Vitamin E Explained:

There are thousands of products that trumpet the amount of Vitamin E that they provide, from skin care to supplements. Is Vitamin E a miraculous "cure-all" or an over-hyped vitamin? Let's find out!

What it Does

Vitamin E is an antioxidant that provides cell membrane protection, as well as protection for good fat cells, such as LDL. It has been found it reduce the risk of heart attacks, when at least 400 to 800 IU's are taken daily.

In addition, Vitamin E assists your body in the processing of glucose, making it very important for diabetics. In fact, some studies have shown that Vitamin E can greatly reduce the amount of insulin that diabetics need to take to regulate their blood sugar.

You can also use Vitamin E to speed the healing process, either by taking a supplement internally, or by using a cream or lotion that contains Vitamin E directly on a wound.

There are many more benefits for the external use of Vitamin E, such as healing painful burns, removing cold sores, fighting the aging process and improving overall skin health.

Internal use of Vitamin E has been proven to assist anemia, lung health, angina, artherosclerosis, PMS, arthritis, epilepsy in children and provide proper immune function. Common colds and flu as well as bronchitis can also be warded off or greatly reduced with the addition of a Vitamin E supplement.

How do I get it?

You can find Vitamin E in a supplement form, although many supplements may contain too much Vitamin E, which can lead to problems. However, it is very easy to find Vitamin E present in several different types of food, including egg yolks, whole grains, wheat germ and leafy green vegetables.

Am I deficient?

Vitamin E deficiencies are quite rare, although most people do benefit from getting their recommended amount of Vitamin E each day. Before you begin taking Vitamin E, it is absolutely important to check with your doctor ahead of time to make sure that you are not taking any medication that interacts adversely with Vitamin E.

Too much Vitamin E can be dangerous, so you will need to stick with a lower dosage amount that is recommended by a physician. Although it can be very useful, it is important not to go overboard with your daily IU's.

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