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| vitamin E | |||||||||||||||||||
What is it? |
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This powerful VITAMIN
and ANTIOXIDANT,
circulating in the blood and detoxing free radicals (destructive
by-products of metabolism), prevents damage to cell membranes, thereby
reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer. Further, vitamin E keeps
"bad" CHOLESTEROL
(LDL) from turning into even worse cholesterol — oxidized LDL —
which initiates buildup of arterial plaque (atherogenesis) and can lead,
ultimately, to serious heart disesae. Finally, it also speeds healing in
burn and post-op patients and, recent studies suggest, seems to ease the
pain and swelling of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, to reduce
the risk of cataracts, to bolster the immune system, even to slow the
progress of Parkinson's disease. Is E, then, the "everything
vitamin," the elixir of health and fountain of youth man has been
seeking for centuries? No nutritionist or medical researcher will climb
out on that limb; still a number of them do admit to taking vitamin
E supplements — just in case.
A FAT-soluble vitamin (like A, D and K), vitamin E exists in the form of tocopherols and tocotrienols. Four different tocopherols have been identified, and although the most active is ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL, researchers now believe there's a symbiotic relationship among the different tocopherols, that all work in concert to promote good health. The unit of measurement for vitamin E is the D-alpha-tocopherol equivalent, abbreviated as alpha-TE and computed in milligrams.
Deficiency Symptoms Anemia. Precautions Milling removes almost all of the vitamin E in grains, and the refining of vegetable oils robs them of at least a fourth of their vitamin E content. Foods lose vitamin E during prolonged storage, also when frozen or cooked at intense heat (frying and deep-fat frying are singularly destructive). If you smoke, you'll need extra vitamin E to counteract the stress put on your lungs. Finally, air pollution may increase your need for vitamin E. Is there a danger in taking too much vitamin E? Yes, if you're on blood-thinning or anticlotting drugs. Megadoses of vitamin E will de-power them and may also cause gastrointestinal upsets. Compared to two other fat-soluble VITAMIN — A and D — however, vitamin E seems to be relatively nontoxic. Good Sources Vegetable oils (particularly those pressed from wheat germ, barley, corn and soybeans), peanut butter, liver, leafy greens, wheat germ, whole grains and nuts. Standard Process Supplements Cataplex E, Cataplex E2, For-Til B12, Wheat Germ Oil, Wheat Germ Oil Perles Fortified |
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