Vitamin E

Background

Vitamin E is a group of several fat soluble compounds which the human body cannot make itself. There are 8 compounds under the vitamin E group, four tocopherols and four tocotrienols. Studies have shown people who consume more vitamin E, either by supplement or through diet, had lower incidence of serious diseases, such as cancer, dementia and cardiovascular diseases¹.

Why do you need it?

It is an antioxidant and helps to protect cell membranes from damage from free radicals². Free radicals also damage collagen, causing dryness and wrinkles, which vitamin E can help to fight³. Vitamin E also aids in normal function of the immune system, and deficiencies increase the chances of infectious diseases⁴. A review of global studies suggested that vitamin E intake is lower than the daily suggested intake. The review states that 79% of the studied populations had vitamin E serum levels lower than a threshold suggested to have beneficial effects⁵.

WHICH FOODS ARE HIGH IN VITAMIN E?

50 g of sunflower seeds - 498% of your daily intake

50 g of almonds - 320% of your daily intake

50 g of peanuts - 61.5% of your daily intake

100 g of raw spinach - 50% of your daily intake

100 g of cooked butternut squash -  32% of your daily intake

Some oils contain good amounts of vitamin E:

1 tablespoon of wheat germ oil contains 135% of your daily intake and 1 tablespoon of rice bran oil contains 109% of your daily intake.

Which potency is right for me?

If you don’t eat a lot of the foods mentioned above and think vitamin E might help you, go for the 400 IU potency on Vitbox. If you think you just need the extra boost and also eat many of the foods mentioned above, 200 IU would probably be sufficient. If in any doubt, seek professional medical advice.

Sources

1. Oregon State University Micronutrient Information Center, 2015
2. Office of Dietary Supplements Factsheet, 2019
3. Oxidative damage to collagen. (Monboisse, 1992)
4. Vitamins & Hormones, Volume 86, Chapter eight - Vitamin E and Immunity. (Pekmezci, 2011)
5. A Systematic Review of Global Alpha-Tocopherol Status as Assessed by Nutritional Intake Levels and Blood Serum Concentrations. (Péter, 2015)