What is vitamin E and why do we need it? The understanding nutrients series
We’re back with the next part of the understanding nutrients series! This time we’re doing vitamin E, one of the fat soluble vitamins. If you want to find the other nutrients I’ve covered, I have a summary page here.
Roles of vitamin E:
Vitamin E is an antioxidant. This means it protects your
body from damage and stress caused by free radicals. A free radical is an
unstable molecule that’s a by-product of normal bodily reactions. A build-up of
free radicals can damage DNA and lead to diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, or
heart disease.
While being an antioxidant is a large role that vitamin E has,
it also has other roles:
Immune system: vitamin E also plays a big part in the immune system and stopping you from getting ill. T cells are the immune system cells that attack foreign cells, destroying them so they don’t spread disease. Vitamin E helps them function properly and protects their cell membrane.
Stops blood clotting: vitamin E can prevent the build-up of platelets in the lining of blood vessels and the heart. As platelets help blood clots form, this means vitamin E can help reduce blood clotting in these areas.
How much vitamin E do we need?
Vitamin E is slightly different from other vitamins, in that
the amount we need depends on the amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the
diet. But generally, 4mg a day for men and 3mg a day for women is advised.
For reference, a small handful of almonds (about 28g)
contains 7mg of vitamin E.
Sources of vitamin E:
Generally, nuts, seeds, plant oils, some fruit and veg, wheatgerm,
and fortified cereals are all sources of vitamin E. This isn’t a complete list,
but here are some examples:
- 1 tablespoon of wheatgerm oil has 20mg
- A handful (28g) of sunflower seeds has 10mg
- 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil has 5.6mg
- A handful (28g) of hazelnuts has 4.3mg
- A handful (28g) of peanuts has 2.4mg
- 100g of avocado has 2.8mg
- 1 medium bell pepper has 1.9mg
What happens if we don’t get enough vitamin E?
As vitamin E is fat soluble, it’s stored in the body. This
means you don’t have to eat it every day if you have a sufficient amount in
your body stores. You should also be able to get all you need from your diet.
A deficiency in vitamin E tends to be rare as you’re likely
to get enough from diet. It is more likely in people that have digestive conditions
or can’t absorb fat properly. Symptoms can include poor muscle control and
coordination, impaired vision, and poor reflexes.
It’s treated with vitamin E tablets.
Key points:
- Vitamin E has many roles: it’s an antioxidant, supports your immune system, and prevents blood clots in the heart.
- Men should have 4mg of vitamin E daily, while women should have 3mg.
- Nuts, seeds, plant oils, and wheatgerm are all sources of vitamin E.
- A deficiency in vitamin E is rare but can cause poor reflexes, muscle issues, and lack of eyesight.
I hope you enjoyed this post!
Bye for now! 👋
References:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-e/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3997530/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7011499/
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