What Does Vitamin E Do for the Body?

What Does Vitamin E Do for the Body?
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Vitamin E is essential for your hair, skin, fingernails and organs. It has antioxidant qualities that help heal, repair and rejuvenate. Vitamin E is a water-soluble vitamin, which means that your body does not store it. It's imperative that you receive the recommended daily dose of vitamin E every day to maintain its benefits and effects on your body.

Reverse and Prevent Aging

Vitamin E may help prevent and possibly prevent signs of aging, according to MedlinePlus. Since vitamin E contains antioxidants, it can help slow the aging process. Your skin can age very quickly due to environmental factors such as wind and sun, as well as lifestyle habits such as smoking or doing drugs. Not only can some of these factors age your skin prematurely, they can also damage organs, such as your lungs or liver. The antioxidant properties in vitamin E helps repair damage caused by these free radicals.

Treats Burns

When used topically, vitamin E can help heal burns, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Some over-the-counter creams and ointments contain vitamin E, along with other healing agents, to promote faster healing. You may also take vitamin E orally, with physician approval, to help heal the burn from the inside of your body in addition to applying vitamin E ointment to the surface of your skin to heal the outside. Once a burn has healed, you can still apply vitamin E to help stimulate collagen production.

Reduces Stretch Marks

Stretch marks can occur for a number of reasons from rapid growth spurts to weight gain and even pregnancy. They usually begin to appear when your skin is stretched at a very rapid pace and does not have enough elasticity to stretch that quickly. The American Pregnancy Association recommends using a lotion that contains vitamin E, along with alpha hydroxy acids, to help prevent stretch marks. There is no scientific evidence, according to the APA, that proves this method works in stretch mark prevention, but many expectant mothers claim that it does help.

Formation of Red Blood Cells

Vitamin E also plays a role in the formation of red blood cells, or RBCs, according to KidsHealth. Red blood cells are responsible for delivering nutrients and oxygen to other parts of your body, along with a variety of other important jobs. You can ensure that you get plenty of vitamin E by eating foods such as leafy green vegetables, egg yolks, sardines, whole grains, nuts and seeds.

References

Article reviewed by Jenna Marie Last updated on: Apr 9, 2011

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