Vitamin E
TopForm products that contain Vitamin E
| Name | Amount Per Serving | Daily Value % |
| Men's Multivitamin | 50iu (Vitamin E Alpha Tocopherol Acetate) | 167% |
| Women's Multivitamin | 50iu (Vitamin E Alpha Tocopherol Acetate) | 167% |
| Prenatal Chocolate | 15iu (Vitamin E Alpha Tocopherol Acetate) | 50% |
| Meal Replacement | ??? (Vitamin E Alpha Tocopherol Acetate) | 33% |
| Super Antioxidant | 60iu (Vitamin E Alpha Tocopherol Acetate) | 200% |
Vitamin E is a collective group named for fat soluble compounds which have distinctive antioxidant activities. There are eight chemical forms of Vitamin E existing naturally: alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-topherol, plus alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-tocotrienol. The only one which will meet requirements for humans is Alpha-tocopherol. Vitamin E is a naturally occurring compound found in many foods, and added through supplementation to other food sources.
Free radical molecules cause damage to cells and have been linked to leading to certain long term deadly diseases—like cancer and cardiovascular disease. Antioxidants have been found to protect cells from the free radical molecules. Free radicals and their unshared electrons react rapidly with oxygen to form reactive oxygen species (ROS). When the body converts food to energy the body will form ROS, but antioxidants in the body will help to protect the cells from the damage which may occur because of ROS. While the body does create ROS naturally, there are activities which will raise the amount of ROS generated in the body.
Weight lifting is one of the activities which cause the most free radicals to be created in the body. With the tearing and rebuilding of muscles there are large amounts of unstable electrons released in the body. There is also a large amount of oxygen sent to the muscles by the body in order to power the muscles through the lifts. The mixture of oxygen and unstable electrons will lead to free radicals and the body creating ROS.
In addition to the body creating free radicals and ROS naturally there are ways for the body to pick them up through the environment. Things such as cigarette smoke, air pollution, and ultraviolet radiation from the sun are all ways in which the body is exposed to free radicals.
Vitamin E, and its antioxidant nature, helps the body to stop the production of ROS formed when fat undergoes oxidation. There is currently research exploring whether or not Vitamin E might help to prevent or delay chronic deadly diseases associated with free radicals in the body, by limiting the free radical production in the body. Vitamin E also is involved in a few other functions in the body including: cell signaling, regulation of gene expression, and other metabolic processes.
Natural Sources of Vitamin E
Nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils are among the best sources of Alpha-tocopherol, the Vitamin E needed for human function. There is also a large amount of Vitamin E in green leafy vegetables, but there are other foods which also include amounts of Vitamin E as well. Good sources of Vitamin E include: wheat germ oil, almonds, sunflower seeds, sunflower oil, safflower oil, hazelnuts, peanut butter, peanuts, corn oil, peanut oil, spinach, broccoli, soybean oil, kiwi, mango, and tomato.
Health Benefits of Vitamin E
There is much debate regarding the health benefits of Vitamin E. Many claims have been made in vitamin community in regards to the importance of Vitamin E—mainly because Vitamin E has been proven to be an antioxidant, play a role in the anti-inflammatory processes, aggregation, immune enhancement, and inhibition of platelet. There is just a lack of evidence which can link the benefits of Vitamin E to clinical outcomes. Yet, there are some diseases which evidence appears Vitamin E is involved in the prevention and treatment.
Disorders of the Eye have been linked to Vitamin E. Cataracts and age related macular degeneration are the most commons causes of vision loss in older people. Oxidative stress appears to play a role in both cataracts and age related macular degeneration. If that is the case, then antioxidants could be used to prevent or treat these conditions. This means a person using the antioxidant power of Vitamin E should have a better chance to lower their chances of developing cataracts and age related macular degeneration.
Free radicals have been linked to the mutation and creation of certain types of cancers in the body. This means that antioxidants will help to create a protective barrier around cells. Some studies have indicated people with higher levels of Vitamin E in their blood have a lower percentage chance of developing cancerous cells; however, these findings have not been cooperated in multiple studies. Some forms of cancer—such as breast and colon—have had more successful studies linking the benefits of adding antioxidants, like Vitamin E, to a person’s diet. Researchers still believe there need to be more studies before anything more definitive is announced.
A person’s chances of avoiding coronary heart disease might be lowered based on the levels of Vitamin E they have in their system. Vitamin E has been found to inhibit oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Having Vitamin E a person’s system might also prevent formation of blood clots. Blood clots which lead to heart attacks or venous thromboembolism.
Cognitive decline, such as Alzheimer’s disease, has been theorized to involve the long term exposure of the brain tissue to free radicals. There have been clinical trials confirming some of these findings, but not enough to link a connection between cognitive decline and free radicals. Yet, the connection is strong enough for studies to be under way regarding Vitamin E and its antioxidant power in preventing and treating cognitive decline.
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. The quality of the ingredients companies use while producing vitamins will indicate the quality of the vitamin manufacture. A person should also obey the dosing instructions on the vitamin bottles to avoid vitamin toxicity.
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