Vitamin E: What it's for and where to find it

What

With Vitamin E refers to a group of eight fat-soluble compounds that includes four tocopherols and four tocotrienols. These compounds are accumulated in the liver, from where the body takes care of releasing them in small doses when their use is necessary.

Functions

Vitamin E performs various functions in our body. The first important role covered by the substance is that of an antioxidant. That is, vitamin E ensures a protective action fight against free radicals which are responsible for oxidative stress, linked to premature cellular aging and the onset of numerous diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, tumors and diabetes.

Among its most significant benefits is its ability to promote cell renewal. By virtue of these properties and its antioxidant functions, vitamin E is not by chance widely used as an active ingredient in anti-aging products.

It is hypothesized that the antioxidant action of vitamin E is also effective against the damage that free radicals cause at the neuronal level, damage that contributes to cognitive decline and the onset of neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's.

Property

Vitamin E also has the ability to reduce cardiovascular risk: with its action it manages to increase the level of the so-called cholesterol good.

Finally, scientific literature has found a protective role for this group of fat-soluble compounds against the damage caused by pollution and cigarette smoke.

Vitamin E has another fundamental property: it is an anticoagulant of rare efficacyThis means it prevents blood clotting, which is undesirable for our body, but at the same time, it doesn't prevent blood from clotting when, for example, we have to deal with a wound. This way, there's no risk of bleeding and the wound heals more quickly.

Where it is

From a dietary perspective, vitamin E is found primarily in plant-based foods. It is particularly present in oily fruits, such as corn, olives, and peanuts, and in wheat seeds. It can also be found in nuts, grains, and green leafy vegetables.

Daily requirement

Vitamin E deficiency

Vitamin E deficiency is a relatively rare phenomenon, primarily affecting developing countries. The primary cause of this deficiency is not so much an unbalanced diet as absorption disorders, which in turn are linked to digestive disorders or genetic and acquired abnormalities that can also affect fat metabolism. Some infants are born with vitamin E deficiency, a condition that, however, tends to improve with age.

In children, symptoms related to vitamin E deficiency may include:

• slowing of reflexes
• difficulty walking
• loss of coordination
• muscle weakness.

Premature infants who are deficient in vitamin E may be prone to anemia and the risk of other problems such as the so-called retinopathy of prematurity, a rare disease caused by altered retinal vascularization.

In adults, however, the likelihood of a deficiency occurring is rather limited since they can store large amounts of vitamin E in adipose tissue.

The diagnosis of vitamin E deficiency is based on an objective examination of the symptoms as well as blood tests, which can measure the actual level of the substance.

Typically, treatment for deficiency involves taking oral vitamin E supplements.

Excess vitamin E

Vitamin E excess is also quite rare. A deficiency can cause elevated blood pressure, which can be dangerous for those with hypertension.

Further symptoms that may result from an excess of vitamin E are:

• widespread tiredness
• digestive disorders
• sense of nausea
• vomiting

An excess of vitamin E can ultimately cause negative effects in those who suffer from thyroid diseases, as a consequence of a reduction in endocrine gland hormones.

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