How Vitamin E Works

by Jennifer Brett, N.D.

Browse the article How Vitamin E Works

Vitamin E Overview

Vitamin E has been the subject of much media attention recently. Retail sales of vitamin E supplements continue to soar. There are many health claims for vitamin E, some of which receive solid scientific support. It might be hard to separate fact from fiction when it comes to wild claims involving Vitamin E and decide if an increase in Vitamin E in your diet is right for you. In this article, we will help you understand the benefits and importance of Vitamin E. Here's a quick preview:
  • What is Vitamin E?

    With the recent series of studies making claims to vitamin E's anti-aging and antioxidant properties, vitamin E has emerged from the shadows to become a growing concern. Unfortunately, not many people understand exactly what vitamin E is and why it's so important. On this page, we will give you the history of vitamin E and some information about its chemical makeup.

  • The Benefits of Vitamin E

    Perhaps you've heard about the possible health benefits of vitamin E but you are having trouble separating the outrageous claims from the solid medical advice. Well, in this section, we will take a clinical look at the benefits of vitamin E and how it can improve your health. First, we will examine vitamin E's role as an antioxidant and then examine how this could impact your everyday life.

  • Foods That Contain Vitamin E

    Most people know that carrots are a good source of vitamin A and that oranges can provide you with all the vitamin C you need, but the majority of us are in the dark about which foods contain vitamin E. In this section, we will show which foods contain the most vitamin E. We will also provide you with a helpful chart that shows you how much vitamin E certain foods contain and how much you should be eating.

  • Vitamin E Deficiency

    Because vitamin E is such a relatively unknown vitamin, most people are unaware of the dangers of not getting enough vitamin E. On this page, we will show you what the recommended daily allowance of vitamin E is and describe some of the side effects of not getting enough vitamin E in your diet.

  • Vitamin E Supplements

    If you are having trouble finding enough vitamin E in the food you eat, supplements might be the answer you're looking for. The problem with supplements, however, is that they might contain dangerous amounts of the vitamin or process it in a manner that destroys its health benefits. On this page, we will discuss the various vitamin E supplements available and help you choose the one that is right for you.
Vitamin E is just one of the many vitamins that are part of a healthy diet. Check out the following links to learn more:
  • Vitamin A is the vitamin found in carrots that improves eyesight. Learn more in How Vitamin A Works.
  • B vitamins come in many different varieties and have a volume of health benefits. How B Vitamins Work explains everything in detail.
  • How Vitamin C Works will show you how this vitamin can strengthen your immune system and even fight cancer.
  • Your body can make its own vitamin D if you get enough sunshine. Learn more at How Vitamin D Works.
  • Vitamin K mostly affects the body's blood supply and the rate at which blood clots. How Vitamin K  Works can tell you more.

  • To learn about the many vitamins in our diet, how much you should be eating, and where to find them, go to our general Vitamins page.
  • To find the best prices on vitamin E supplements

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.

What Is Vitamin E?

With all the recent press vitamin E has received there has been relatively little said about the actual facts. For instance, it might surprise you to learn that vitamin E is not actually a single compound, but rather several different compounds, all with vitamin E activity. One, d-alpha-tocopherol, has the greatest activity. Other compounds with vitamin E activity are, predictably, beta-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, and delta-tocopherol.

Vitamin E was first discovered in a laboratory in 1922.
©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
Vitamin E was first discovered
 in a laboratory in 1922.

Vitamin E's existence was first hinted at in 1922. Laboratory rats fed purified diets lost their reproductive ability; male rats became sterile, and female rats reabsorbed their fetuses or delivered deformed or stillborn offspring. Adding such foods as lettuce, wheat, meat, or butter to the animals' diets, though, supplied an unknown factor that prevented these reproductive problems.

Isolated in 1936, the discoverers named it tocopherol, from the Greek meaning "to bring forth offspring." Later the substance became known as vitamin E.

Curiously, researchers noticed that deficiency symptoms varied from one species to another. In rabbits, for example, vitamin E deficiency resulted in a degenerative muscle disease.

Because these symptoms were similar to those seen in humans with muscular dystrophy, researchers hoped vitamin E could cure or prevent this crippling disease. Hopes were also high that the vitamin might help treat infertility and sterility. Since 1938, however, studies in humans have failed to confirm any of these benefits.

Scientists have been able to isolate many benefits that the proper amount of vitamin E can deliver. In the next section, we will learn about the many health advantages of eating the right dosage of vitamin E.

Vitamin E is just one of the many vitamins that are part of a healthy diet. Check out the following links to learn more:
  • Vitamin A is the vitamin found in carrots that improves eyesight. Learn more in How Vitamin A Works.
  • B vitamins come in many different varieties and have a volume of health benefits. How B Vitamins Work explains everything in detail.
  • How Vitamin C Works will show you how this vitamin can strengthen your immune system and even fight cancer.
  • Your body can make its own vitamin D if you get enough sunshine. Learn more at How Vitamin D Works.
  • Vitamin K mostly affects the body's blood supply and the rate at which blood clots. How Vitamin K Works can tell you more.
  • To learn about the many vitamins in our diet, how much you should be eating, and where to find them, go to our general Vitamins page.
  • Find the best prices on vitamin E supplements.
This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.

The Benefits of Vitamin E

The majority of vitamin E's benefits stem from its antioxidant qualities. That means it combines with oxygen and destroys free radicals. It protects polyunsaturated fats and other oxygen-sensitive compounds such as vitamin A from being destroyed by damaging oxidation reactions.

Some studies have indicated that vitamin E might be able to slow the effects of aging.
©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
Some studies have indicated that
vitamin E might be able to slow
 the effects of aging.

Vitamin E and Antioxidation

Vitamin E's antioxidant properties are also important to cell membranes. For example, vitamin E protects lung cells that are in constant contact with oxygen and white blood cells that help fight disease.

But the benefits of vitamin E's antioxidant role may actually go much further. There is significant evidence vitamin E can protect against heart disease and may slow the deterioration associated with aging. Critics scoffed at such claims in the past, but an understanding of the importance of vitamin E's antioxidant role may be beginning to pay off.  However, as with betacarotene, the effect of vitamin E in preventing heart disease may be both timing-sensitive and dose sensitive. 

Vitamin E also acts as an antioxidant in foods. The vitamin E in vegetable oils helps keep them from being oxidized and turning rancid. Likewise, it protects vitamin A in foods from being oxidized. This makes vitamin E a useful food preservative.

The Therapeutic Value of Vitamin E

As an antioxidant with a powerful punch, vitamin E helps prevent cancer, heart disease, strokes, cataracts, and possibly some of the signs of aging.

Vitamin E protects artery walls and keeps the "bad" low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol from being oxidized. Oxidation of LDL cholesterol marks the beginning of clogged arteries. Vitamin E also keeps the blood thin by preventing blood platelets from clumping together. High levels of vitamin E in the body decrease the risk of a non-fatal heart attack or stroke in most people.

A dynamic cancer fighter, vitamin E protects cells and DNA from damage that can turn cancerous. It reduces the growth of tumors while enhancing immune function and preventing precancerous substances from being turned into carcinogens. Studies with mice show that vitamin E applied to the skin may help prevent skin cancer resulting from exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

Women who suffer from fibrocystic breast disease can often find relief with vitamin E supplementation. Fibrocystic breast disease is characterized by painful breasts, sometimes with benign lumps or swelling, starting several days before the menstrual period. Researchers aren't sure why vitamin E helps this condition, but numerous studies indicate that it does.

Vitamin E can be beneficial to people with diabetes. It enhances the action of insulin and improves blood glucose metabolism by reducing oxidative stress.

This humble nutrient keeps the nervous system healthy by protecting the myelin sheaths that surround nerves. It also appears to prevent mental degeneration due to aging, possibly including Alzheimer disease.

Athletes need to get adequate amounts of vitamin E. The body's own metabolism creates free radicals during excessive aerobic exercise. Vitamin E reserves make sure these free radicals don't get out of hand and cause trouble. Vitamin E therapy also treats claudication-pains in the calf muscles that occur at night or during exercise.

Vitamin E can help prevent the buildup of free radicals created during aerobic activity.
©2006 Publicaitons International, Ltd.
Vitamin E can help prevent the buildup of
 free radicals created during aerobic activity.

Premature babies receive vitamin E to reduce or prevent oxygen damage to the retina of the eye as a result of artificial ventilation.

Ongoing animal studies suggest that vitamin E may limit lung damage caused by air pollution. It appears that vitamin E can reduce the activity of such common air pollutants as ozone and nitrogen dioxide.

Vitamin E applied to cuts may very well increase the healing rate because it minimizes oxidation reactions in the wound and also keeps the wound moist.

Many women report that vitamin E helps reduce hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause.
Though vitamin E can slow down the oxidation of fats that occurs in aging, experimental studies have not shown it to increase the life span of animals. Neither has it been shown to control such signs of aging as wrinkled skin or gray hair.

However, the vitamin may indeed delay or prevent some diseases or a loss of function related to aging. Recent studies have reported improved short-term memory in older adults who took supplemental vitamin E. While vitamin E may not make you live longer, it may help you live a little better as you get older.

There are many more uses of vitamin E that science is only beginning to investigate. This helpful vitamin will probably continue to make the news every so often.

Now that you know about the health benefits of vitamin E, you need to know where you can find it. In the next section, we will show which foods are rich in vitamin E.

Vitamin E is just one of the many vitamins that are part of a healthy diet. Check out the following links to learn more:
  • Vitamin A is the vitamin found in carrots that improves eyesight. Learn more in How Vitamin A Works.
  • B vitamins come in many different varieties and have a volume of health benefits. How B Vitamins Work explains everything in detail.
  • How Vitamin C Works will show you how this vitamin can strengthen your immune system and even fight cancer.
  • Your body can make its own vitamin D if you get enough sunshine. Learn more at How Vitamin D Works.
  • Vitamin K mostly affects the body's blood supply and the rate at which blood clots. How Vitamin K Works can tell you more.
  • To learn about the many vitamins in our diet, how much you should be eating, and where to find them, go to our general Vitamins page.
  • To find the best prices on vitamin E supplements, click here.
This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.

Foods That Contain Vitamin E

While we all know that vitamin C can be found in citrus fruits, not many of us know where to find vitamin E. On this page, we will show you which foods contain the most of this important vitamin.

Oils and margarines from corn, cottonseed, soybean, safflower, and wheat germ are all good sources of vitamin E. Nuts are also good sources of vitamin E.  Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains contain less. Refining grains reduces their vitamin E content, as does commercial processing and storage of food. Cooking foods at high temperatures also destroys vitamin E. So a polyunsaturated oil is useless as a vitamin E source if it's used for frying. Your best sources are fresh and lightly processed foods, as well as those that aren't overcooked.

Nuts can be a good source of dietary vitamin E.
©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
Nuts can be a good source of dietary vitamin E.

These days, it's difficult to get much vitamin E in the diet because of cooking and processing losses and because of the generally reduced intake of fat. Moreover, the current emphasis on monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil or canola oil, rather than vitamin E-containing polyunsaturated fats, further decreases our intake of vitamin E. Monounsaturated fats have other benefits for the heart, though, so you shouldn't stop using olive and canola oils. It is important to find other sources of vitamin E. Besides, the fewer polyunsaturated fats you eat, the less vitamin E you need, so your requirements may be lower if you switch to olive or canola oils.

Here is a chart you can use to find foods rich in vitamin E:
     
Food Qunatity
Vitamin E (MG)
Just Right with Fiber cereal
 1 cup
30.2
Wheat germ oil  1 tablespoon
24.6
Total cereal
 1 cup
23.4
Hazelnuts  1/2 cup
16.1 
Sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons
9
Peanuts  1/2 cup
8.2
Brazil nuts
1/2 cup
6.6
Cottonseed oil
1 tablespoon
5.2
Corn
1 ear
4.8
Safflower oil
 1 tablespoon
 4.7
Almonds
 1/2 cup
 4
Corn oil
 1 tablespoon
 2.8

Though vitamin E is not as readily available as some of the other vitamins, there are consequences to not getting enough vitamin E. In the next section, we will look at the dangers of vitamin E deficiency.

Vitamin E is just one of the many vitamins that are part of a healthy diet. Check out the following links to learn more:
  • Vitamin A is the vitamin found in carrots that improves eyesight. Learn more in How Vitamin A Works.
  • B vitamins come in many different varieties and have a volume of health benefits. How B Vitamins Work explains everything in detail.
  • How Vitamin C Works will show you how this vitamin can strengthen your immune system and even fight cancer.
  • Your body can make its own vitamin D if you get enough sunshine. Learn more at How Vitamin D Works.
  • Vitamin K mostly affects the body's blood supply and the rate at which blood clots. How Vitamin K Works can tell you more.
  • To learn about the many vitamins in our diet, how much you should be eating, and where to find them, go to our general Vitamins page.
  • To find the best prices on vitamin E supplements, click here.
This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.

Vitamin E Deficiency

As we eat more processed foods the amount of vitamin E in our diet continues to plummet. On this page, we will show you risks of not getting enough vitamin E.

Vitamin E Requirements

An early sign of vitamin E deficiency are lipofuscin or age spots.
©2006 Publicaitons International, Ltd.
An early sign of vitamin E deficiency
 are lipofuscin or age spots.

The RDA (recommended daily allowance) for vitamin E is 15 mg of d-alpha-tocopherol for adult men and women (1 mg of d-alpha-tocopherol is equal to 1.5 IU, so the RDA is equal to 22.5 IU). Food and supplement labels usually list amounts of vitamin E in milligrams rather than international units.

Side Effects of Vitamin E Deficiency

No obvious symptoms accompany a vitamin E deficiency, making it hard to detect. A brownish pigmentation of the skin, called age spots or lipofuscin, may signal the problem, but only a blood test can confirm that vitamin E levels are too low.

When diseases of the liver, gall bladder, or pancreas reduce intestinal absorption, a mild deficiency of vitamin E can result. A diet of processed foods that's very low in fat might also cause a deficiency.

Vitamin E deficiency can occur in newborn babies, especially those born prematurely, because the mother doesn't transfer much vitamin E to the developing fetus until the last few weeks of pregnancy.

The deficiency can cause hemolytic anemia, a condition in which the red blood cells are so fragile they rupture.

As we mentioned earlier, it has become increasingly difficult a sufficient amount of vitamin E in our diet. In our final section, we will look at the safety and utility of vitamin E supplements.

Vitamin E is just one of the many vitamins that are part of a healthy diet. Check out the following links to learn more:
  • Vitamin A is the vitamin found in carrots that improves eyesight. Learn more in How Vitamin A Works.
  • B vitamins come in many different varieties and have a volume of health benefits. How B Vitamins Work explains everything in detail.
  • How Vitamin C Works will show you how this vitamin can strengthen your immune system and even fight cancer.
  • Your body can make its own vitamin D if you get enough sunshine. Learn more at How Vitamin D Works.
  • Vitamin K mostly affects the body's blood supply and the rate at which blood clots. How Vitamin K Works can tell you more.
  • To learn about the many vitamins in our diet, how much you should be eating, and where to find them, go to our general Vitamins page.
  • To find the best prices on vitamin E supplements, click here.
This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.

Vitamin E Supplements

When you cannot get enough Vitamin E in your diet, supplements can be an effective way of meeting your daily requirements. However, not all supplements are created equal.

Vitamin E is safe when taken in amounts of 400 IU daily, even for prolonged periods of time. Amounts significantly larger than this might delay blood clotting, possibly causing an increased risk of stroke or uncontrolled bleeding in the event of an accident. Because of this possibility, people on anticoagulant therapy (blood thinners) should not take large doses of vitamin E.

For vitamin E's heart-health benefits, daily doses of 400 IU are most commonly recommended, but amounts as low as 100 IU each day can still help prevent some of these problems. For fibrocystic breast disease, 400 to 600 IU of vitamin E per day is a common dosage range.

Some vitamin E supplements can contain an excessive amount of the vitamin.
©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
Some vitamin E supplements can contain an excessive amount of the vitamin.

Look for supplements of d-alpha-tocopherol containing mixed tocopherols. This will give you some of the other forms of vitamin E that have strong antioxidant power. Avoid "dl" tocopherol preparations, as they are synthetic and not recognized by the body.

Vitamin E has been gaining popularity lately, but it is still not as widely known as most of the other vitamins. Hopefully now you know why you need vitamin E and how you can introduce it into your diet.

Vitamin E is just one of the many vitamins that are part of a healthy diet. Check out the following links to learn more:
  • Vitamin A is the vitamin found in carrots that improves eyesight. Learn more in How Vitamin A Works.
  • B vitamins come in many different varieties and have a volume of health benefits. How B Vitamins Work explains everything in detail.
  • How Vitamin C Works will show you how this vitamin can strengthen your immune system and even fight cancer.
  • Your body can make its own vitamin D if you get enough sunshine. Learn more at How Vitamin D Works.
  • Vitamin K mostly affects the body's blood supply and the rate at which blood clots. How Vitamin K Works can tell you more.
  • To learn about the many vitamins in our diet, how much you should be eating, and where to find them, go to our general Vitamins page.
  • To find the best prices on vitamin E supplements, click here.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jennifer Brett, N.D. is director of the Acupuncture Institute for the University of Bridgeport, where she also serves on the faculty for the College of Naturopathic Medicine. A recognized leader in her field with an extensive background in treating a wide variety of disorders utilizing nutritional and botanical remedies, Dr. Brett has appeared on WABC TV (NYC) and on Good Morning America to discuss utilizing herbs for health.

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.