Vitamin E: The Role it Plays, How Much You Need and How to Add it to Your Diet

Vitamins are extremely essential for your body as they help in combating various infections, keep the nervous system healthy, improve your digestive and immune system and help in the clotting of blood. There are 13 vitamins; vitamin A, C, D, E, K, and the vitamin B family which include thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, B6, B12, and folate.

Amongst all these, vitamin E is the one popularly known as the beauty vitamin as its consumption and application on the skin help in reducing the signs of ageing and inflammation.

Why do we need vitamin E?

Apart from maintaining skin health, vitamin E has the following benefits:

1. Vitamin E has antioxidant properties, which help in removing the free radicals from the body, which can otherwise result in organ damage.

2. Vitamin E helps in the production of hormone-like substances called prostaglandins, which are required for maintaining various body functions such as blood pressure and muscle contraction.

3. Previous studies have shown that vitamin E deficiency can result in genetic disorders, low-weight birth and even preterm birth. A recent study, published in the journal Nature on 21st September 2020, stated that vitamin E is necessary for the growth of the nervous system in the zebrafish. Scientists concluded that women with low vitamin E in their plasma may have increased risk of miscarriage.

4. Research evidence also shows that consumption of vitamin E can help in delaying the progression of disease in people diagnosed with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.

5. It has been found that the consumption of vitamin E can help in improving the symptoms of people suffering from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

How can you get vitamin E?

Vitamin E, medically called alpha-tocopherol, can be derived from oils such as olive oil, sunflower oil, wheat germ oil, safflower oil, corn oil and soybean oil. Nuts such as almonds, peanuts and hazelnuts and fruits like avocados, kiwis and olives also contain a good amount of vitamin E in them. Vitamin E supplements are also available in the market but should only be taken after consulting with a doctor.

How much vitamin E do you require?

The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin E is 15 milligrams for people over the age of 14 years. However, women who breastfeed require 19 milligrams of vitamin E per day. An adult person must not consume more than 1,000 milligrams of vitamin E in a day as excess vitamin E can result in weakness, fatigue, nausea, diarrhoea and sometimes bleeding.

For more information, read our article on Vitamin E.

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