Welcome to the world of vitamin E. According to many experts, this necessary nutrient is used by the body to yield some pretty amazing health results. Of course, there are those dissenters. Some claims are widely disputed, causing the scientific community to approach certain “miracles” associated with vitamin E with a set of cautious eyes.
Vitamins, in general, are either fat-soluble or water-soluble. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin. This means that the body can store it. It also means that it’s important to be careful when loading up on vitamin E supplements because the body doesn’t need great amounts of it. Whereas the body can handle larger amounts of water-soluble vitamins (like vitamins B and C), too much of a fat-soluble vitamin can be toxic.
So why does the body need vitamin E?
Vitamin E is a warrior of sorts. First, it’s an antioxidant, meaning that it can fight harmful free radicals. This is especially important in the polluted world that we live in. Experts also say that vitamin E is a protective vitamin in that it prevents both vitamins A and C, red blood cells, and essential fatty acids from being destroyed. In addition, it assists the body in the use of vitamin K and in making red blood cells.
Some have argued that vitamin E may prevent cancer, leading to a lengthy and mixed debate. That’s because studies have linked those with cancer to low levels of Vitamin E, making scientists wonder if this nutrient can actually help with cancer prevention.
Unfortunately, experts say that research has not supported this concept. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, studies have shown that vitamin E supplements do not decrease the risk of breast cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, or colorectal cancer. However, researchers have found that combining vitamin E with vitamins A and C in a supplement might be a helpful protector against colon cancer in people with colorectal adenomas.
In addition, there are mixed studies regarding vitamin E and prostate cancer -- with some research showing a higher risk and others showing a lower risk in relation to vitamin E supplementation. That said, some evidence does reveal that combining vitamin E with the chemotherapy drug cisplatin during and after chemotherapy treatment could potentially lower risks of nerve damage associated with the drug.
Researchers have also tried to determine if vitamin E can lower the risk of heart disease. Though results are mixed, a relatively recent study says that the answer may be yes when it comes to myocardial infarction. Those involved in this research say that vitamin E may reduce myocardial infarction. However, researchers discovered that this is only true when vitamin E supplementation is used alone as opposed to being used in combination with other antioxidants.
Vitamin E can also be beneficial to the eyes. According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), research shows that vitamin E can slow the progression of two common eye diseases: age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts.
Researchers involved with the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) discovered that high doses of a combination of antioxidant vitamins and zinc can reduce the risk of advanced AMD by 25 percent. This combination included: vitamin E, vitamin C, beta-carotene, and zinc. In addition, this power-packed combination lowered the risk of vision loss due to advanced AMD by nearly 20 percent in those with intermediate or advanced AMD in just one eye. However, this combination did not benefit those with no or early stage AMD.
Other research points to vitamin E in the reduction of cataract risk. According to the AOA, studies show that high dietary intakes of a combination of three things reduce this risk: lutein, zeaxanthin, and vitamin E.
Vitamin E may also help with altitude sickness. According to the Mayo Clinic, supplementing with a combination of vitamin E with beta-carotene, vitamin C, selenium, and zinc is thought to make it easier to breathe in high areas. That said, this combination may not reduce exercise-related inflammation in areas of high altitude. It is also noted that further research is needed on the correlation between vitamin E and altitude.
Vitamin E may also help to reduce menstrual cramps. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, 500 IU of vitamin E daily could possibly help with monthly cramps in young women. One study analyzed 100 women who were given either 500 IU of vitamin E or a placebo for five days. The women took the vitamins or the placebo two days before their cycles until three days after their periods began. Less pain was reported in the women who took actual vitamin E as opposed to those who were given a placebo. That said, the UMM says to take caution as high doses of vitamin E can be dangerous for some people. These risks pertain to those with heart disease, diabetes, retinitis, pigmentosa, and certain types of cancer. In addition, vitamin E can elevate the risk of bleeding, making it possibly dangerous for those on blood thinners.
Finally, vitamin E may help with healing in the case of wounds. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, vitamin E can be used on a skin injury in which new skin has appeared. That said, there isn’t a lot of evidence to prove this concept. And some experts even say that evidence has found the opposite, showing that vitamin E can actually irritate the skin.
The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin E is 15 mg for teens and adults 14 years of age and over. However, this rises to 19 mg in those who are lactating.
There are a number of relatively simple ways to add vitamin E to the diet. The easiest way to polish off the RDA of vitamin E is by consuming wheat germ oil. Just one tablespoon of wheat germ oil has more than 20 mg of vitamin E per serving.
If you’re not comfortable consuming wheat germ oil, there are other options. Both sunflower seeds and almonds contain vitamin E, with one ounce of sunflower seeds containing 7.4 mg of vitamin E and one ounce of almonds containing 6.8 mg of vitamin E. Peanut butter can also serve as a lesser source of vitamin E. In addition, spinach, broccoli, kiwi, mango, and tomato all contain small amounts of vitamin E.