Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, which is responsible for protecting the body tissues from free radicals. These free radicals are known to cause harm to cells, tissues, and organs, which can lead to serious medical conditions like cancer. With vitamin E, proper body function is expected. This nutrient also promotes the healthy formation of the red blood cells, which can prevent the occurrence of diseases such as stroke, dementia, heart disease, and liver problems.
It is of great importance that the body gets the right levels of vitamin E all the time. This is often an easy problem because getting enough vitamin E can be as simple as eating the right kinds of foods.
Foods Rich in Vitamin E
Several foods have natural vitamin E content. Good sources of this nutrient include nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, fortified cereals, green leafy vegetables, soybeans, and fruits. Here is a specific list of foods with good levels of vitamin E in them:
Vegetable Oils
- wheat germ oil
- sunflower oil
- safflower oil
- corn oil
- soybean oil
- peanut oil
Nuts
- almonds
- hazelnuts
- pistachio nuts
- peanuts
Fruits and vegetables
- popcorn
- turnip greens
- mango
- kiwi
- broccoli
- spinach
- dandelion greens
However, the mishandling of foods can drop their natural vitamin E contents. It is best for you to store foods in airtight containers and avoid them being exposed to light. This will help keep the vitamin E contents in these foods.
The Proper Dosage
It is very important that the right dose of vitamin E is followed daily. This is true because too much of the nutrient can offer certain side effects including:
- nausea
- diarrhea
- headache
- stomach cramps
- fatigue
- rashes
- blurred vision
On the other hand, too little of the vitamin can lead to vitamin E deficiency. This condition will be discussed later in the article.
The right dosage of vitamin is usually dependent on one’s age and needs. Adults need 15 mg or 300 to 800 International Units (IU) of vitamin E in a day. Infants, on the other hand, who are zero to six months old need 4 mg a day while those seven to 12 months require 5 mg. One to three year-old children need 6 mg daily, four to eight-year olds require 7 mg, and nine to 13 year-old children need 11 mg.
But people with specific goals for supplementation of vitamin E require a different kind of dosage. These groups of people may not get the required amount of vitamin E from foods, which is why they are prescribed supplementation.
- People with tardive dyskinesia (1600 IU daily)
- People seeking male sterility (200 to 600 IU daily)
- People with Alzheimer’s disease (2000 IU daily)
- People with rheumatoid arthritis (1200 IU daily)
Deficiency in Vitamin E
Deficiency can happen when there is little vitamin E in the body. Deficiency can happen due to several reasons including poor fat absorption in the digestive tract, gallbladder and pancreatic disease, and premature birth of newborn infants. Signs of deficiency include loss of sensation, poor coordination, muscle weakness, digestive system problems, and liver or pancreatic problems. There are, however, specific symptoms that can be experienced by particular age groups:
Symptoms in infants
- weight loss
- delayed growth
- developmental problems
- poor feeding habits
Symptoms in children
- neurological deficits
- muscle weakness
- delayed or slow growth
- truncal and limb ataxia
- loss of vibration and position senses
Symptoms in adults
- mild hemolytic anemia
- fragile red blood cells
- age spots
- reduced sex drive
- neurological damage
- reproductive disorders
Besides these side effects, vitamin E deficiency can lead to health complications such as abnormalities in the liver, brain, bone marrow, and muscles. But since there are a number of food sources of vitamin E, there is not much of a problem when speaking of getting the body’s daily vitamin E needs. If you simply know the right dosage and the right sources of the nutrient, you can for sure not encounter deficiency together with its symptoms and complications.