Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that acts as an antioxidant. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects body tissue from damage caused by unstable substances called free radicals. Free radicals can harm cells, tissues, and organs, and they are believed to be one of the causes of the degenerative processes seen in aging. Vitamin E is also important in the formation of red blood cells and it helps the body to use vitamin K.

There is no known dietary deficiency of vitamin E. There are no known toxic effects to megadoses of vitamin E. Occasional side effects such as headache have been reported.

Food Sources: Wheat germ, Corn, Nuts, Seeds, Olives, Spinach and other green leafy vegetables, Asparagus, Vegetable oils( Corn oil, Sunflower oil, Soybean oil, Cottonseed oil).

The recommended daily intake of vitamin E from food now stands at 15 milligrams from food. That's the equivalent of 22 IU from natural-source vitamin E or 33 IUs of the synthetic form. Researchers are still writing the book on vitamin E. Evidence from observational studies suggests that at least 400 IU of vitamin E per day, and possibly more, are needed for optimal health. Since standard multivitamins usually contain around 30 IU, a separate vitamin E supplement is needed to achieve this level.