Vitamins and minerals are needed by our body to maintain its proper functioning. Lack of any of the vitamins and minerals in the body could lead to different diseases. It is important that we give adequate nutrients to our body to ensure our health. One of the vitamins that is usually overlooked is vitamin E. This vitamin has a lot of benefits for the body and like the other vitamins and minerals; it could also be found in the food we eat. Today it is gaining popularity because if its effects on the skin. Women usually take-in vitamin E supplements to make their skin younger looking. Let us look closely on vitamin E and its relation to the human body.

What is vitamin E?

Vitamin E is one of the fat-soluble vitamins that may come in many forms. It has strong anti-oxidant functions that help reduce the oxidative damage to the cells. Oxidative damage to the cells brought about by free radicals may cause the rapid aging of the cells. This may be the reason why this vitamin is related to the anti-aging process of the cells.

What is the function of vitamin E?

• It serves as an anti-oxidant.

This may be the most commonly known function of vitamin E. It helps reduce the free radicals in the body to prevent damage in our cells. It also helps reduce the oxidative damage the cells receive especially in the cell membrane.

• It acts as an enzyme activity regulator.

In simple terms, this vitamin helps control the action of the different enzymes. It has different effects on the different enzymes. It may promote or stop the reaction of the enzyme depending on the body’s current state.

• Vitamin E affects the genes.

This vitamin is capable of showing or hiding the genes effect. One example is its effect on the connective tissue growth factor. It helps this factor to be seen so that the connective tissues in the body would be repaired in the event of atherosclerosis.

• The vitamin E affects the platelets.

Platelet aggregation is a when the platelets clump together. This is usually seen when there is a wound because the platelet aggregate will help to patch up the wound. Vitamin E prevents the platelets from aggregating. This is beneficial to the body because if there is no wound and the platelet aggregates in your blood stream, a clot may be formed.

What happens if I lack vitamin E?

Deficiency in vitamin E is very unusual but it is a possibility. People with this kind of deficiency will have neurologic problems due to the problem in the conduction of the nerves. Patients with vitamin E deficiency may also observe a weakening of their immune system, anemia, loss of sensation and some report male infertility.

Where can I get vitamin E?

Our diet could supply us with enough vitamin E we need. Fruits and vegetables usually contain vitamin E. Vegetable oils are a great source of vitamin E. Olive oil, sunflower oil and corn oil are examples of the vegetable oils that contain vitamin E. Nuts like almonds and hazelnuts also contain vitamin E. You could add these nuts in your dishes or you could just eat them by themselves as snacks. Other sources of vitamin E would include sweet potatoes, avocados, mangos, tomatoes, asparagus, apples and many more. The important thing is to have a healthy diet. Most fruits and vegetables will contain different nutrients that your body needs.

What are the side effects of vitamin E?

Although vitamin E has a lot of different functions and benefits, there are still studies that show that it could be harmful to the body. These side effects could be seen if you take in vitamin E at levels higher than the recommended dose. Studies show that a high dose of vitamin E that is taken regularly could cause an increase in the death rate of different causes. Although there have been a lot of debates and controversies revolving around vitamin E, it is still best that you only take in the recommended dosage to prevent side effects to occur.

When there is an overdose of the vitamins, people report to have dizziness, blurred vision, headache, abdominal pain, diarrhea, flue-like symptoms, fatigue, nausea, or body weakness. Some also report that prolonged use of high levels of vitamin E could also be a factor in the occurrence of a hemorrhagic stroke. It could also increase the risk of tuberculosis for people who smoke cigarettes and take-in vitamin E supplements at the same time.

It is better to be careful and not to take vitamin E in large amounts. Although our body needs vitamin E, too much of it could also be bad for us. Moderation is the key to having a healthier body. We should also observe our diet and the food we eat so that we do not have to take in different food supplements just to nourish our body. Food should be balanced and well-prepared.

Author Bio: Cedric’s passion in his articles shows his dedication to create informative posts for his readers. He usually writes about the different topics on health like different natural remedies for constipation, becoming pregnant, healthy fats for the body and treatments for stroke patients. With these articles, he hopes to help his readers know more about their health conditions.