Vitamin E Deficiency
Recommended Daily Allowance
According to the Mayo Clinic the recommended Daily Allowance of Vitamin E for adults over the age of 18 is as follows: “Most individuals in the United States are believed to obtain sufficient vitamin E from dietary sources, although individuals with very low-fat diets or intestinal mal-absorption disorders may require supplementation. Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for vitamin E are provided in Alpha-Tocopherol Equivalents (ATE) to account for the different biological activities of the various forms of vitamin E, as well as in International Units (IU), which food and supplement labels often use. For conversion, 1 milligram ATE = 1.5 IU. The RDA for men or women older than 14 years old is 15 milligrams (or 22.5 IU); for pregnant women of any age is 15 milligrams (or 22.5 IU); and for breastfeeding women of any age is 19 milligrams (or 28.5 IU).”
The Mayo Clinic also gives the following recommendations for children under the age of 18: “Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for vitamin E are provided in Alpha-Tocopherol Equivalents (ATE) to account for the different biological activities of the various forms of vitamin E, as well as in International Units (IU), because food and supplement labels often use this system. For conversion, 1 milligram ATE = 1.5 IU. There is no RDA for infants, but there is a recommended Adequate Intake (AI) for healthy breastfeeding infants ages 0-6 months old of 4 milligrams per day (6 IU), and for infants ages 7-12 months old of 5 milligrams per day (7.5 IU). The RDA for children ages 1-3 years old is 6 milligrams per day (9 IU); for ages 4-8 years old is 7 milligrams per day (10.5 IU); for ages 9-13 years old is 11 milligrams per day (16.5 IU); for ages greater than 14 years old is 15 milligrams per day (22.5 IU); for pregnant women of any age is 15 milligrams (22.5 IU); and for breastfeeding women of any age is 19 milligrams (28.5 IU).”
Deficiency of Vitamin E
There are very few cases of Vitamin E Deficiency. Even those people who get very little Vitamin E in their diets show little to no derogatory health risks. This is due to the fact that the body can get Vitamin E from many different sources. The majority of Vitamin E Deficiency occurs in new born infants who are born premature, and in adults who have diseases which make it difficult for their bodies to properly process fats.
Although there aren’t any diseases which have been linked with Vitamin E Deficiency, that doesn’t mean there isn’t any benefits to getting proper amounts of Vitamin E in a diet. Vitamin E is a very powerful antioxidant, and recent research has proven the importance of antioxidants in the protection of the body against free radical molecules. Free radical molecules have been linked to certain types of cancer, and they have also been linked to other long term chronic diseases. Vitamin E has shown some signs in certain studies to help prevent and treat certain long term derogatory diseases. It is still important for a person to get proper amounts of Vitamin E in their diets.
Toxicity of Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin, which means the body can more easily store it in comparison to other water soluble vitamins. This also means that it is easier for the body to have too much Vitamin E, and having too much of a vitamin is just are harmful as not having enough of it. Studies have shown that there are some adverse health conditions which occur from having excessive Vitamin E. Some of the common signs of Vitamin E Toxicity are hemorrhage and interruption of blood coagulation and inhibition of platelet aggregation. There is an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke which had been shown to occur because of Vitamin E Toxicity in multiple studies.
There have been Upper Limits established for Vitamin E. The Upper Limits apply to all forms of supplemental alpha-tocopherol, which is the form of Vitamin E which humans are able to process. Children age 1-3 years old UL 200 mg per day, Children 4-8 years old UL 300 mg per day, children 9-13 years old UL 600 mg per day, children 14-18 years old UL 800 mg per day, adults 19 years of age and over UL 1,000 mg per day.
How to Get Enough Vitamin E
The best way to add any vitamin to a diet is through a healthy low fat diet which includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, grains, and water. Yet, an average person has a difficult time getting a healthy diet into a very busy schedule. There are ways to supplement a diet to ensure a person gets enough of the essential vitamin and minerals which they require.
Taking a good multivitamin is an excellent way to ensure a person gets enough vitamins and minerals in their diet. A good multivitamin, which is produced by a reputable supplier of dietary supplements, will contain enough Vitamin E for the body to function properly. A person should try to find a multivitamin which is tailored to the needs of their gender. Men and women require differing amounts of certain vitamins depending on their current life stages. A gender specific vitamin will help a person to be sure they are getting the right amounts of vitamins and minerals. Also having a gender specific vitamin is an excellent way for a person to vet certain vitamin manufactures.
