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