Vitamin E (tocopherol) is an important substance for the health of any person. With its help, a number of chemical reactions occur in the body that ensure the normal functioning of internal organs and cells.
This article will tell you in detail about what is tocopherol, what are its main functions, and also what benefits it brings to health. In addition, calculations of vitamin E per day for women and men will be presented.
Description
Vitamin E is the name of a group of water-insoluble substances of plant origin. It occurs in nature in eight forms (including four tocopherols and four tocotrienols).
Alpha tocopherol is the most common form of vitamin. It is he who is used in the production of vitamin complexes, which are usually called biologically active additives.
Natural sources of vitamin E a person most often receives with food. It is worth noting that this is the most familiar way for the body to get tocopherol. The main sources of this vitamin are fats and oils. It is also found in certain vegetables, in fats of meat, poultry and fish, and to a lesser extent in cereals and dairy products.
Functions
As a fat-soluble nutrient, Vitamin E functions primarily as an antioxidant. This means that it helps protect cells from damage caused by unstable molecules (free radicals).
Vitamin is vital for the normal functioning of the immune system. As a powerful antioxidant, it helps the body's cells fight off various infections.
A study by the Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics of the College of Medicine, Qingdao University, found that vitamin E helps reduce the risk of age-related cataracts.
Benefit for health
Vitamin plays a crucial role in the functioning of the endocrine and nervous systems. Symptoms of hormonal imbalance may include weight gain, allergic reactions, urinary tract infections, skin discoloration, emotional distress, and fatigue. By maintaining a balance of hormones, many diseases can be avoided.
Tocopherol helps maintain vigilance of the eyes to the very old age. However, it is worth remembering: in order for it to be effective for vision, it should be consumed with a sufficient amount of vitamin C, beta-carotene and zinc.
Vitamin E can slow down the process of memory impairment. In addition, its sufficient consumption will prevent the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease.
Sometimes tocopherol is used to reduce the harmful effects of drug treatment for cancer. It can be prescribed simultaneously with irradiation and dialysis procedures. It is also used to reduce unwanted side effects of certain medications that cause hair loss or lung damage.
Vitamin E can be used to increase physical stamina. Doctors say that tocopherol helps reduce the level of oxidative stress in the muscles after training and heavy physical exertion.
Studies have shown that certain isomers of vitamin E fight cholesterol oxidation. The latter is a natural substance produced by the liver and necessary for the body to function normally in cells, nerves and hormones. But when cholesterol is oxidized, it becomes life threatening.
Vitamin E has a beneficial effect on the skin, strengthening the walls of the capillaries. The normal level of tocopherol in the body allows you to maintain water balance of the skin, nourish it from the inside and maintain elasticity. In addition, this substance favorably affects the hair, maintaining their natural beauty. Beauticians recommend making masks and wraps from liquid vitamin E, allowing it to penetrate the hair structure, making them healthy and strong.
The norm of vitamin E per day for women
Each age group has its own consumption standards for tocopherol. The table below will help you figure out how much vitamin E is needed for girls and women to keep their body healthy.
Age indicator | The norm of vitamin E per day |
from 1 year to 3 years | 5 mg |
from 4 to 8 years | 6 mg |
from 9 to 18 years old | 8-9 mg |
from 19 to 30 years old | 8-7 mg |
from 31 years to 50 years | 7.5-7 mg |
51 years and older | 7 mg |
Speaking about the norm of consumption of tocopherol for pregnant girls, it is worth noting that it is much higher. Thus, when carrying a child a day, 8 to 16 mg of vitamin A should be consumed. However, in order to correctly adjust the norm, specialist consultation is necessary.
Norm for men
In general, the norm of vitamin E per day for men will be slightly higher than for girls. It is worth considering a table with indicators to verify this.
Age indicator | The norm of vitamin E per day |
from 1 year to 3 years | 5 mg |
from 4 to 8 years | 6 mg |
from 9 to 13 years old | 9 mg |
from 14 to 18 years old | 10-11 mg |
from 19 to 30 years old | 10 mg |
from 31 years to 50 years | 10-9 mg |
51 years and older | 9 mg |
Vitamin E in Food
Eating foods with high levels of tocopherol is the safest way to replenish your daily vitamin intake. You can do this with:
- vegetable oils (such as wheat germ oil, sunflower, safflower, and corn oil);
- nuts (such as almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, etc.);
- flax seeds, sunflower seeds, etc .;
- Tomatoes
- olives;
- avocado;
- spinach
- Basilica
- oregano;
- broccoli.
In addition, there are vitamin-enriched foods. These include:
- breakfast cereal;
- fruit juices;
- margarine and spreads.
If the package contains information that the product is enriched with vitamin E, this means that the manufacturer included tocopherol in its composition by chemical means. Thus, the benefit from it will be the same as from dietary supplement, only the amount of substance in juice, cereal or oil will be less.
Preparations
In its pure form, vitamin E can be purchased at a pharmacy as a dietary supplement. There are two forms of release of such a tool - a liquid oil solution or capsules. Tocopherol is taken orally according to the attached instructions.
Vitamin E (tocopherol) is prescribed by a doctor in the following cases:
- for the prevention of its deficiency in the body;
- when restoring the body after treatment of severe infectious diseases;
- with regular heavy physical exertion;
- as an adjunct to hormone therapy.
If a person has an increased sensitivity to dietary supplements, his intake must be stopped and as soon as possible seek the advice of a specialist. In addition, it is worth taking vitamin E with caution to people who have recently suffered strokes, heart attacks, and also pregnant girls. It is worth remembering that, although a dietary supplement is not considered a medicine, only a qualified specialist can determine the need for its intake and assess the possible risks.
Vitamin deficiency
According to medical statistics, tocopherol deficiency is a rare occurrence. Therefore, if a person does not notice any adverse changes in his body, the likelihood that he is deficient in vitamin E is extremely small. However, there are a number of diseases, the presence of which may indicate the opposite phenomenon.
Ataxia, peripheral neuropathy, retinopathy, anemia, impaired immune response and nerve damage are signs of vitamin E deficiency. Therefore, if a person has been diagnosed with one of the diseases listed above, there is a need to consult your doctor and clarify the need to make up for the tocopherol deficiency with Dietary supplements.
Excess vitamin
Various studies have not revealed any side effects from the consumption of foods that contain vitamin E. However, high doses of alpha-tocopherol (in the form of dietary supplements) can cause bleeding and impair blood coagulation.
In addition, diarrhea, nausea and high blood pressure are considered obvious manifestations of an excess of this substance in the body. It is important to note that if a person feels worse when taking a dietary supplement, then you need to stop using it and immediately consult a doctor.
In order not to fall into the risk group, you should strictly adhere to the norm of vitamin E per day. And to determine it for sure, you can contact a medical institution where experts will tell you how much tocopherol should be consumed without any harm to health.
Conclusion
Having examined the information about what vitamin E is, it can be concluded that it is extremely important for maintaining a person’s normal health. It is difficult to overestimate its benefit, because it performs many important functions.
Vitamin E is easy to get with food. However, sometimes it becomes necessary to use it in the form of dietary supplement. In this case, it is extremely important to remember that each age group of people has its own norm of vitamin E per day.
Unlike water-soluble vitamins, tocopherol does not have the ability to be excreted from the body without a trace. In case of its excess, negative consequences and deterioration of the state of health are possible. Therefore, when it comes to taking vitamin complexes or dietary supplements, it is extremely important to consult a specialist for advice so that he helps determine the daily intake of vitamin.