Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant, often combined with vitamins A and C, and plays an important role in cell growth and the normal functioning of the entire body. Vitamin E contains several chemical compounds: alpha-tocopherol, beta-tocopherol, etc.
It is known that vitamin E is responsible for the beauty of the skin (vitamin for skin), but this is only one of its properties. It also plays an important role in vision, immune, nervous and cardiovascular systems.
Together with vitamins A and C, vitamin E forms the famous cocktail of antioxidant vitamins ACE.
Composition of 1st Vitamin E capsule
Vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopherol and a group of other natural tocopherols) – 100 IU
Excipients (water, glycerin, gelatin)
Vitamin E is a mixture of eight bioorganic structures that have similar characteristics and are its varieties (vitamers). There are 2 large classes - tocopherols and tocotrienols. All eight components have almost the same activity, so they are not separated, but are referred to as vitamin E.
Popular Vitamin E Products
Where the greatest amount of vitamin E is found is in the oils of cultivated plants:
- soy;
- corn;
- sunflower;
- peanut;
- almond;
- sea buckthorn;
- cotton;
- olives;
- linen;
- rape;
- sesame;
- hemp.
Tocopherol is also present in a number of products:
- whole grains;
- wheat bran and germ;
- seeds of the above plants plus avocado and pumpkin;
- all types of nuts;
- fish and seafood (cod liver, red caviar, beluga caviar, herring, oysters) and sea fish;
- beef liver;
- spinach and broccoli;
- trace amounts in egg yolk and milk.
Important! The level of tocopherol during heat treatment of products is reduced by almost half; it is advisable to consume plant seeds and nuts raw or dried.
What are the benefits of vitamin
For the proper functioning of the body, it is necessary to constantly replenish it with microelements and minerals.
Why is tocopherol so important to humans? Let's consider the main functions of this substance:
- Antioxidant.
- Protects cells from damage and UV rays.
- Promotes the absorption of vitamin A.
- Restores the reproductive, regenerative and protective functions of the body.
- Improves blood clotting.
- Helps strengthen the walls of blood vessels.
- Slows down the withering process. Tocopherol prevents premature aging of skin cells. The component is added to creams, ointments, balms and other cosmetics. It’s not for nothing that it’s called the “vitamin of youth.”
- Prevents thrombus formation. A thrombus is a blood clot that can block a blood vessel and lead to a stroke or heart attack.
- Is a beauty vitamin. It not only fights the signs of aging, but also accelerates the healing of wounds, abrasions, and ulcers; smoothes and nourishes the skin.
- Controls blood cholesterol levels.
- Improves visual functions. Low levels of vitamin E can lead to cataract formation. In addition, the risks of macular degeneration, which is a harbinger of blindness, cannot be excluded. One of the striking symptoms of hypovitaminosis is the formation of senile spots on the hands.
- Reduces the development of certain types of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
- Reduces the risks of prostate and breast cancer.
- Reduces blood pressure and protects against miscarriages during pregnancy.
- Prevents inflammatory processes. If a person consumes a lot of meat products, then his body will most likely have a deficiency of the vitamin.
- Restores muscle tone and performance, relieves cramps.
Tocopherol accumulation occurs in adipose tissues, heart, uterus, pituitary gland, liver, and adrenal glands.
Popular preparations with vitamin E
NUTRILITE (based on wheat germ, soybean). The dietary supplement is useful for preventing heart disease, strengthening the immune system and central nervous system, and improving metabolism. Vitrum E. Indicated in a complex for the treatment of atherosclerosis, sexual dysfunction, as a supportive agent during menopause.
We recommend that you read about vitamins that are beneficial for the heart and liver.
Analogues: Tocophorol acetate, Doppelgerz Vitamin E forte. MRM Complete E. The drug contains the entire group of components of the substance plus ascorbic acid and consists of natural ingredients.
Mechanism of action
Vitamin E has an excellent antioxidant effect. α-Tocopherol, together with its metabolite (tocopherylquinone), forms a redox system that is involved in H+ transport. In this way, free radical reactions are suppressed.
The substance stimulates the synthesis of hemoglobin, myoglobin, cytochromes (including cytochrome P-450), as well as catalase and peroxidase. Thus, cells and tissues are saturated with oxygen, synthetic processes in them are restored, and dangerous peroxides of unsaturated fatty acids and lipids are destroyed.
Due to dysfunction of red blood cell membranes, the development of hemolysis is facilitated; degeneration of the photoreceptor layer is noted in the retina. With vitamin E deficiency, the membranes of the sarcoplasmic reticulum lose the ability to accumulate calcium. This leads to disruption of participation in many intracellular processes.
Tocopherol stabilizes cellular and subcellular membranes (erythrocytes, cells of various tissues, lysosomes), reduces their permeability and maintains integrity; increases the synthesis of proteins in various tissues (collagen in subcutaneous tissue and bones, contractile proteins in skeletal, smooth muscles and myocardium, proteins in mucous membranes, placenta, etc.); promotes the formation of a number of enzymes (creatine phosphokinase, vasopressinase), hormones (gonadotropins), etc.
In what cases do doctors recommend taking vitamin E?
- Hypovitaminosis.
- Regular high physical activity.
- Elderly age.
- Autonomic disorders.
- Cardiovascular, immune, skin (dermatitis, psoriasis, trophic ulcers, eczema), eye, bone and joint diseases.
There are a number of signs that are characteristic of people with vitamin E deficiency:
- Muscle weakness, numbness and tingling sensation in the limbs. Over time, if you do not seek help from a specialist, lameness and pain in the calves may appear.
- Dryness of the epidermis, formation of wrinkles. The skin lacks elasticity and shine.
- Deterioration of vision.
- Mood swings, irritability, tearfulness, apathy, loss of appetite, insomnia.
- Decreased sex drive associated with hormone production.
- Menstrual irregularities.
- Dysfunction of the digestive system.
- Diseases of the heart, liver, gall bladder.
- Poor blood clotting.
- Intrauterine pathologies of child development.
- Miscarriages, infertility.
Why is it needed?
First of all, vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant.
. It helps restore cell membranes and protects tissues from free radicals that destroy body cells.
Vitamin E improves the nutrition of skin and hair, reduces dryness, and strengthens nails. Thanks to this property, it is included in therapeutic and preventive cosmetics and it is recommended to consume foods rich in it for skin diseases.
The antioxidant properties of vitamin E are considered by scientists as one of the means of preventing cancer, such as breast and prostate cancer.
Vitamin E affects blood clotting, helping to prevent the formation of blood clots, improves the elasticity of large and small vessels, and also slows down the formation of cholesterol plaques.
In addition, this vitamin is vital for normal reproductive
. Vitamin E helps improve sperm production in men, and in women it is involved in the regulation of the menstrual cycle and alleviates unpleasant symptoms during menopause.
Vitamin E is necessary for normal nutrition of the embryo
– improves the absorption of nutrients by its cells.
It regulates energy metabolism in muscles, helping to accumulate energy reserves - glycogen. Improves the functioning of the nervous system and strengthens the immune system. It also promotes the absorption of nutrients, including vitamin D, and protects vitamin A from destruction in the body. This is why vitamins A and E are called partners.
Daily requirement
How much tocopherol the body needs depends on many factors. Among the main ones are age, gender, and the presence of certain diseases.
On average, the vitamin E requirement for an adult ranges from 15 to 30 mg.
For children under one year of age, the norm is 5 mg per day, from one to seven - 7 mg. From 8 the need for tocopherol increases sharply. For teenagers, this figure is 10-14 mg per day.
Based on the research results, scientists concluded that taking vitamin E supplements during pregnancy is extremely undesirable. This is due to the ability of tocopherol to cause disturbances in fetal development and the formation of pathologies.
The daily requirement of the vitamin also depends on environmental conditions. If there are many negative factors, it is recommended to increase the dose of the component to 25 mg. Men need tocofinol a little more than women (up to 30 mg).
For athletes, tocopherol is dosed taking into account the type and period of exercise. If the goal of training is to develop speed, then during training it is necessary to consume 14-20 mg/day of tocopherol; at competitions the dose increases to 24-30 mg. If the main goal of physical activity is maximum endurance, then 20-30 mg/day of the substance is needed for the preparatory stage, and 30-50 mg/day during competitions.
A lack of vitamin E affects the condition of blood vessels, skin, nails, and hair.
The maximum amount of tocopherol is found in the following foods: soybean, cottonseed, corn, sunflower and olive oils; sprouted corn and wheat grains; peas; beans; pearl barley, oatmeal and corn; buckwheat; shrimps; squid; egg; zander; mackerel.
Tocopherol contained in food is resistant to acids and alkalis. It practically does not collapse at temperatures of 170-200 degrees. With such methods of heat treatment at home as cooking, canning, and sterilization, the vitamin E content remains almost unchanged.
Daily vitamin intake for women
Tocopherol is eliminated from the body almost completely, so it is necessary to replenish its reserves daily, especially for residents of regions with neglected ecology.
For girls
- For babies under one year old, the recommended dose is from three to five mg.
- From one to six years - five to seven mg.
- Girls from seven years to adulthood - seven to eight mg.
For adults
Adult women are recommended to take eight milligrams.
Pregnant and lactating
During pregnancy and breastfeeding, tocopherol is consumed by two people, therefore, the daily norm increases:
- Pregnant women - 10-15 mg.
- Nursing - 12 mg.
Important! For pregnant or nursing mothers with a history of stroke, heart attack or cardiosclerosis, the course and dosage of tocopherol is determined and prescribed only by a doctor.
Side effect
When an overdose occurs, the following signs are observed:
- rapid breathing;
- dizziness and pain;
- rash;
- changes in blood pressure;
- increased fatigue, lethargy;
- distortion of visual perception;
- weakness;
- sexual function disorder;
- bruises;
- pain in the muscles, stomach and heart.
With long-term use of the drug in high doses, hypocoagulation (decreased blood clotting), bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract, liver enlargement, increased urinary excretion of creatine, weakness, nausea, and dizziness are sometimes observed.
Interaction with other drugs
To avoid side effects, it is not recommended to combine vitamin E with iron, silver, anticoagulants (neodicoumarin), as well as agents that have an alkaline reaction (for example, bicarbonate).
In patients receiving iron supplements in large quantities, oxidative processes in the body are enhanced, therefore the need for vitamin E is increased. To avoid overdose, it is not recommended to take other complexes containing alpha-tocopherol at the same time.
When combined with steroids and NSAIDs, the effect of the latter is enhanced.
Additional consumption of tocopherol reduces the body's need for insulin. But for people with diabetes, it is important to control their glucose levels and take the vitamin only under the supervision of a specialist.
Importance for a woman’s body
Let’s figure out why vitamin E is needed and what role it plays in a woman’s body. Significance for the female reproductive system: it normalizes the production of hormones, reduces painful symptoms of PMS, helps the maturation of the reproductive system in girls, in particular the development of the uterus.
During pregnancy, the substance performs the following functions in the body:
- Regulates hormonal levels.
- Helps cope with convulsive syndrome.
- Responsible for the health of the placenta, reducing the risk of abruption.
Preparations with the vitamin are prescribed in combination for the treatment of fibrous formations in the breast and for functional disorders of the ovaries. Vitamins are important not only for women’s health, they help maintain youth and external beauty.
Tocopherol has nutritional properties, accelerates metabolic processes in the skin, accelerates blood circulation and oxygen exchange and helps epithelial cells recover.
These properties are widely used in cosmetology in products for hair care, restoration and growth; nutrition, hydration and rejuvenation of the skin of the face, hands, neck and décolleté. There is also an element in nail care products: nourishing, strengthening and caring for the cuticle.
Let's look at what else tocopherol is useful for women. Maintaining its optimal level in the body with the help of vitamin E capsules delays menopause, and with it aging.
Did you know? The first vitamin was discovered thanks to sailors, they noticed the beneficial effects of citrus fruits on health, which worsened during long journeys due to the lack of fresh vegetables and fruits. Until 1922, when ascorbic acid was isolated from cabbage and citrus fruits by Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, the vitamin was used on a whim, unaware of its significance for the whole body.
