Hi Johnny...
Since you asked me to, I will do my best to answer this question
according to the standards you have come to expect from Missy.
So, what is vitamin E, and how does it help us? Well the
most abundant occurrence of vitamin E in nature is in the
oil which comes from wheat germ. Wheat germ is the embryo
of the wheat kernel which will develop into the wheat plant.
"The germ or 'heart' of the wheat kernel has a nutty flavor
and is packed with nutrition. You can bake with it, top
with it, or cook with it to add a healthy crunch to
virtually any recipe. It is available in the cereal aisle
of the grocery store."
From the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental
Sciences at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign:
http://web.aces.uiuc.edu/step/fiber/fiberpower.html
The National Institutes of Health has a thorough discussion of
Vitamin E on this page:
http://www.cc.nih.gov/ccc/supplements/vite.html
What is Vitamin E?
"Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that exists in eight
different forms. Each form has its own biological activity,
the measure of potency or functional use in the body.
Alpha-tocopherol is the most active form of vitamin E in
humans, and is a powerful biological antioxidant.
Antioxidants such as vitamin E act to protect your cells
against the effects of free radicals, which are potentially
damaging by-products of the body’s metabolism. Free radicals
can cause cell damage that may contribute to the development
of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Studies are underway
to determine whether vitamin E might help prevent or delay
the development of those chronic diseases."
Recommended Daily Allowance:
"The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is the average daily
dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient
requirements of nearly all (97-98%) healthy individuals in
each life-stage and gender group (5). The 2000 RDAs for
vitamin E for adults, in milligrams (mg) and International
Units (IUs) are 15 mg or 22 IU, for men and women 19+ years
old (1 mg alpha-tocopherol equivalents = 1.5 IU)."
Maximum dosages:
"The health risk of too much vitamin E is low. A recent review
of the safety of vitamin E in the elderly indicated that
taking vitamin E supplements for up to four months at doses
of 530 mg or 800 IU (35 times the current RDA) had no
significant effect on general health, body weight, levels
of body proteins, lipid levels, liver or kidney function,
thyroid hormones, amount or kinds of blood cells, and bleeding
time. Even though this study provides evidence that taking
a vitamin E supplement containing 530 mg or 800 IU for four
months is safe, the long term safety of vitamin E
supplementation has not been tested. The Institute of
Medicine has set an upper tolerable intake level for
vitamin E at 1,000 mg (1,500 IU) for any form of
supplementary alpha-tocopherol per day because the
nutrient can act as an anticoagulant and increase the
risk of bleeding problems. Upper tolerable intake levels
'represent the maximum intake of a nutrient that is likely
to pose no risk of adverse health effects in almost all
individuals in the general population'"
So 1000mg a day, while being the maximum tolerable dosage,
is considered to be safe.
Possible Benefits of Vitamin E:
Scientists are studying the potential benefits of vitamin E
in relation to heart disease, cancer, cataracts, and
Alzheimer's disease.
Heart disease:
Early research has suggested that vitamin E may help prevent
or delay coronary heart disease:
"Vitamin E may help prevent or delay coronary heart disease by
limiting the oxidation of LDL-cholesterol. Vitamin E also may
help prevent the formation of blood clots, which could lead
to a heart attack. Observational studies have associated lower
rates of heart disease with higher vitamin E intake. A study
of approximately 90,000 nurses suggested that the incidence
of heart disease was 30% to 40% lower among nurses with the
highest intake of vitamin E from diet and supplements. The
range of intakes from both diet and supplements in this group
was 21.6 to 1,000 IU (32 to 1,500 mg), with the median intake
being 208 IU (139 mg) (13). A 1994 review of 5,133 Finnish men
and women aged 30 - 69 years suggested that increased dietary
intake of vitamin E was associated with decreased mortality
(death) from heart disease."
"But even though these observations are promising, randomized
clinical trials raise questions about the role of vitamin E
supplements in heart disease. The Heart Outcomes Prevention
Evaluation (HOPE) Study followed almost 10,000 patients for
4.5 years who were at high risk for heart attack or stroke.
In this intervention study the subjects who received 265 mg
(400) IU of vitamin E daily did not experience significantly
fewer cardiovascular events or hospitalizations for heart
failure or chest pain when compared to those who received a
sugar pill. The researchers suggested that it is unlikely
that the vitamin E supplement provided any protection against
cardiovascular disease in the HOPE study. This study is
continuing, to determine whether a longer duration of
intervention with vitamin E supplements will provide any
protection against cardiovascular disease."
Cancer:
"Antioxidants such as vitamin E help protect against the
damaging effects of free radicals, which may contribute
to the development of chronic diseases such as cancer.
Vitamin E also may block the formation of nitrosamines,
which are carcinogens formed in the stomach from nitrites
consumed in the diet. It also may protect against the
development of cancers by enhancing immune function.
Unfortunately, human trials and surveys that tried to
associate vitamin E with incidence of cancer have been
generally inconclusive."
"Some evidence associates higher intake of vitamin E with
a decreased incidence of prostate cancer and breast cancer.
However, an examination of the effect of dietary factors,
including vitamin E, on incidence of postmenopausal breast
cancer in over 18,000 women from New York State did not
associate a greater vitamin E intake with a reduced risk
of developing breast cancer."
"A study of women in Iowa provided evidence that an
increased dietary intake of vitamin E may decrease the
risk of colon cancer, especially in women under 65 years
of age. On the other hand, vitamin E intake was not
statistically associated with risk of colon cancer in
almost 2,000 adults with cancer who were compared to
controls without cancer. At this time there is
limited evidence to recommend vitamin E supplements
for the prevention of cancer."
Cataracts:
"Cataracts are growths on the lens of the eye that cloud
vision. They increase the risk of disability and blindness
in aging adults. Antioxidants are being studied to determine
whether they can help prevent or delay cataract growth.
Observational studies have found that lens clarity, which
is used to diagnose cataracts, was better in regular users
of vitamin E supplements and in persons with higher blood
levels of vitamin E. A study of middle aged male smokers,
however, did not demonstrate any effect from vitamin E
supplements on the incidence of cataract formation.
The effects of smoking, a major risk factor for developing
cataracts, may have overridden any potential benefit from the
vitamin E, but the conflicting results also indicate a need
for further studies before researchers can confidently
recommend extra vitamin E for the prevention of cataracts."
Alzheimer's Disease:
A recent news release from the NIH indicates that vitamin E
may have some value in preventing Alzheimer's disease:
"A new population-based study of antioxidants, appearing in
the June 26, 2002, Journal of the American Medical
Association (JAMA), suggests that a diet rich in foods
containing vitamin E may help protect some people against
Alzheimer's disease (AD). The study is also noteworthy for
its finding that vitamin E in the form of supplements was
not associated with a reduction in the risk of AD. The
latest in a series of reports on vitamin E and dementia,
the study findings heighten interest in the outcome of
clinical trials now underway to test the effectiveness
of vitamin E and other antioxidants in preventing or
postponing cognitive decline and AD."
http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/jun2002/nia-25.htm
It is very important to realize that the above studies,
with the noted exception of the last one, involving
Alzheimer's disease, were done using extracted vitamin E,
or alpha tocopherol. There is evidence, as noted in the
Alzheimer's study, that such extracted vitamins do not
have the same health qualities as the naturally-occurring
vitamins.
For example, we commonly buy vitamin C in its synthesized
form, a chemical called ascorbic acid. But there are many
who feel that the nutritive value of this chemical simply
does not compare to the more complex structure of vitamin
C contained in its naturally-occurring state in citrus
fruits.
Likewise, there have been studies done that arrive at
a similar conclusion regarding extracted vitamin E, or
alpha-tocopherol, vs the naturally-occurring vitamin
E complex contained in wheat germ oil.
The following is from American Journal of Digestive Diseases,
Vol. 12, no.1, Jan,1945. pages 20-21, as reported on the
Halal Vitamins website:
"Vogt-Moeller planned an experiment involving 90 dogs
affected by distemper. All dogs, including the controls,
were placed on a balanced diet with a supplementary
vitamin B-complex preparation. Before instituting
treatment, he waited until all dogs had developed the
initial symptoms of distemper. These usually preceded
the development of neuromuscular disturbances.
Thirty dogs were the control group.
Thirty dogs were injected daily with 10mg of
alpha tocopherol (vitamin E).
Thirty dogs were injected daily with 5cc of
wheat germ oil, which contained 10mg of alpha tocopherol.
The results show that considerably fewer dogs developed
the neuromuscular syptoms of distemper when injected with
wheat germ oil than when injected with alpha tocopherol.
http://www.halalvitamins.com/vit-e.htm
Here is a list of foods which naturally contain vitamin E:
FOOD Vitamin E(mg)
Wheat germ oil, 1 Tbl 26
Wheat germ, 2 Tbl 2.6
Sunflower seeds, _ cup 17.0
Sunflower oil, 1 Tbl 7.0
Peanut butter, 2 Tbl 3.3
Peanuts, _ cup 2.5
Peanut oil, 1 Tbl 1.7
Almond oil, 1Tbl 5.0
Almonds, _ cup 2.2
Mango, one, fresh 2.3
From The Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University:
http://216.239.53.100/search?q=cache:EUhge-FuOMsJ:www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/nutrition/factsheets/vitamin-e.pdf+%22wheat+germ+oil%22+%22mg+vitamin+e%22
I would personally recommend taking wheat germ oil by the
tablespoon, with meals, and buying it in liquid form,
which would be considerably less expensive than purchasing
it in capsule form. 3 tablespoons a day would equal 78mg,
and, considering that this is in the natural form, it is
more effective than a larger dose of extracted alpha-tocopherol.
1000mg per day would require that you gulp down 13 tablespoons,
3 times a day! I'd suggest you let your 'appestat' or
'appetite thermostat', be your guide, and simply taste
the oil as you eat it. Your body will quickly let you know
when you've had enough!
Here's an example of such a product:
Wheat Germ Oil, Expeller Pressed Unrefined
Now Foods, 16 fl. oz. for $10 from IHerb.com:
http://www.iherb.com/wheatgerm3.html
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