This monograph is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. You should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin with antioxidant properties. Vitamin E exists in eight different forms: alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-tocopherol; and alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-tocotrienol. Alpha-tocopherol is the most active form in humans. Dosing for vitamin E is often given in alpha-tocopherol equivalents (ATEs). This accounts for the different activities that the different forms of vitamin E have in the body. One milligram of an ATE is equal to 1.5 international units (IU). Vitamin E supplements are available in natural or man-made forms. The natural forms are usually labeled with the letter "d" (for example, d-gamma-tocopherol), whereas synthetic forms are labeled "dl" (for example, dl-alpha-tocopherol). Foods that contain vitamin E include eggs, fortified cereals, fruit, green leafy vegetables (such as spinach), meat, nuts, nut oils, poultry, vegetable oils (corn, cottonseed, safflower, soybean, sunflower), argan oil, olive oil, wheat germ oil, and whole grains.
Cooking and storage may destroy some of the vitamin E in foods. Vitamin E has been studied for the prevention or treatment of many health conditions. However, there is a lack of strong evidence to support its use for any disease at this time, aside from vitamin E deficiency. Concerns have been raised about the safety of vitamin E supplementation, particularly in high doses. An increased risk of bleeding may occur in people taking blood thinners, or those with vitamin K deficiency. Evidence suggests that regular use of high-dose vitamin E supplements may increase the risk of death from all causes by a small amount, although research is unclear. Vitamin E has also been studied for scar prevention. However, there is a lack of evidence to support this use. Because of a risk of allergic skin symptoms, some researchers have advised against the use of this therapy. This evidence-based monograph was prepared by The Natural Standard Research CollaborationWe're sorry, it seems like something went wrong.
and we'd be happy to help. Foods with Vitamin E What is Vitamin E? Vitamin E boosts the immune system by helping the body fight off viruses and infections from bacteria. In addition, Vitamin E helps the body utilize Vitamin K, form red blood cells, widen blood vessels, and prevents blood clots (1). Deficiency in vitamin E is rare among otherwise healthy people and is almost always linked to diseases in which fat is not properly digested or absorbed. This is because Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin and needs some fat for the body to absorb it. Vitamin E deficiency may occur in tandem with conditions like Crohn’s disease, cystic fibrosis, and certain rare genetic conditions (2). How Much Vitamin E Do I Need? The daily recommended amount of Vitamin E depends on your age. Birth to 6 months Which Foods Have Vitamin E? Vitamin E is found naturally in nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables and is added to some fortified foods. Milligrams (mg) per serving
Wheat germ oil, 1 tablespoon Sunflower oil, 1 tablespoon Safflower oil, 1 tablespoon Corn oil, 1 tablespoon Soybean oil, 1 tablespoon Sunflower seeds, dry roasted, 1 ounce Almonds, dry roasted, 1 ounce Hazelnuts, dry roasted, 1 ounce Peanut butter, 2 tablespoons Peanuts, dry roasted, 1 ounce Spinach, boiled, ½ cup Broccoli, chopped, boiled, ½ cup Spinach, raw, 1 cup Mango, sliced, ½ cup Certain foods like breakfast cereals, fruit juice, and margarine may be fortified with Vitamin E. The amount of Vitamin E depends on the product (2). Recipes With Vitamin E Who doesn’t love a good recipe? The following trail mix recipe is tried and true. It can be prepared in advance and stored for several weeks (even months!), so keep a bag of this trail mix handy for a quick go-to snack that’s both healthy and satisfying. 1 ounce sunflower seeds 1/4 cup dried mango, chopped 1/4 cup dried dates, chopped
1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped Getting enough vitamin E to support your overall health and well-being can be achieved with the proper diet and supplementation. Vitagene provides personalized diet, exercise, and supplementation programs tailored to your health. Take the Vitality DNA test to learn which vitamins your body needs. Click here to learn more.In addition, Vitamin E helps the body utilize Vitamin K, form red blood cells, widen blood vessels, and prevents blood clots.Vitamin E deficiency may occur in tandem with conditions like Crohn’s disease, cystic fibrosis, and certain rare genetic conditions.The amount of Vitamin E depends on the product. Interested in learning whether vitamin E supplementation is right for you? Take the Vitality DNA test today to find out exactly which diet, exercise, and supplementation your body needs.Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients your body needs in small amounts to work properly. Most people should get all the nutrients they need by eating a varied and balanced diet.
The pages in this section contain advice and information on vitamins, minerals and trace elements essential for health, including: For information about nutrition for children, see vitamins for children. If you choose to take vitamin and mineral supplements, be aware that taking too many or for too long can cause harmful effects. Some people may need to take vitamin and mineral supplements. For information on who could benefit from supplements, see Do I need vitamin supplements? If you're trying to cut down on your salt intake, you might want to avoid vitamin and mineral supplements that come as effervescent or fizzy tablets, as they can contain up to 1g of salt per tablet. Get more tips for a lower-salt diet. There are two types of vitamins: fat-soluble and water-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins are found mainly in fatty foods and animal products, such as vegetable oils, milk and dairy foods, eggs, liver, oily fish and butter. While your body needs these vitamins every day to work properly, you don't need to eat foods containing them every day.
This is because your body stores these vitamins in your liver and fatty tissues for future use. These stores can build up so they are there when you need them. However, if you have much more than you need, fat-soluble vitamins can be harmful. Water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body, so you need to have them more frequently. If you have more than you need, your body gets rid of the extra vitamins when you urinate. As the body does not store water-soluble vitamins, these vitamins are generally not harmful. However, this doesn't mean that all large amounts are necessarily harmless. Water-soluble vitamins are found in a wide range of foods, including fruit, vegetables, potatoes, grains, milk and dairy foods. Unlike fat-soluble vitamins, they can be destroyed by heat or being exposed to the air. They can also be lost in water used for cooking. This means that by cooking foods, especially boiling them, we lose some of these vitamins. The best way to keep as many of the water-soluble vitamins as possible is to steam or grill foods, rather than boil them, or to use the cooking water in soups or stews rather than pouring it away.