| The real benefits of Vitamin E may surprise you. First | | | | radicals that cause oxidative stress.Benefits of Vitamin |
| of all, what is Vitamin E? Vitamin E is not one nutrient | | | | E and Heart DiseaseDoes Vitamin E aid in the |
| but actually a group of eight nutrients known as | | | | prevention of heart disease? Well, the jury's still out on |
| tocopherols and tocotrienols. Each one of these | | | | this one. Theoretically, the benefits of Vitamin E and its |
| groups is further broken down into alpha, beta, gamma | | | | ability to significantly reduce the progression of |
| and delta.Alpha-tocopherol is the most active and | | | | atherosclerotic plaque (buildup on the inside of your |
| common form. This is the form most often found in | | | | artery walls), says yes, without a doubt.An article in the |
| vitamin supplements. This is also the only form of | | | | Journal of the American Medical Association says so |
| Vitamin E given an RDA (Recommended Daily | | | | also. Using angiography, a correlation was found |
| Allowance). Folks who eat lots of fruits and | | | | between taking Vitamin E supplements and a reduction |
| vegetables and not much fat in their diet, probably don't | | | | in coronary artery atherosclerosis. Remember the |
| get their RDA of alpha-tocopherol. Although | | | | above benefits of Vitamin E and how Vitamin E acts |
| alpha-tocopherol is the only Vitamin E component | | | | as an antioxidant? Well this is the same mechanism.As |
| given an RDA, Gamma tocopherol is an important | | | | Jeffrey Blumberg, Ph.D., F.A.C.N. of Tufts University, |
| component as well.Vitamin E is an oil soluble vitamin | | | | Boston, Massachusetts states "... surveys of over |
| and is stored by your body.Benefits of Vitamin E and | | | | 200,000 people in different communities around the |
| What It Does For YouWhat does Vitamin E do? | | | | world have provided compelling evidence that diets |
| Vitamin E acts as what's called an antioxidant. If you've | | | | high in vitamin E and/or use of vitamin E supplements |
| read the section of my site on Health Supplements, | | | | reduce the risk of heart disease."Dr. Blumberg stresses |
| you've no doubt read about what an antioxidant does. | | | | the importance of making the distinction between what |
| If not we can review quickly.The cells of your body | | | | he calls primary and secondary prevention. Primary |
| are under a lot of stress... oxidative stress. Oxidative | | | | prevention focuses on groups of healthy people and |
| stress occurs when highly unstable molecules called | | | | testing for new heart disease against different levels |
| free radicals roam freely throughout your body. Free | | | | of Vitamin E intake over many years. Secondary |
| radicals are a by-product of not only the normal | | | | prevention is taking groups of folks with existing heart |
| metabolic processes of your cells but also your | | | | disease and testing for a short duration using Vitamin E |
| environment. Things such as air pollution, sun exposure, | | | | supplements along with placebos.It is felt that the |
| ozone, nitrous oxide (from auto exhaust), cigarette | | | | results of some secondary trials (the ones that claim |
| smoke, alcohol consumption and so on.Free radicals | | | | no beneficial relationship between Vitamin E and heart |
| damage cell membranes and can result in changes to | | | | disease) may be skewed by other factors in these |
| your cells that cause chronic diseases down the road. | | | | heart patients such as smoking and diabetes. Also the |
| When your cells are being damaged by these free | | | | drugs that these folks are taking along with the Vitamin |
| radicals, we say your cells are experiencing oxidative | | | | E supplements could also affect the outcome of the |
| stress... and one of the benefits of Vitamin E is that it is | | | | research.Concerning the benefits of Vitamin E, Dr. |
| an antioxidant and can significantly neutralize the free | | | | |