Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning it is metabolized and stored by the fat in your body, but it is unique in that it acts as an antioxidant. This beneficial nutrient soars through your body, fighting off highly reactive agents known as free radicals. These substances ravage your system, causing permanent damage to cells and increasing your risk of chronic illness. You can avoid these negative health effects by ingesting adequate vitamin E daily. Natural vitamin E sources are relatively comparable to synthetic vitamin E acetate.
What Does Vitamin E Do?
In addition to vitamin E's powerful antioxidant properties, it has several other roles. Vitamin E helps regulate your immune system and keeps it working at its best. Cells need vitamin E in order to communicate with one another and to regulate genetic material within cells. Vitamin E also plays a role in a variety of other metabolic processes, making it an essential nutrient for normal, everyday functions.
Natural Vitamin E
Natural vitamin E comes in eight different forms: alpha, beta, delta or gamma tocopherol, as well as alpha, beta, delta or gama tocotrienol. Each of these natural forms of vitamin E have different levels of biological activity, but alpha-tocopherol is the only natural form of vitamin E that meets human needs, explains the Office of Dietary Supplements. Your liver metabolizes and excretes all of the other forms of vitamin E, leaving alpha-tocopherol at high levels in your blood. All naturally occurring vitamin E in foods is in the form of RRR-alpha-tocopherol, which is not always the case for supplements.
Vitamin Supplements
Synthetic alpha-tocopherol in supplements are available in one of two ester forms: alpha-tocopheryl succinate or alpha-tocopheryl acetate. Vitamin E in supplements can also be natural. These synthetic forms are esterified, removing one of the natural compounds, to extend shelf life. The bioavailability of either of these synthetic forms of vitamin E is equivalent to natural vitamin E, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. In fact, alpha-tocopheryl acetate supplements specifically, when paired with other antioxidants, may be linked to a delay in age-related cataracts.
Proper Dosage
Vitamin E intake in the U.S. is well below the recommended dosage of 15 mg daily. As of 2011, the average intake is 8 mg for men and only 6 mg for women, reports the Linus Pauling Institute. While a vitamin E deficiency is rare, it can cause neuropathy, skeletal myopathy and problems with your immune system. Avoid a deficiency by taking a vitamin E supplement to meet your daily requirements, but check with your physician ahead of time, as a precautionary measure.
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