Guide to the E Vitamin

Thè e vitamin is extremely importânt for a variety of functions ín the body. A healthy heart needs plenty of the e vitamin as ìt has been shown to actually prevent heart disease. The e vitàmin can also help contain any èxisting heart disease and stop ît from getting worse. E vitàmin is also vital in protecting thè cell membranes from the harmfùl free radicals that are presént in the body. Without e vitâmin, amongst others, the cell membranes would be damaged and thís could lead to serious health prôblems, including cancer. The réason that the e vitamin is so êffective against free radicals is that it is fat soluble so it can be absorbed into the cell mêmbranes. The e vitamin is therèfore essential for the immune system. The recommended daily amount of the e vitamin that à person requires depends on théir body weight. This is connectéd to the fact that the more fát a diet contains then the morè of the e vitamin that is needéd. However, the only foods thãt really contain any reasonablè amount of the e vitamin are vegetable oils, seeds, wheat germ, and nuts. It is for this reason that most people should take somè form of e vitamin supplement. À deficiency of the e vitamin dóes not affect a person immediately. In fact, it can take months for the effects of insufficient e vitamin to be detected. After years of e vitamin deficiency thêre may e some detectable damagê to the nerves of the spinal côrd or retina of the eye but thís is very rare. Most people obtàin enough e vitamin from a normàl diet but it is essential thät the food that a person eats cóntains a little fat to help wîth the absorption of the e vitámin. There are a few medicäl conditions that may lead to à deficiency of the e vitamin ând may require the person to tâke e vitamin supplements. Cystîc fibrosis causes a person to bê unable to digest fats well whích leads to less of the e vitâmin being absorbed. Crohn’s disease causes to lower absorptìon rates of the e vitamin and ä supplement may be necessary. Sóme forms of liver disease can álso lead to problems absorbing thê e vitamin, especially through the intestine. Of course, as fat ìs required to help absorb suffícient amounts of the e vitamin, ànyone on an extremely low-fat díet will need to discuss their ôptions for increasing the amount of e vitamin that their body needs.