Nutritional Supplements: The Amazing Benefits of Vitamin E

The real benefits of Vitamin E may surprise you. First of all, what is Vitamin E? Vitamin E is not one nutrient but actually a group of eight nutrients known as tocopherols and tocotrienols. Each one of these groups is further broken down into alpha, beta, gamma and delta.

Alpha-tocopherol is the most active and common form. This is the form most often found in vitamin supplements. This is also the only form of Vitamin E given an RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance). Folks who eat lots of fruits and vegetables and not much fat in their diet, probably don't get their RDA of alpha-tocopherol. Although alpha-tocopherol is the only Vitamin E component given an RDA, Gamma tocopherol is an important component as well.

Vitamin E is an oil soluble vitamin and is stored by your body.

Benefits of Vitamin E and What It Does For You

What does Vitamin E do? Vitamin E acts as what's called an antioxidant. If you've read the section of my site on Health Supplements, you've no doubt read about what an antioxidant does. If not we can review quickly.

The cells of your body are under a lot of stress... oxidative stress. Oxidative stress occurs when highly unstable molecules called free radicals roam freely throughout your body. Free radicals are a by-product of not only the normal metabolic processes of your cells but also your environment. Things such as air pollution, sun exposure, ozone, nitrous oxide (from auto exhaust), cigarette smoke, alcohol consumption and so on.

Free radicals damage cell membranes and can result in changes to your cells that cause chronic diseases down the road. When your cells are being damaged by these free radicals, we say your cells are experiencing oxidative stress... and one of the benefits of Vitamin E is that it is an antioxidant and can significantly neutralize the free radicals that cause oxidative stress.

Benefits of Vitamin E and Heart Disease

Does Vitamin E aid in the prevention of heart disease? Well, the jury's still out on this one. Theoretically, the benefits of Vitamin E and its ability to significantly reduce the progression of atherosclerotic plaque (buildup on the inside of your artery walls), says yes, without a doubt.

An article in the Journal of the American Medical Association says so also. Using angiography, a correlation was found between taking Vitamin E supplements and a reduction in coronary artery atherosclerosis. Remember the above benefits of Vitamin E and how Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant? Well this is the same mechanism.

As Jeffrey Blumberg, Ph.D., F.A.C.N. of Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts states "... surveys of over 200,000 people in different communities around the world have provided compelling evidence that diets high in vitamin E and/or use of vitamin E supplements reduce the risk of heart disease."

Dr. Blumberg stresses the importance of making the distinction between what he calls primary and secondary prevention. Primary prevention focuses on groups of healthy people and testing for new heart disease against different levels of Vitamin E intake over many years. Secondary prevention is taking groups of folks with existing heart disease and testing for a short duration using Vitamin E supplements along with placebos.

It is felt that the results of some secondary trials (the ones that claim no beneficial relationship between Vitamin E and heart disease) may be skewed by other factors in these heart patients such as smoking and diabetes. Also the drugs that these folks are taking along with the Vitamin E supplements could also affect the outcome of the research.

Concerning the benefits of Vitamin E, Dr. Blumberg goes on to state, "In thinking about the value of vitamin E supplementation, particularly in primary prevention, it is important to appreciate not only its potential benefit in heart disease but also in a variety of other chronic diseases associated with oxidative stress, including age-related macular degeneration, Alzheimer's disease, cancer, cataract, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and rheumatoid arthritis."

Two other studies were reported on in the New England Journal of Medicine, the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. These two studies followed thousands of women and men. The researchers found a significant reduction in heart disease of the folks taking Vitamin E supplements.

Benefits of Vitamin E and Alzheimer's

Can Vitamin E help cut your risk of developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia? New studies seem to suggest so. A recent report found in the Archives of Neurology showed that vitamin E taken together with Vitamin C had significant benefits.

The study's author, Peter Zandi PhD with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health stated, "These results are extremely exciting. Our findings suggest that vitamins E and C may offer protection against Alzheimer's disease when taken together in the higher doses available from individual supplements."

Another study also in the Archives of Neurology found that Vitamin E intake may slow the progression of cognitive decline as we grow older.

How does Vitamin E do this? Well, remember some of the benefits of Vitamin E cited above and how Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant? It is widely accepted that oxidative stress plays a role in the bringing about Alzheimer's. And by its antioxidant properties, Vitamin E is able to reduce this oxidative stress to the cells of your brain.

More Benefits of Vitamin E

Because of Vitamin E's antioxidant properties, it has been shown effective in helping treat osteoarthritis. Vitamin E has also shown to be helpful in preventing the formation of cataracts in your eyes. And it might also help in protecting your eyes against ARMD (age related macular degeneration) as you get older. ARMD is the major cause of blindness in the U.S.

In folks with diabetes, Vitamin E and other antioxidants have been effective in controlling blood sugar levels. There has also been found to be a relationship between low levels of Vitamin E and an increased risk of getting diabetes.

Vitamin E has also been found to reduce hot flashes for women going through menopause. And for male smokers, it has been shown to reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

Is Vitamin E Safe

A recent article appearing in the Council for Responsible Nutrition stated that Vitamin E is safe for folks in the general population at doses up to 1600 IU daily. With most of the daily doses you'll find out there being in the 200 - 400 IU range there should be no concern.

You can learn much more than just the facts about Vitamin E at our content rich site called Health Supplements Advisor.

---

Supplements and Vitamins - Can They Enhance Your Weight Loss Goals?

Nutritional supplements can play a key role in the health... Read More

Discover Natural Supplements That Really Give Relief From Arthritic Pain

If you suffer from arthritis pain, chances are you've heard... Read More

Are MLM Nutrition Supplements Right For You?

Considering that the Health and Wellness industry is currently a... Read More

Vitamin Treatment Guide

Vitamins and minerals play a major role in becoming healthy... Read More

Megadosing

If you're constantly digging your hand into a jar of... Read More

Why Is Vitamin B6 So Important?

Vitamin B6 is the hardest working nutrient in the human... Read More

Fish Oil and Possible Disease Prevention

Researchers working at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center state that... Read More

Getting the Most Out of Your Supplements and Yourself

Are you not feeling any results from your nutritional supplements?Here... Read More

I Have a Headache!

Actually, my headache is not the result of just thinking... Read More

Nutritional Supplement

Nutritional Supplement ? what is it?So what is a nutritional... Read More

Vitamin C - The Most Common Health Food Supplement

Vitamin C or Ascorbic Acid was first isolated from lemons... Read More

Using Natural Remedies For Constipation

There are two basic types of constipation - organic and... Read More

Revealed! The Secrets of Mangosteen

Do you spend at least some time in your day... Read More

Immune System Supplement

Your Immune system Needs BalanceTaking an immune system supplement daily... Read More

Calcium and Women: For More Than Just Bones

For women, calcium is one of the most important nutrients... Read More

Probiotics and Friendly Flora

You Need Probiotics For Better Digestion and Overall HealthInside your... Read More

Garlic Can Kill Superbug - A Health Supplement

The Superbug MRSA which is becoming more common in Hospitals,... Read More

The Benefits of Coenzyme Q10

Coenzyme Q10 has exploded onto the health scene. This powerful... Read More

How To Choose A Good Quality Vitamin Supplement For You And Your Family Without Getting Ripped Off

As you may have already experienced, figuring out how to... Read More

More Complete Arthritis Supplement

People accept arthritic disease as a 'natural part of the... Read More

Know Your Bodybuilding Supplement - HMB

HMB stands for beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate. It is a metabolite of... Read More

Do Natural Thyroid Boosters Work?

How Well Does Thyrin-ATC and Other Natural Thyroid Products Work?Hypothyroidism... Read More

How Does Whey Protein Affect My Body?

Whey protein is available in supplement form and whey protein... Read More

The Science Behind Phytonutrient Rich Soy Based Products

A healthier diet is very much in the news these... Read More

Herbal Supplement

Herbal Supplement ? what is it?So what is an herbal... Read More

Can You Drink Your Way To Good Health?

Many years ago I became convinced of the need to... Read More

What Vitamin Supplement is Best for Gastric Bypass Patients

The multi-vitamin market is rich with choice. It's also very... Read More

Omega 3 and Reduced Risk of Myocardial Infarction

Myocardial infarction is a technical term used to describe an... Read More

About Liquid Vitamins and Minerals and the New Nutritional Paradigm

Liquid vitamins are the same vitamins that you find in... Read More

What Can Muscle Milk Do For Me?

As the name suggests, muscle milk is a supplement that... Read More

What Everyone Should Know About Supplements

For years now we have heard that supplementing our diets... Read More

Safer And More Effective Than Botox? Shocking Results

Are the new Argireline Wrinkle Relaxing Creams as effective as... Read More

Nutritional Nutrients

Nutrients form the basis for your body, emotional and spiritual... Read More