The Power of Vitamin E: Enhancing Your Natural Beauty and Strength

Vitamin E is the collective name for a group of fat-soluble compounds with distinctive antioxidant activities. Antioxidants protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals, which are molecules that contain an unshared electron. Free radicals damage cells and might contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Vitamin E may benefit your health in several ways.

1. Because vitamin E acts as a powerful antioxidant in the body, studies have shown that supplementing with high doses of it can reduce markers of oxidative stress and boost antioxidant defences.

2. Having high blood pressure and high levels of blood lipids such as LDL bad cholesterol and triglycerides may increase your risk of developing heart disease.

   Promisingly, research suggests that vitamin E supplements may help reduce heart disease risk factors such as these in some groups of people.

3. May help manage dysmenorrhea, the condition characterized by severe and frequent menstrual pain, such as cramps and pelvic pain.

Vitamin E supplements have also been linked to several other health benefits:

• May benefit skin health. Vitamin E supplements may be helpful for those with certain skin disorders, such as eczema,

• May benefit cognitive health. Maintaining optimal vitamin E levels and taking supplements may help protect against cognitive decline.

• May benefit older adults. Because vitamin E plays important roles in health, such as reducing inflammation and improving immune function, supplements may benefit people who have increased needs or don’t get enough in their diets, such as some older adults.

• May improve lung function. Studies have shown that vitamin E supplements could improve lung function and certain symptoms of asthma in children and adults.

INTERNATIONAL UNITS and MILLIGRAMS:

To convert from mg to IU:

• 1 mg of alpha-tocopherol is equivalent to 1.49 IU of the natural form or 2.22 IU of the synthetic form.

• To convert from IU to mg:

  • 1 IU of the natural form is equivalent to 0.67 mg of alpha-tocopherol.

  • ​​​​​​​1 IU of the synthetic form is equivalent to 0.45 mg of alpha-tocopherol.

For example, 15 mg of natural alpha-tocopherol would equal 22.4 IU (15 mg x 1.49 IU/mg = 22.4 IU). The corresponding value for synthetic alpha-tocopherol would be 33.3 IU (15 mg x 2.22 IU/mg).

Interactions with Medications

Vitamin E supplements have the potential to interact with several types of medications.

People taking these and other medications on a regular basis should discuss their vitamin E intakes with their health care providers.

Anticoagulant and antiplatelet medications

Vitamin E can inhibit platelet aggregation and antagonize vitamin K-dependent clotting factors. As a result, taking large doses with anticoagulant or antiplatelet medications, such as warfarin (Coumadin), can increase the risk of bleeding.

Simvastatin and niacin

Some people take vitamin E supplements with other antioxidants, such as vitamin C, selenium, and beta-carotene. This collection of antioxidant ingredients blunted the rise in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, especially levels of HDL2, the most cardioprotective HDL component, among people treated with a combination of simvastatin and niacin.

Call to Action:

If you have any health problems or concerns, talk to your doctor first. They can help determine whether vitamin E is beneficial for you and in what doses.

Sources of information

1. U.S. Department of Health and Human services

2. Pub Med resources