Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that promotes tissue against oxidation and is also essential for the creation of red blood cells. Vitamin E also supports the body in using another vitamin- vitamin K, which is also a fat-soluble vitamin. Vitamin E can be found in nuts, vegetable oils, whole grains, asparagus, olives and spinach.
Vitamin E is important for the immune system and as protection against heart disease. Cold pressed vegetable oils are excellent sources of vitamin E. Most grocery stores and health food stores sell cold pressed vegetable oils. The two most well known forms of vitamin E are alpha- and gamma-tocopherol.
The first benefit of taking vitamin E supplements is because of its antioxidant properties. Ongoing research is needed but more and more studies are pointing to vitamin E supplements and their role in helping patients who suffer from heart disease. At the present time the American Heart Association is involved in a number of research projects that will shield more light on this claim but so far the results are looking positive.
The second benefit involves vitamin E’s role in preventing oxidative stress in the body. Although oxygen is what we must breathe to live, oxygen can make molecules in the human body because “overly reactive.” When these molecules that contain oxygen become too reactive or excitable they begin to wreck havoc to the cells nearby and damage to cell structure can be the end result. This set of circumstances that causes imbalance on the molecules is known as oxidative stress. Vitamin E works closely with a number of nutrients in the body to prevent this situation from taking place in the first place. The other nutrients involved in this process include vitamin B3, vitamin C, glutathione and selenium. Many researchers believe that of this group, vitamin E plays the greatest role in preventing oxidative stress in the oxygen molecules.
The third benefit of taking vitamin E supplements on a regular basis is that this vitamin supports the skin in being as healthy as possible. Vitamin E is sometimes referred to as the “lightening rod of the cell” because it makes it possible for reactive molecules to come in contact with cells but does not bring about any damage to them. This lightening rod effect is very obvious when it comes to the health of the skin because it is vitamin E that helps to protect skin from the harmful ultraviolet rays (also known as UV light) of the sun. Besides supplement, vitamin E is often an ingredient included in skin creams and skin gels to soothe and moisture skin that has been exposed to the elements (and that does not just mean the summer sun but also the wind and the cold temperatures of the winter time). Many people believe that lubricating the skin on a regular basis can help to prevent stretch marks. For women who have just found out they are pregnant, this helps if you begin doing it before your skin begins to stretch.
The fourth benefit of taking a vitamin E supplement is that making studies have borne out the result that vitamin E helps to protect against the development of bladder cancer. Bladder cancer takes the lives of approximately 12,500 Americans every year and it is the fourth leading form of cancer for men. Bladder cancer is also four times more widespread in males than it is in females. It has been shown that taking a vitamin E supplement on a daily basis can reduce a person’s chance of developing bladder cancer by almost 50%.
The fifth benefit of taking a vitamin E supplement is that it is showing promising results in the fight against breast cancer. Research is ongoing but the preliminary results point to the fact that vitamin E supplements when taken regularly can help to prevent breast cancer. For those patients who already have breast cancer, vitamin E supplements may possibly play a role in the treatment of the disease. As well a study done that had patients taking 800 IU of oral vitamin E supplements a day showed that they were helpful in alleviating a percentage of the women’s hot flashes that were related to breast cancer.
Vitamin E has also been found to help other health conditions as well. It is vitamin E rich foods, but not supplements that have been shown to provide protection against developing Alzheimer’s disease as well as prostate cancer. Studies are also looking into the possibly that vitamin E supplements can provide protection and/or can benefit those who suffer from anemia, angina, cataracts, colon cancer, dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain), high cholesterol, macular degeneration and Parkinson’s disease.
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