You can increase your energy and reduce the level of oxidative stress in your muscles after exercising.
Vitamin E can also improve muscle strength; eliminates fatigue by promoting blood circulation and can also strengthen your capillary walls and nourish your cells.
Vitamin E is essential during pregnancy and for proper development in babies and children, as it protects essential fatty acids and helps control inflammation;
Some experts believe that the greatest need for the benefits of vitamin E is during the 1,000-day window that begins at conception, as vitamin E affects the early stages of neurological and brain development that can only occur during this specific period.
Because of this, it is recommended that pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children up to 2 years of age take a natural food-based supplement to ensure they are getting enough to prevent abnormalities.
Foods rich in vitamin E
Most people do not know that “vitamin E” is a collective description of eight compounds, four tocopherols and four tocotrienols, getting enough vitamin E seems to be especially critical for the very young (fetuses or babies), the elderly and women who are or may become pregnant.
According to the USDA, the collective recommended daily allowance for vitamin E is 15 milligrams per day (or 22.5 IU) for adults;
We recommend consuming two to three of these vitamin E foods daily to meet your needs:
Sunflower seeds: 1 cup – 33.41 milligrams (220 percent)
Almonds: 1 cup – 32.98 milligrams (218 percent)
Hazelnuts: 1 cup – 20.29 milligrams (133 percent)
Wheat germ: 1 cup plain, uncooked – 18 milligrams (120 percent)
Mango: 1 whole raw – 3.02 milligrams (20 percent)
Avocado: one whole raw – 2.68 milligrams (18 percent)
Butternut squash : 1 cup cooked and cubed pumpkin – 2.64 milligrams (17 percent)
Broccoli: 1 cup cooked – 2.4 milligrams (12 percent)
Spinach: ½ cup cooked or about 2 cups uncooked – 1.9 milligrams (10 percent)
Kiwi: 1 medium – 1.1 milligrams (6 percent)
Tomato: 1 raw – 0.7 milligrams (4 percent)
Different ways to access the benefits of vitamin E
There are eight main isomers of vitamin E; Most of the health benefits of vitamin E described above come from studies involving only the form of vitamin E called alpha-tocopherol, which is just one of eight forms.
Recently, researchers have turned more attention to other forms of vitamin E, with a special emphasis on tocotrienol, which some consider the “vitamin E of the 21st century.”
The alpha and beta-tocotrienols have been the least active forms in general, while the delta and gamma-tocotrienols are the most active.
Recent findings suggest that alpha-tocopherol is not harmful, but rather that it may interfere with the absorption of other forms of vitamin E, including other tocopherols and tocotrienols necessary for heart and cognitive health.
Considering the benefits of different vitamin E isomers that have been discovered, there is a push today to rethink the way vitamin E is labeled and described in research studies.
When only the form of vitamin E is studied (usually only the alpha-tocopherol isomer), many believe that the benefits revealed by the study should not be attributed to ‘vitamin E’, since without the other isomers it is not really vitamin E in its entirety form that is being studied.
Steps are also being taken to educate the public about the benefits specifically associated with tocotrienol isomers, including protection against a wide range of common chronic diseases due to their unique antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential;
Tocotriennes have also been found to have antitumor and antitumor abilities, lipid and cholesterol lowering effects, and protective effects affecting the brain, neurons, cells, and the immune system.
So what does all of this mean in regards to the types of vitamin E in your diet?
It’s best to get a variety of vitamin E isomers from your diet, since different types have different benefits;
Tocotrienols have been shown to contain some exceptional benefits that are not shared by other forms, currently the brightest place for tocotrienol research is in chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome , cancer, and osteopenia/osteoporosis.
However, sources of tocotrienols are not as widely available or popular in most people’s diets, these include commercially extracted achiote, coconut, barley or palm oil seeds and rice bran oil.
Finally, it is also better to obtain vitamin E naturally from food, rather than obtaining synthetic vitamin E from low-quality supplements or processed foods, which are usually in the form of gamma-tocopherol or alpha-tocopherol.
The vast majority of synthetic vitamin E found in supplements is not the kind found in nature and not necessarily helpful in preventing disease and increasing health.
That is why the best way to get the health benefits of vitamin E is to eat natural foods with vitamin E.
How to get enough of the different vitamin E isomers (including tocotrienols):
Most food sources in a typical person’s diet are rich in vitamin E isomers such as gamma-tocopherol and, to a lesser extent, alpha-tocopherol;
This is especially true for oils derived from major crops like soybeans, corn, cottonseed, and sesame seed, which provide about 80 percent of the vitamin E isomers that most people in the United States.
United they get from their diets; these oils contain three to five times more gamma-tocopherol compared to alpha.
As mentioned above, it is more difficult to get tocotrienols from your diet, as the sources are much less common or readily available.
The Linus Pauling Institute recommends targeting small amounts of vitamin E from tocotrienol about 15 milligrams per day, with an average effective dose for immune protection and other benefits being considered between 75 and 100 milligrams per day; Here are some tips for finding the best fonts:
• Although very difficult to find at this time, the seed of the achiote tree ( Bixa orellana ), which is a tropical plant, contains very high levels of tocotrienols, of which 90 percent are delta-tocotrienol and 10 percent of gamma-tocotrienol.
• Other good sources are rice oil, palm oil, and rice bran oil, along with peanuts, walnuts .
• Some others that are more common include oatmeal, rye and barley cereals, although these do not have as much as other rarer sources.
• If you are looking to increase the amount of vitamin E isomers you are consuming in a day, there are many ways to get creative using these foods.
Try adding nuts or seeds to your cereal, oatmeal, or salad. You can also eat raw nuts or make your own grain-free granola.
• Add a vitamin E boost to your lunch or dinner with a spinach or kale salad ; add tomatoes or even fresh fruit like papaya.
• If you’re looking for a healthy snack with the benefits of vitamin E, try a sliced apple with peanut butter or cracked avocado on toast with whole sprouts.
• Another easy way to get some vitamin E benefits from your diet is to add just one tablespoon of wheat germ oil to any recipe.
ecommended daily intake of vitamin E
The recommended dietary dose of vitamin E benefits (including different isomers), according to the USDA, includes the amount you get from the foods you eat and the supplements you take.
Daily intake is measured in milligrams (mg) and in international units (IU). Recommendations for different age groups are listed below:
Children:
• 1-3 years: 6 mg / day (9 IU)
• 4-8 years: 7 mg / day (10.4 IU)
• 9-13 years: 11 mg / day (16.4 IU)
Women:
• 14 years and older: 15 mg / day (22.4 IU)
• Pregnant: 15 mg / day (22.4 IU)
• Lactation: 19 mg / day (28.5 IU)
Males:
• 14 years and older: 15 mg / day (22.4 IU)
Tolerable upper intake levels are the highest amount of a vitamin that most people can safely take.
These high doses can be used to treat a vitamin E deficiency, and it is important to speak with a doctor before taking more than these higher levels of intake.
• 1-3 years: 200 mg / day (300 IU)
• 4-8 years: 300 mg / day (450 IU)
• 9-13 years: 600 mg / day (900 IU)
• 14-18 years: 800 mg / day (1,200 IU)
• 18 years and older: 1,000 mg / day (1,500 IU)
Note that because vitamin E is fat soluble, supplements work best when absorbed with food, and the American Heart Association recommends obtaining antioxidants, including vitamin E, by eating a healthy, well-balanced diet that contains lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Getting your vitamins from the food you eat is always a better alternative than using a supplement, as it is difficult to overconsume vitamin E from your regular diet.
Symptoms of vitamin E deficiency
Vitamin E deficiencies (meaning intake of all isomers) were long thought to be rare, and when they do occur, it is commonly believed that it is almost never caused by poor diet.
However, some experts believe that many people today are not getting enough vitamin E from their diets naturally, especially with too little tocotrienols.
There are specific situations that can lead to a vitamin E deficiency due to a malfunction in terms of how nutrients are absorbed.
A premature baby born weighing less than 3.5 pounds is at risk for vitamin E deficiency, but a pediatrician who specializes in newborn care will generally assess a baby’s nutritional needs to help detect and treat it early.
People with fat absorption problems, which is a common problem for those struggling with inflammatory bowel disease , can also have problems with vitamin E deficiency in some cases.
People who have a problem with their dietary fat levels are at higher risk because, as mentioned above, fat is needed for the absorption of the benefits of vitamin E;
This includes anyone who has been diagnosed with cystic fibrosis , has had gastric bypass surgery, or people with malabsorption problems, such as Crohn’s disease, liver disease, or pancreatic failure; deficiency symptoms include loss of muscle coordination and vision and speech problems.
Side effects of vitamin E
• Vitamin E benefits most healthy people when taken by mouth or applied directly to the skin;
Most people do not experience any side effects when taking the recommended dose, but in high doses there are adverse reactions that have been recorded.
Vitamin E can be unsafe when taken in large amounts, especially for people suffering from heart disease or diabetes, if you suffer from these health problems, do not take doses of 400 IU / day or more.
• Some studies show that taking high doses of vitamin E, which is between 300-800 IU per day , could increase your chances of having a serious stroke called a hemorrhagic stroke by 22 percent.
A serious side effect of too much vitamin E is an increased risk of bleeding, especially in the brain.
• Avoid taking supplements that contain vitamin E or any other antioxidant vitamin immediately before and after angioplasty, a type of heart procedure.
These vitamins appear to interfere with proper healing, so you should consult with your healthcare professional if you have this type of procedure and take supplements / vitamins.
Supplementation with very high levels of vitamin E could lead to the following health problems:
• heart failure in people with diabetes
• worsening of bleeding disorders
• increasing the chances that head, neck, and prostate cancer will come back
• increase bleeding during and after surgery
• increased chance of death after a heart attack or stroke
One study found that supplements packed with the benefits of vitamin E can also be harmful for women in the early stages of pregnancy;
Women who took vitamin E supplements during their first eight weeks of pregnancy showed an increase in congenital heart defects;
High doses of vitamin E can also cause nausea, diarrhea , stomach cramps, fatigue, weakness, headache, blurred vision, rash, bruising, and bleeding.
Topical vitamin E can irritate some people’s skin, so try a small amount first and make sure you are not sensitive.
Final thoughts
• Vitamin E benefits the body by playing the role of an antioxidant, as a fat-soluble vitamin, the benefits of vitamin E include its role in the proper function of many organs, enzyme activities, and neurological processes.
• Vitamin E is a collective description of eight compounds, four tocopherols and four tocotrienols, and they provide different benefits from vitamin E.
It is best to get a variety of isomers of vitamin E from your diet, since different types have different benefits.
• The benefits of vitamin E include balancing cholesterol, fighting free radicals, preventing disease development, repairing damaged skin, thickening hair, balancing hormones, helping people with Alzheimer’s, reducing cancer risk, and improving effects of medical treatments. physical endurance and muscular strength.
• Vitamin E is found only in plant foods, including certain oils, nuts, grains, fruits, and wheat germ. It’s also available as a supplement
- some of the best vitamin E foods you can eat to get these vitamin E benefits include sunflower seeds, almonds, hazelnuts, wheat germ, mango, avocado, pumpkin, broccoli, spinach, kiwi, and tomatoes.
• Vitamin E also benefits the mother and child during pregnancy, as it is a vital vitamin for growth and development.
• Symptoms of vitamin E deficiency include loss of muscle coordination and vision and speech problems.
• Vitamin E can be unsafe when taken in large amounts, especially for people with heart disease or diabetes.
If you suffer from these health problems, do not take doses of 400 IU / day or more.