Nutritional Advice El Mondo- Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin.
- The term vitamin E is used as a generic designation for a group of eight lipid-soluble compounds: four tocopherols (alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-) and four tocotrienols (alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-).
- All eight forms of vitamin E (alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-tocopherols and tocotrienols) occur naturally in foods but in varying amounts.
- The most biologically active form of vitamin E is d-alpha-tocopherol.
- Alpha- (or α-) tocopherol is the only form that is recognized to meet human requirements.
- Vitamin E protects lipids and prevents the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids of the cell membranes.
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Vitamin E from natural (food) sources is listed as "d-alpha-tocopherol" on food packaging and supplement labels. Synthetic (laboratory-made) vitamin E is listed as "dl-alpha-tocopherol." The natural form is more potent.
100 IU of natural vitamin E is equal to about 150 IU of the synthetic form. - DL-alpha-tocopherol is the most used form in fortified foods.
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Vitamin E activity is expressed as d-alpha-tocopherol equivalents.
1 mg of d-alpha-tocopherol is equivalent to 1.49 IU of the natural form or 2.22 IU of the synthetic form.
1 IU of d-alpha-tocopherol is equivalent to 0.67 mg of the natural form or 0.45 mg of the synthetic form. - Vitamin E is synthesized only by plants and is, therefore, found primarily in plant products, the richest source being plant oils. However, nuts are also good sources of vitamin E.
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Vitamin E deficiency can cause nerve and muscle damage that results in loss of feeling in the arms and legs, loss of body movement control, muscle weakness and vision problems.
Another sign of deficiency is a weakened immune system. -
The recommended daily allowance is 10-15 mg (15-22.5 IU).
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is the average daily level of intake sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97%–98%) healthy people. - The tolerable upper intake level (UL) for vitamin E is 300 milligrams per day. Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) is the maximum daily intake unlikely to cause adverse health effects.
- The total body pool size is sufficient for 1-2 years.
Scientific studies on the relationship between vitamin E and disease prevention:
A review of articles of randomized, placebo-controlled double blind clinical trials (RCTs) will answer the following question:
"Do taking dietary supplements make sense?" Yes for a positive conclusion and no for a negative conclusion.
A review of articles of cohort studies or case-control studies will answer the following question:
"Should I change my diet?".