpha being the most common and most active, specifically, d-alpha is the most potent, more than the synthetic dl-alpha).

Here are some other foods that have significant amounts of vitamin E:

• Soybeans

• Uncooked green peas; spinach; asparagus; kale; avocados, berries, green leafy vegetables, and cucumber

• Tomato and celery have some

Functions

Vitamin E's primary function is that of an antioxidant. It protects us as it helps reduce oxidation, which causes the beginnings of free radicals, unstable molecules that can lead to cellular and tissue irritation and damage, leading to chronic inflammation. Atherosclerosis, heart disease, hypertension, arthritis, senility, and perhaps even cancer, are examples of some of the diseases derived from free radical formation.

Uses

One of the most well-known uses of vitamin E today is that of an anti-aging product, helping to prevent premature aging and promote longevity. Aging, tissue degenerations, and skin changes are suspected to be caused by free radical damage. Along with vitamin A, vitamin E can also help decrease cholesterol and fat accumulation. It has incredible healing powers as well. It has been used internally and externally to help repair burns, abrasions, dry skin, ulcers, skin lesions, and helps to diminish scars from injury or surgery.

There has been research that shows vitamin E provides relief from menstrual pain as well. Even more, those who are entering or who are in menopause would find relief from headaches, hot flashes, or vaginal itching.

Safety Issues

Vitamin E has an excellent safety record. There have been numerous clinical studies done with doses as high as 3,200 I.U. with no unfavourable side effects.

Reference

Haas, E. (1992). Staying Healthy with Nutrition. Celestial Arts Publishing. Berkeley, CA.