Vitamin E is a kind of fat-soluble antioxidant. It is a light yellow oily substance, also known as tocopherol or vitamin E because it was first discovered that it is related to the reproductive ability of animals. If it is lacking, it will easily cause infertility and miscarriage. But decades of research have shown that the efficacy of vitamin E does not stop there.
Lester Packer, a well-known American anti-oxidant pioneer, mentioned in his book: “A Miracle of Antioxidants”: Vitamin E is special because it can penetrate cell membranes, eliminate excess harmful free radicals, reduce oxidative stress, and delay The effects of aging is also difficult for other antioxidants, so moderate intake can help health.
Do you know Vitamin E benefits and side effects?
Table of Contents
- What are the benefits of vitamin E?
- 1. Good for allergies (such as allergic rhinitis, asthma, itchy skin)
- 2. Reduce the risk of senile cataract
- 3. Beneficial myocardial infarction
- 4. Beneficial blood sugar control
- 5. Reduce the incidence of kidney cancer
- 6. Reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer
- 7. Reduce the risk of lung cancer
- 8. Bone Osteoporosis
- 9. Prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- 10. Beneficial dementia (especially Alzheimer’s disease)
- 11. Beneficial non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- 12. Reduce the incidence of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Are there any side effects of vitamin E?
- Where to buy high-quality natural vitamin E capsules?
What are the benefits of vitamin E?
1. Good for allergies (such as allergic rhinitis, asthma, itchy skin)
The pain of allergic patients seems to be hard to feel for normal people. Getting up every day is a series of sneezes, endless runny nose, nasal congestion that makes people unable to breathe, and the continuation of day after day, year after year, greatly affects the quality of life, even can not concentrate on work and school.
The occurrence of allergies is similar to the mechanism by which human immune cells fight bacterial viruses, except that the protagonist is replaced by seemingly harmless allergens (such as pollen, food, dust mites, etc.). When these allergens and the body produce antigens When combined, it will induce mast cells in various parts of the body to produce a series of inflammatory reactions (causing symptoms such as allergic rhinitis, asthma, and itching of the skin).
A double-blind controlled study (112 patients with hay fever using conventional treatment) found that vitamin E (800 mg daily) helped to further reduce nasal symptoms during the pollen season (nasal symptom, such as sneezing, stuffy nose, runny nose, itching).
The underlying mechanism is believed to be related to the inhibition of vitamin E inflammation and the production of allergic antibody IgE (immunoglobulin E).
In addition, other studies have also found that the occurrence of allergies in children is also related to the insufficient intake of vitamin E by the mother during pregnancy, and if the intake of vitamin E is insufficient in the diet of adults, it also increases the incidence of allergies.
2. Reduce the risk of senile cataract
Cataract (age-related cataract) is an opaque object that is visible in the lens. When it is located on the visual axis, it will cause visual loss.
The senile cataract refers to the cataract that occurs in people over 50 years old and is not related to known congenital, metabolic disorders, drug-induced turbidity, trauma, chemical, or radiation factors.
The main mechanism of senile cataract may be related to the following factors, such as protein decomposition and aggregation, destruction of fibrous cell membranes, glutathione deficiency, oxidative damage, elevated calcium, and abnormal migration of lens epithelial cells.
A meta-analysis of literature (including 27 studies, 245,531 participants) pointed out that dietary vitamin E intake, dietary and supplemental vitamin E intake, and higher serum tocopherol values may be associated with lower age The risk of related cataracts is significantly related.
Dose-response analysis shows that vitamin E intake from the diet should reduce the risk of cataracts, starting from an intake of more than 7 mg per day.
*Conclusion: Increasing dietary vitamin E intake may be positively helpful in preventing cataracts, especially nuclear cataracts.
3. Beneficial myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction refers to a heart attack event that reduces blood flow to the heart due to the formation of plaque on the inner wall of the artery and triggers hypoxia and damages the heart muscle.
The British Heart Association estimates that the annual incidence of acute myocardial infarction among people aged 30-69 is 0.6% in men and 0.1% in women.
Symptoms at the onset include chest pain (from the left arm to the neck), shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, vomiting, abnormal heartbeat, anxiety, fatigue, weakness, stress, depression, etc.
A meta-analysis of literature (including 16 randomized controlled trials) pointed out that vitamin E supplementation alone can reduce the incidence of myocardial infarction by 18% (especially the daily dose is greater than 400 IU is the most significant), and in combination with other antioxidants Time is invalid.
The underlying mechanism is related to the anticoagulant, antiplatelet, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities of vitamin E.
*Conclusion: Vitamin E supplementation alone can help reduce the incidence of fatal myocardial infarction, but due to possible errors in the experiment, more empirical confirmation is still required.
4. Beneficial blood sugar control
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of chronic disease in adults. The global prevalence rate is 8.3%, about 330 million people, and the number of patients suffering from the disease has increased year by year.
Poor long-term blood glucose control can easily lead to large and small vascular diseases, such as cardiovascular events, renal failure, blindness, and peripheral neuropathy are all related to it.
A large population observation for 23 years found that adequate intake of vitamin E can help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Another meta-analysis (including 14 randomized controlled trials, a total of 714 participants) pointed out that, on average, there is insufficient evidence to support vitamin E supplementation to improve glycated hemoglobin and fasting blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes And fasting insulin.
However, the subgroup analysis found that for subjects with low vitamin E concentration in the blood and poor blood sugar control, additional supplementation has a statistically significant improvement effect on glycated hemoglobin and fasting blood glucose.
*Conclusion: Vitamin E intake is positive for subjects with poor blood sugar control and lack of vitamin E.
5. Reduce the incidence of kidney cancer
Kidney cancer ranks 7th (male) and 9th (female) among common cancers. Its non-single type of cancer is often composed of multiple types, with different clinical characteristics, morbidity factors, and treatment methods.
Kidney cancer mainly occurs in renal parenchyma and renal pelvis. Renal cell carcinoma is the most common. The main causes of the disease are related to aging, smoking, obesity, genetic inheritance, long-term kidney dialysis, and hypertension.
A meta-analysis (including 13 observational studies with a total of 465,275 participants) pointed out that the population (from food or supplements) who consumed more vitamin E helped reduce the risk of kidney cancer (up to 19 %).
The underlying mechanism is related to the performance of vitamin E in activating PPAR-gamma receptors, inhibiting peroxidation, inducing apoptosis, and inhibiting cell proliferation effects.
*Summary: According to population observations, more vitamin E intake can reduce kidney cancer events, but considering the heterogeneity and possible errors of the included studies, it is still to be confirmed by the design of an accurate randomized double-blind controlled study.
6. Reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer is the fastest-growing type of cancer in recent years and ranks 4th among cancer deaths. The scary thing is the lack of early symptoms, so it is often found at an advanced stage, coupled with the lack of effective treatments, the survival rate is usually within 5 years Less than 5%, so prevention is extremely important.
A meta-analysis (including 10 observational studies with approximately 250,000 participants) pointed out that higher intake of vitamin E in the diet may help reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer by 19% (compared to the least ingested population ).
The underlying mechanism is speculated to be related to the antioxidant role of vitamin E, including preventing DNA damage, improving immune response, inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, and increasing the performance of anti-cancer genes.
7. Reduce the risk of lung cancer
Lung cancer is currently the most common type of cancer, accounting for about 13% of all new cancer cases and 18% of all cancer deaths.
There are many factors that cause lung cancer, and smoking is the most common. Other factors include second-hand smoke, air pollution, occupational injury (exposure to asbestos, nickel, chromium, and arsenic, and other harmful substances), and radiation pollution (exposure to radon in soil or building materials).
A meta-analysis (including 11 studies with a total of 435,532 participants) pointed out that subjects who consumed more vitamin E from their diet helped reduce the risk of lung cancer by 16% (compared to those with the least intake). For every 2 mg more daily intake, the risk of lung cancer can be further reduced by 5%.
The author believes that the underlying mechanism and vitamin E have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory (can protect DNA from free radical damage), regulate the nuclear transcription factor NF-kappaB (can inhibit cell proliferation, angiogenesis and induce apoptosis) and reduce carcinogens Nitrite and nitrosamine formation characteristics are related.
8. Bone Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is currently the most common degenerative disease, and diabetes and dementia are listed as the diseases that should be paid attention to by the middle-aged and elderly people. Especially after women stop menstruation, due to the decrease of estrogen concentration, it will cause rapid bone loss and increase 50%. Prevalence of osteoporosis.
Once the minerals in the bone are quickly lost, any medicine is difficult to recover, and only the rate of loss can be slowed down, so early prevention is the best way to slow down osteoporosis.
Relevant research indicates that the concentration of vitamin E in the blood is positively correlated with bone density. Regardless of men and women, if the blood concentration is too low, it will greatly increase the incidence of various fractures, so moderate intake can maintain bone health.
9. Prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a disease that collectively causes breathing difficulties (including emphysema and chronic bronchitis). Due to rising smoking populations and increasing air pollution in countries around the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease will It will become the third leading cause of death worldwide in 2030.
COPD is caused by long-term stimulation of the lungs by harmful substances such as cigarettes, smoke, air pollution, chemicals, etc., resulting in inflammation of the respiratory tract and fibrosis of the tracheal stenosis, making the airflow unable to pass.
As the disease progresses, the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease will cause shortness of breath, wheezing, and excessive sputum and the frequency of dyspnea will also gradually increase, leading to distressing symptoms such as fatigue, depression, memory impairment, and nighttime waking up. It will also increase the chance of suffering from chronic diseases such as lung cancer and cardiovascular disease.
At present, a large clinical study has found that women who consume vitamin E (600 IU) daily help prevent COPD and reduce the attack rate by 10%.
10. Beneficial dementia (especially Alzheimer’s disease)
As we grow older, people’s memory and cognitive function will slowly degrade, and this process is usually very slow unless a sudden stroke occurs, or the brain is injured for various reasons, otherwise, it is impossible to suddenly dementia.
Generally, forgetfulness and dementia caused by aging are completely different situations. Forgetfulness occasionally forgets things, but it will still be remembered afterward, and dementia is that the frequency of forgetting will increase, even if others remind you, there is no impression. It even began to deny what happened.
About 60% of the current cases of dementia are Alzheimer’s disease, a disease in which brain nerve cells will gradually apoptotic. In the later stages, they may even lose their cognitive and behavioral ability and degenerate into old children who need human care.
A double-blind controlled study (mean period of 2.3 years, 613 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease) found that compared to taking the drug Memantine (acetylcholinesterase inhibitor) and placebo, vitamin E helps to slow down the deterioration of clinical symptoms (like eating, bathing, shopping, and eating, the decline rate is about 19%, which is equivalent to 6.2 months).
Although this result is not about treating diseases, it does show that vitamin E can help patients maintain a longer independent life and reduce the possibility of being cared for.
11. Beneficial non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Non-alcoholic fatty liver is the most common type of liver disease (due to the accumulation of too much fat in the liver), which is estimated to account for about 20-30% of the total population, about one in three people is fatty liver.
Most patients with mild fatty liver are asymptomatic, and usually do not destroy liver function, at most some gastrointestinal discomfort (such as fatigue, bloating, indigestion, etc.).
However, it has been clinically found that some patients with fatty liver will change to steatohepatitis (NASH), causing an abnormal increase in the liver index and worsening to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and even liver cancer.
The inflammatory reaction caused by oxidative stress is a potential cause of fatty liver deterioration into steatohepatitis (NASH).11 In a large controlled study, vitamin E supplementation improved nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (43% vs. 19% placebo group) and reduced multiple liver tissue test indexes (including ALT, AST, hepatic lobular inflammation, hepatic steatosis).
12. Reduce the incidence of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
Phenomenorrhea is a progressive neurodegenerative disease (mainly the destruction of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord), and it leads to atrophy and uncontrollable muscle atrophy the incidence of the disease is about two ten thousandths of the population, a well-known physics The scientist Stephen Hawking is one of the patients.
As the disease progresses, patients will lose their ability to speak, eat, move, or even breathe, and cause suffocation to lose their lives. Because there is currently no effective treatment, they are known as the world’s top five terminal diseases (others are cancer, AIDS, Leukemia, rheumatoid).
A recent large-scale observation in the UK found that the long-term consumption of vitamin E can significantly reduce the incidence of gradual freezing of people by 36%, so it is regarded as a feasible method to prevent such diseases.
Are there any side effects of vitamin E?
When taken in appropriate doses, oral vitamin E is generally considered safe. Most people take the recommended dose of 15 mg (22.5 IU) daily without any side effects.
However, it should be noted that possible side effects reported after taking high doses of vitamin E include: nausea, diarrhea, stomach cramps, fatigue, weakness, headache, sarcosinuria, blurred vision, rash, bruising, and bleeding.
Safety Precautions
Stop taking high-dose vitamin E two to four weeks before surgery, including dental surgery, to reduce the risk of bleeding.
Patients with common retinitis pigmentosa should avoid taking high-dose vitamin E supplements (400 IU or more per day may accelerate the loss of retinal function).
Suffering from the following symptoms (eg bleeding disorders, vitamin K deficiency, diabetes, previous heart attack or stroke history, head and neck cancer, liver disease), do not take high-dose vitamin E, or consult before use Doctors, unauthorized use may cause worsening of symptoms, bleeding or unknown risks.
Do not use it in combination with anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs, which may increase the risk of bleeding. The relevant drug names are aspirin, clopidogrel, diclofenac, ibuprofen, naproxen, dalteparin, enoxaparin, warfarin.
Do not use in combination with drugs that need to be metabolized by cytochrome P450 3A4 enzymes. Vitamin E may increase the rate at which the liver breaks down certain drugs, thereby reducing efficacy. Relevant pharmaceutical scientific names such as lovastatin, ketoconazole, itraconazole, fexofenadine, triazolam.
Do not combine with immunosuppressant: Cyclosporine. Vitamin E may increase the amount of cyclosporine absorbed by the body and increase the possibility of side effects.
High doses of vitamin E may affect the efficacy of chemotherapy drugs.
Do not use in combination with health products with anticoagulant effects, such as fish oil, garlic, curcumin, or ginkgo, which may increase the risk of bleeding.
Where to buy high-quality natural vitamin E capsules?
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And iHerb.com is a large-scale medical cosmetics e-commerce company in the United States. It has a high satisfaction rate of 97% in the evaluation of Google customers. It provides global home delivery so that you can buy it without risking buying fakes through purchasing high-quality health products.
