How to take vitamin E correctly and when is it necessary?

Fat-soluble vitamin E is one of the most important beneficial elements for the human body. It contains the most valuable active compound - tocopherol, which is represented by several groups. Tocopherol is a powerful antioxidant, protects white blood cells from destruction, helps strengthen the immune system, supports the normal functioning of tissues and the entire body, and also has a beneficial effect on sexual function. Thanks to tocopherol, it is no coincidence that vitamin E is called the “vitamin of youth” - it is one of our body’s main helpers in the fight against aging.

What is vitamin E?

Vitamin E (tocopherol) is represented by a group of structurally similar chemical substances - tocopherols and tocotrienols. Dissolves in fats. It has extremely strong antioxidant properties, which provide its positive effect on the body.

Tocopherol fights the process of lipid peroxidation, prevents the formation of free radicals and their destruction of cell membranes.

Vitamin E and its beneficial properties were discovered more than 90 years ago. Since then, the favorable attitude of doctors towards tocopherol has only intensified, because its valuable effects are truly significant and noticeable.

What to do

If you are concerned about the quality of your skin, order vitamins early. First you need to go to the doctor and find out what the reason is. Maybe the body does not have enough iron, or the person has hypothyroidism - only an examination will determine this. If the indicators are normal, the doctor will prescribe a test for vitamin levels in the blood. When there are few of them, the diet is first changed. Supplements are prescribed only to those who have digestive problems.

“Most vitamin A comes from foods rich in beta-carotene and provitamin A carotenoids. These are powerful antioxidants. They neutralize the effect of free radicals, which break down collagen and contribute to the appearance of wrinkles, explains Nadezhda Nabatnikova. “The substances also reduce skin sensitivity to ultraviolet rays, providing natural protection against redness and pigmentation caused by the sun.”

The norm for a person from the age of four is 5000 international units of vitamin A. He should receive it from food of animal and plant origin. The best source is cod liver. One teaspoon of its oil contains 150% of the daily requirement. A lot also contains beef liver, salmon fillet and tuna. The plant richest in vitamin A is sweet potato, one hundred grams of which covers the daily requirement. Kale, winter squash and turnips contain it in abundance, with carrots only coming in sixth. Important: heat-treated root vegetables are taken into account, not raw ones.

Some people, tired of acne, buy systemic retinoids and take dosages from the Internet. This is dangerous - if the dosage is exceeded, these drugs cause fetal malformations - auricular atresia, underdevelopment of the limbs, atrial septal defect and displacement of large vessels. Therefore, a dermatologist prescribes systemic retinoids after a pregnancy test and the patient’s commitment to use double contraception - hormonal pills plus a condom.

“When using systemic retinoids and other vitamin A preparations, a teratogenic effect on the fetus is possible. Therefore, even before taking dietary supplements, and even more so medications, it is worth consulting with your doctor,” says Nina Alexandrova. “The unfavorable effect of high doses of vitamin A persists even after stopping its use, depending on the drug - from 1 month to 2 years.”

Increased need for vitamin E

A sharp increase in the need for the vitamin occurs in pregnant women. Moreover, gynecologists recommend that expectant mothers take additional vitamin E throughout pregnancy, as well as until the end of breastfeeding.

Increased consumption of tocopherol is required during intense physical activity, sports, after the age of 40, when living in environmentally unfavorable areas, and when exposed to stress.

Women are also required to take this vitamin when approaching and after menopause. It is also recommended for teenage girls when their menstrual cycle begins.

Tocopherol consumption standards

The recommended daily dose for vitamin E can vary significantly in different countries - from 8 to 15 mg per day for adults. The difficulty in determining dosage lies in the fact that data on how much tocopherol is needed for normal body function was last revised about 20-25 years ago and was based on old studies. The European Food Safety Authority, based on more recent data, has determined the daily requirement for alpha-tocopherol at 13 mg per day for men and 10 mg/day for women. In Scandinavian countries, clinical guidelines were adopted in 2014, which recommend that women take 8 mg of vitamin E, and men 10 mg.

The generally accepted standards for tocopherol consumption in Russia are close to the official recommendations of the American Institute of Medicine. They suggest that healthy adults should get 15 mg of the vitamin per day, which corresponds to 22.5 IU of the natural substance or 33 IU of the synthetic preparation.

Table. "Daily requirement for tocopherol"

There is another simple way to calculate an individual dose: for adults, the need for tocopherol is 0.3 mg per kilogram of body weight. For infants, this figure is higher – 0.5 mg/kg.

Where to get vitamin E in winter (video):

Where can I get vitamin E in winter? Live healthy! (01/11/2018)

Absorption of vitamin E from food

Like vitamin D, tocopherol is best absorbed in the presence of bile acids and fats. If you eat plant foods, for example, a salad of fresh vegetables, do not forget to season it with vegetable oil. Also use spices, they increase the release of pancreatic juice and bile, which improves digestion and absorption of the vitamin.

Vitamin C protects vitamin E from oxidation and potentiates its effects, so along with sources of tocopherol, it is useful to eat foods containing ascorbic acid. Eat more fruits and vegetables, they contain both vitamins.

The principle of assimilation

Maximum help from vitamins is achieved when they are correctly combined and in optimal proportions. To achieve maximum effect, you should resort to the following combinations of products:

• nut butter with fresh carrots;
• avocado with tomato;
• salad, fresh herbs, dressed with olive oil;
• walnut with sweet potato;
• sweet peppers complemented with guacomole;
• steamed spinach with vegetable oil.

Vitamin E of natural origin is represented by a whole series of various compounds. Of these, tocotrienols and tocopherols (4 items each) are isolated. It follows from this that when eating healthy foods, all these compounds enter the body. In this case, the synthetic element is represented by only one of the designated compounds.

It becomes clear that a tablet of such a substance always contains the optimal set of compounds and is a good option. It should be remembered that there are no synthetic drugs that can fully replace natural sources of the beneficial element. Some medications also contain vitamin E in the form of succinate and acetate.

Biological role of vitamin E

The functions of vitamin E in the body are very significant. The biological role of tocopherol is as follows:

• Due to its antioxidant effect, it increases the overall level of health and resists diseases
• Improves skin condition, timely renewal of its components
• Has a rejuvenating effect
• Protects blood vessels from atherosclerosis, slows down the development of cardiovascular diseases
• Improves the production of sex hormones, increases the likelihood of pregnancy, and fights infertility. Because of this, vitamin E is also recommended for use by men and women when planning a child, as well as for diseases of the gonads.
• Normalizes blood clotting
• Accelerates the healing of damaged tissues
• Enhances the effects of vitamin A and selenium.

Use in official medicine

Tocopherol plays an important role for the body; it maintains the desired level of cholesterol, restores damaged skin, normalizes the amount of hormones in the blood, alleviates PMS, helps improve vision, and ensures healthy hair. Vitamin E is involved in the fight against free radicals, prevents the development of pathologies and chronic diseases, minimizes the occurrence of cancer, improves muscle strength and endurance. It is important to take tocopherol during pregnancy for the normal development of the child.

The biochemistry of vitamin E indicates that it is more appropriate to take it in the form of a medication. Especially when it comes to the treatment of ataxia, which is represented by a motor disorder due to a deficiency of this component. The standard dose in such cases is 60-75 IU per day. Increased effectiveness is observed when combining the element with other medications, but only after consultation with a specialist.

The pharmacological sphere cannot do without vitamin E, which is used in the form of capsules of 0.4 g, 0.2 g and 0.1 g. Vitamin oil solution in ampoules or bottles, and the powder from which capsules are made, are also in demand in practice. tablets with 50% tocopherol content.

IU is an international unit, it is equal to 0.67 mg of a natural substance and 0.45 mg of a synthetic one. Just 1 mg of alpha-tocopherol equals 1.49 IU in natural form and 2.22 mg in its synthetic counterpart.

Vitamin E is necessary for humans for normal development and existence, and to prevent a number of diseases. Its deficiency negatively affects the functioning of internal organs and appearance. This is important to mention in a middle grade biology post.

Signs of vitamin E deficiency

Often people are not even aware of the need for additional vitamin E use, attributing signs of its deficiency to some third-party reasons. Meanwhile, the symptoms of tocopherol deficiency can be quite serious. These include:

• Menstruation disorders in women, decreased potency in men
• Infertility, spontaneous miscarriages
• Anemia
• Pale and yellow skin
• Increased incidence of colds
• Liver disorders
• Weakness, etc.

Signs of excess vitamin E

When regularly taking vitamin E preparations in dosages of 800 IU and above, no symptoms initially arise - in the body, excess tocopherol is simply deposited in adipose tissue, and its excess is also excreted in bile.

However, further deterioration in health is possible: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. An increase in blood pressure, an increase in the level of harmful lipids in the blood and an acceleration in the development of atherosclerosis are likely.

In case of poisoning with a single ultra-high dose of the vitamin, liver function is impaired, kidney failure and other serious consequences may develop.

Drug dosage rules

In dietary supplements, the daily dose of vitamin E is contained in one capsule. These release forms are very convenient to use - for preventive purposes, a person just needs to drink 1 piece per day with a meal, washing down the capsule with clean water. Vitamin capsules are allowed to be prescribed to children only after the age of 12 at a dose of no more than 100 IU per day.

Dosages of tocopherol for the treatment of various diseases and pathological conditions are selected individually, taking into account the patient’s age, concomitant pathologies, and the use of other medications. Standard vitamin regimens for adults:

• Women with menstrual irregularities are advised to drink 300 mg of the vitamin every other day, starting from the 17th day of the cycle;
• for severe anemia, high doses are required - daily intake of 300 mg of the active substance for 10-12 days;
• for dermatological diseases, 200 mg of vitamin per day is prescribed for 1 month;
• as part of complex antioxidant therapy, tocopherol is used 300-400 mg once a day.