It has been well established that vitamin E is critical to your health. It
strengthens your immune and reproductive systems and reduces your risk for heart
attacks and strokes. As an antioxidant, vitamin E may also reduce the risk for
certain cancers, slow the progression of cataracts and macular degeneration, and
offer protection against environmental pollutants.
However, many people don't receive sufficient vitamin E from their diets.
There are two main reasons for this. First: Although vitamin E is found in
numerous foods, its content is reduced by commercial refining and processing and
by cooking at high temperatures. Second: Many people avoid the best food sources
for vitamin E because they are also high in fat (for example, nuts, including
almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, and walnuts; sunflower seeds; and corn, safflower,
soybean, cottonseed, canola, and wheat germ oils and margarines).
If you are turning to vitamin E dietary supplements to promote your health,
it's important to realize that there are two forms, natural and synthetic, and
that they are not equally effective. Several studies have shown that natural
vitamin E is about twice as potent as synthetic vitamin E. The explanation
appears to stem from the different molecular structures. Natural vitamin E
supplements have the same molecular structure as the vitamin E that is found in
foods. This form of vitamin E is also called d-alpha-tocopherol or
RRR-alpha-tocopherol.
So, for vitamin E supplementation, it's wise to look for the natural form. A
few words of caution, however: Current FDA labeling regulations allow
supplements that contain a mixture of both natural and synthetic vitamin E to be
labeled as "natural." Often these supplements contain significant amounts of
synthetic vitamin E because it is the less expensive form. Be sure to check the
ingredient list to make sure that the majority of the vitamin E in the product
is in the RRR-alpha-tocopherol or d-alpha-tocopherol form. Another word to the
wise: Most multivitamins contain synthetic vitamin E.
Generally, 200 to 400 IU of vitamin E is the recommended daily dosage for
adults. Check with your doctor before you begin taking vitamin E if you have
high blood pressure, heart disease, or are taking blood
thinners.
