Vitamin E

What is Vitamin E?

Vitamin E is not just one compound but a group of eight fat-soluble compounds. These are differentiated as tocopherols and tocotrienols. One of the prominent roles of Vitamin E in the body is its function as an antioxidant. It has the essential task of protecting cell membranes from reactive oxygen species.

While the recommended intake varies from one country or health organization to another, there is a general global consensus pointing towards an intake range of 3 to 15 mg per day for adults. Interestingly, despite such guidelines, recent research indicates that the average daily intake stands at only 6.2 mg.

A deficiency in Vitamin E might sound rare, but when it does occur, it's usually attributed to issues related to digesting dietary fat. The consequences of such a deficiency can be severe, leading to nerve problems.

Vitamin E's Role in Modern Medicine

Vitamin E's journey through medical and health literature has been a roller coaster. There was a time when observational studies highlighted a potential link between Vitamin E consumption and a decreased risk of various diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and even dementia.

Controlled clinical trials, known to be the pinnacle of medical research, often failed to replicate these promising findings. This discrepancy was even observed in studies where the Vitamin E doses were as high as 2,000 mg per day.

The U.S. saw a surge in Vitamin E supplement consumption around the early 2000s. But this trend saw a significant decline by 2006. Many theorize that this decrease in popularity was due to the publication of studies that reported minimal benefits or even potential downsides of consuming high doses of Vitamin E.

The Science Behind Vitamin E

Diving deeper into the composition of Vitamin E, it's clear that both its natural and synthetic forms, tocopherols, can be prone to oxidation. This is why dietary supplements often use esterified versions, primarily tocopheryl acetate, to improve stability.

The classification of Vitamin E into its various forms, like α (alpha), β (beta), γ (gamma), and δ (delta), is based on molecular differences, specifically the number and positioning of methyl groups on their chromanol ring. Each of these compounds has a unique chromane double ring structure, which plays a key role in neutralizing free radicals. Their hydrophobic side chain allows for easy penetration into biological membranes, enhancing their protective effects.

Vitamin E in Women's Vaginal Health

• Vaginal Dryness: Topical Vitamin E, in the form of oils or lotions, may offer relief from vaginal dryness or associated irritation. This is one of many reasons Vitamin E is an essential part of the natural vaginal dryness remedy supplement, Soaking Wet.
• Cell Protection: Vitamin E's role in safeguarding cell membranes might extend protection to vaginal cells from oxidative stress.
• Historical Importance: Interestingly, Vitamin E's discovery resonated with reproductive health. The vitamin's initial recognition was anchored in its essentiality for successful live births post-fertilization in rats. Thus, the name 'tocopherol', which translates to 'to bear or carry birth' from Greek, was bestowed upon it.

Sources

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3997530/

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE-HealthProfessional/