What is Vitamin E?
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin. It is found in some foods and several dietary supplements. Vitamin E consists of a variety of compounds that have antioxidant properties.
Types of vitamin E:
There are eight chemical forms of vitamin E:
- Alpha
- Beta
- Gamma
- Delta-tocopherol
- Alpha-tocotrienol
- Beta-tocotrienol
- Gamma-tocotrienol
- Delta-tocotrienol
All of these forms have different levels of biological activities in the body. A chemical form of vitamin E, which can meet all the human requirements is alpha-tocopherol.
Vitamin E’s serum concentrations depend upon the liver. The liver tends to take up these nutrients once the small intestine absorbs them. The liver tends to resecrete the alpha-tocopherol vitamin with the help of hepatic alpha-tocopherol protein. The liver also excretes and helps in the metabolism of Vitamin E forms. In this process, cellular and blood concentration of the vitamin E (other types) tend to decrease than the alpha-tocopherol.
The most appropriate or recommended dosage of vitamin E is 15mg every day in adult males and females.
The richest sources of vitamin E are fruits, nuts, seeds, and vegetables.
- Oils as soybean oil, safflower oil, and sunflower oil
- Seeds of sunflower
- Nuts and almonds
- Red bell pepper
- Pupkin
- Asparagus
- Wheat germ oil
- Peanut butter and peanuts
- Avocado
- Mango
The deficiency of vitamin E can cause several body problems as:
- Peripheral neuropathy which damages the nerves in peripheral areas as hands and feet
- Decrease in immunity
- Ataxia or loss of voluntary body movements
- Retinopathy or retina damage which can lead to impairment of the vision