Vitamin E For Your Best Health

30 seconds

Vitamin E is found in nature as a complex of eight separate compounds (four tocopherols and four tocotrienols), each with important functions in the body – it:

1. Helps support cell membranes and protect against damage caused by free radicals, a process known as oxidation.
2. Is necessary for structural and functional maintenance of skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle cells.
3. Assists in the formation of new red blood cells and helps to maintain stores of vitamins A and K, iron, and selenium.

People taking blood thinners or aspirin should consult with their doctor about vitamin E to avoid potential drug interactions. If you do supplement with vitamin E, realize that it is fat-soluble so be sure to take it around meal timeto aid in its absorption.

You can obtain natural vitamin E in foods such as nuts, spinach, sunflower seeds and wheat germ, and true whole grains. I recommend avoiding synthetic versions of vitamin E (for example, dl-alpha tocopherol – which is often a sign of a poor quality supplement), and only using products that contain the full complex. The label should state that the vitamin E is comprised of mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols or lists them out.

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