Vitamin E (tocopherol) is an important substance for the he alth of any person. With its help, a number of chemical reactions occur in the body, ensuring the normal functioning of internal organs and cells.
This article will explain in detail what tocopherol is, what its main functions are, and what benefits it brings to he alth. In addition, calculations of vitamin E norms 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 naturally in eight forms (including four tocopherols and four tocotrienols).
Alpha-tocopherol is the most abundant form of the vitamin. It is he who is used in the production of vitamin complexes, which are commonly called dietary supplements.
Natural sources of vitamin E a person most often receives with food. It is worth noting that this is the most common way for the body to obtain tocopherol. The main sources of this vitamin are fats andoils. It is also found in some vegetables, fats in meat, poultry and fish, and to a lesser extent in grains and dairy products.
Functions
As a fat-soluble nutrient, vitamin E functions primarily as an antioxidant. This means 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 various infections.
A study by the Department of Epidemiology and He alth Statistics of Qingdao University College of Medicine found that vitamin E can help reduce the risk of age-related cataracts.
He alth benefits
Vitamin plays a crucial role in the functioning of the endocrine and nervous systems. Symptoms of a hormonal imbalance can include weight gain, allergic reactions, urinary tract infections, skin discoloration, emotional disturbances, and fatigue. By maintaining the balance of hormones, many diseases can be avoided.
Tocopherol helps to maintain the vigilance of the eyes until very old age. However, it is worth remembering that in order for it to be effective for vision, it should be consumed with sufficient amounts of vitamin C, beta-carotene and zinc.
Vitamin E can slow down the process of memory impairment. In addition, sufficient consumption of it will help prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease.
Sometimes tocopherol is used toreduce the harmful effects of cancer drug treatment. It can be given concomitantly with radiation 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 improve physical endurance. Doctors say that tocopherol helps to reduce the level of oxidative stress in the muscles after training and heavy physical exertion.
Studies have shown that certain vitamin E isomers fight cholesterol oxidation. The latter is a natural substance produced by the liver and required by the body for the normal functioning of cells, nerves and hormones. But when cholesterol oxidizes, it becomes life-threatening.
Vitamin E has a beneficial effect on the skin, strengthening the walls of capillaries. The normal level of tocopherol in the body allows you to maintain the water balance of the skin, nourish it from the inside and maintain elasticity. In addition, this substance has a positive effect on the hair, maintaining their natural beauty. Beauticians recommend making liquid vitamin E masks and wraps, allowing it to penetrate the hair structure, making them he althy and strong.
The norm of vitamin E per day for women
Each age group has its own consumption of tocopherol. The table below will help you figure out how much vitamin E girls and women need to consume to keep their bodies he althy.he althy.
| Age indicator | The norm of vitamin E per day |
| 1 to 3 years | 5mg |
| 4 to 8 years old | 6mg |
| 9 to 18 years old | 8-9mg |
| 19 to 30 years old | 8-7mg |
| 31 to 50 years old | 7, 5-7mg |
| 51 and older | 7mg |
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, 8 to 16 mg of the vitamin should be consumed per day. However, in order to correctly adjust the rate, consultation with a specialist 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 looking at the table with indicators to be sure of this.
| Age indicator | The norm of vitamin E per day |
| 1 to 3 years | 5mg |
| 4 to 8 years old | 6mg |
| 9 to 13 years old | 9mg |
| 14 to 18 years old | 10-11 mg |
| 19 to 30 years old | 10mg |
| 31 to 50 years old | 10-9mg |
| 51 and older | 9mg |
Vitamin E content in foods
Eating foods high in tocopherol is the safest way to replenish your daily vitamin intake. You can do this with:
- vegetable oils (such as wheat germ, 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 foods fortified with the vitamin. These include:
- breakfast cereal;
- fruit juice;
- margarine and spreads.
If information was noticed on the packaging that the product is enriched with vitamin E, this means that the manufacturer included tocopherol in its composition by chemical means. Thus, the benefits of it will be the same as from dietary supplements, only the amount of substance in the juice, cereal or oil will be less.
Drugs
In its pure form, vitamin E can be purchased at a pharmacy in the form of a dietary supplement. There are two forms of release of such a product - a liquid oil solution or capsules. Tocopherol is taken orally according to the attachedinstructions.
Vitamin E (tocopherol) is prescribed by a doctor in the following cases:
- to prevent its deficiency in the body;
- when recovering the body after treatment of severe infectious diseases;
- with regular heavy physical exertion;
- as an adjunct to hormone therapy.
If a person has hypersensitivity to dietary supplements, it is necessary to stop taking it and seek the advice of a specialist as soon as possible. In addition, it is worth taking vitamin E with caution for people who have recently suffered strokes, heart attacks, as well as pregnant girls. It is worth remembering that, although dietary supplements are not considered a medicine, only a qualified specialist can determine the need for taking it and assess the possible risks.
Vitamin deficiency
According to medical statistics, tocopherol deficiency is rare. 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.
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 with your doctor and clarify the need to compensate for the lack of tocopherol with the help ofSupplements.
Vitamin overabundance
Various studies have not found any side effects from consuming foods that contain vitamin E. However, high doses of alpha-tocopherol (in the form of dietary supplements) can cause bleeding and blood clotting problems.
In addition, diarrhea, nausea and high blood pressure are considered to be obvious manifestations of an overabundance of this substance in the body. It is important to note that if a person feels worse while 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 he alth.
Conclusion
After reviewing the information about what vitamin E is, we can conclude that it is extremely important for maintaining human he alth in a normal state. It is difficult to overestimate its usefulness, 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 supplements. In this case, it is extremely important to remember that each age group of people has its own vitamin E norm per day.
Unlike water-soluble vitamins, tocopherol cannot be excreted from the body without a trace. Whenits overabundance may have negative consequences and deterioration of he alth. Therefore, if we are talking about taking vitamin complexes or dietary supplements, it is extremely important to contact a specialist for advice so that he can help determine the daily intake of a vitamin.
