FACTS
Vitamin E is a potent fat-soluble antioxidant. It is found in vegetable oils, whole grains, sweet potatoes, wheat germ, brown rice and other foods. There are actually eight types of vitamin E of which alpha-tocopherol is the most potent.
CLAIMED BENEFITS
Heart Disease: Epidemiological studies showed that people with high intakes pf vitamin E have a lower risk of coronary heart disease, It is believed that it is oxidation of the LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol) in your arteries that leads to clotting and occlusion of the blood vessels. Vitamin E has been shown to inhibit LDL-cholesterol oxidation in test tube experiments and in human studies, Vitamin E may be useful in lowering the risk of coronary heart disease (SPACE and CHAOS studies), but not as an active treatment (HOPE study).
Cancer: Results of cell and animal studies suggest that vitamin E and other antioxidants help reduce the incidence of cancer and its growth through their action as anti-carcinogens, quenching free radicals or reacting with their products. Published epidemiological studies show that high intakes or blood levels of vitamin E are associated with decreased cancer risk – prostate, colourectal, breast, lungs, cervix, and thyroid.
Diabetes: Vitamin E has been touted to improve retinal blood flow and kidney function in type 1 diabetes, and to improve nerve conduction and modulate inflammatory damage in type 2 diabetes. A four-year follow-up study of 944 healthy men aged 42-60 showed that a low plasma vitamin E concentration was associated with a 3.9-fold risk of developing diabetes.
Others: Immunity, skin, cataracts, brain
RIGHT AMOUNT
The supplementary dose is 200 – 400 IU daily.
