Vitamin E: Best 6 Sources, Benefits, RDA, Symptoms & Causes of deficiency

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin. It\’s known for its antioxidant property. Without this vitamin, your body cannot function properly.

Vitamin E helps you to look younger because of its antioxidant property. It reduces the oxidative stress on the cell and keeps the cell more functional. In short, it is an anti-aging vitamin like Vitamin C.

Sources of Vitamin E

Vitamin E is mostly found in plant sources. Below are sources where you can easily find and in your daily diet.

Vegetable oil

• Wheat germ oil

1 tablespoon : 20.3 mg (135 % of daily value)

• Sunflower oil

1 tablespoon : 5.6 mg (37 % of daily value)

• Safflower oil

1 tablespoon : 4.6 mg (31% of daily value)

• Soybean oil

1 tablespoon : 1.1 mg (7 % of daily value)

Nuts

• Almond

1 ounce : 6.8 mg (45 % of daily value)

• Hazelnuts

1 ounce : 4.3 mg (29 % of daily value)

• Peanuts

1 ounce : 2.2 mg (15 % of daily value )

Seeds

• Sunflower seeds

1 ounce : 7.4 mg (49 % of daily value)

• Pumpkin seed

1 ounce : 9.8 mg (65 % of daily value)

Vegetables

• Broccoli

1 cup (boiled) : 2.4 mg (16 % of daily value )

• Spinach

1/2 cup (boiled) : 1.9 mg (13% of daily value)

1 cup (raw) : 0.6 mg (4 % of daily value)

• Asparagus

1 cup : 1.5 mg (10 %of daily value)

Fruits

• Kiwi fruit

1 medium : 1.1 mg (7 % of daily value)

• Mango

Sliced 1/2 cup : 0.7 mg (5 % of daily value)

• Avocado

Sliced 1/3 cup : 0.5 mg ( 3% of daily value)

Fish

• Sockeye Salmon

1 ounce : 0.7 mg (5%of daily value)

RDA for Vitamin E

The recommended dietary allowance for vitamin E is 15 mg/day for both male and female above 14 years.

Benefits of Vitamin E

• Act as Antioxidant

This vitamin is mainly known for its antioxidant property. It protects the cell from free radicals.

Free radicals are unstable molecules. They attack healthy cells, steal electrons from healthy cells and stabilize themselves.

This process damages the cells on the micro-level. Damaged cells lead to cell dysfunction and death.

On a macro level picture damaged cells lead to premature aging and disease.

Antioxidant gives its own electron to the cell and makes it whole again this prevents damage to the cell.

Therefore this vitamin acts as an antioxidant and protects the cell from damage.

• Anti-aging

There are two types of aging one is chronological aging and the second is accelerated aging. Chronological aging happens naturally with time. As cellular metabolic and biochemical reactions take place in our body, reactive oxygen species are continuously formed.

A high level of these radicals harmful to our body and damage sensitive biological structures such as DNA, lipids, and proteins. Damaged DNA remains in the body and may cause some genetic changes, which lead to age-related disorders.

On other hand accelerated aging cause due to environmental changes like pollution , UV rays exposure this leads to effects on physiological process and change in skin ,deep wrinkles immature graying of hair.

Some of the researches shown that tocotrienols prevented DNA damage induced by gamma rays.

The anti-aging effect of tocotrienol was also investigated in human volunteers where daily 160 mg of tocotrienol supplements or placebo given to subjects for six months.

After analyzing the blood sample of a group that received tocotrienol supplements had a significant reduction in DNA damage at the end of the study.

In the conclusion note we can say that this vitamin is protect the DNA and act as anti-aging factor.

• Neuroprotection

This Vitamin is essential for normal neurological function. It has a central role in maintaining neurological structure. Alpha tocotrienol able to block glutamate-induced cell death even at the nanomolar concentration range.

Omega 3 fatty acids found in the brain and as we all know vitamin E act as an antioxidant, protects the membrane from oxidation, and saves the omega 3 fatty acids from peroxidation.

• Dry skin protection

This vitamin helps to moisturize the skin. It treats dry skin and flaking of skin. People are using vitamin E topically to moisturize the skin by applying vitamin E-rich moisturizer and vitamin E-rich oil. Vitamin E also give temporary relief from the itching that causes by dry skin as it moisturizes the skin.

• Reduces psoriasis

Some studies have been shown that topical vitamin E can help in the reduction of symptoms related to psoriasis.

Vitamin E is helpful for people suffering from mild psoriasis.

Symptoms of Vitamin E deficiency

• Distal muscle weakness
• Night blindness
• Diffuse muscle weakness
• Decrease immunity
• Infertility
• Early skin aging
• Difficulty in concentrate
• Increased in unnecessary irritation

Causes of Vitamin E deficiency

• Disorder related to absorption of fat

Disorder related to the small intestine where most of the absorption carried out. for example disease like steatorrhoea, chronic pancreatitis, liver cirrhosis, celiac disease etc

• Diet low in vitamin E

It\’s deficiency because of diet or nutritional vitamin E deficiency is very rare because oils are an essential part of cooking .

People with a low socioeconomic group and people with the mindset of a fad diets like no oil, low fat, or no-fat diet for a prolonged period may suffer from vitamin E deficiency.

• Low fat diet

As we said this vitamin is fat-soluble. It doesn\’t carry metabolism without fat.

People who follow no fat or low-fat diet , are might suffer from this vitamin deficiency.

• Genetics

Familial isolation of this vitamin deficiency is also known as ataxia with isolated vitamin E deficiency (AVED). There is a gene that is responsible for code alpha-tocopherol transfer protein. Decreases the function of this protein causes insufficient recycling of plasma vitamin E, resulting in its deficiency.

• Malnourishment

Undernourishment may cause deficiency of vitamin E because of low body fat. Hence it is required to take the proper intake of fat in your daily diet. To do this you can take the guidance of a dietitian or nutritionist.

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Also Read: 10 Weight Loss Foods Most Effective And Easily Available

Also Read: 10 Weight Loss Foods Most Effective And Easily Available