What if we told you there was a vitamin that plays the role of an antioxidant, preventing
free radical damage to specific fats in your body that are crucial for your health and
naturally slows aging?
It’s true there is!
We’re talking about vitamin E, and believe it or not, vitamin E benefits don’t end
there.
Other benefits include treating and preventing diseases of the heart and blood vessels, such
as chest pain, high blood pressure, and blocked or hardened arteries.
A deficiency of Vitamin E can lead to conditions like heart diseases, an eye disorder and even
mental issues.
So, it’s pretty important for your body to have enough Vitamin E, but how can you
tell if you are getting enough?
Well, there are signs and symptoms of a Vitamin E deficiency and in today’s video, we will
tell you what these are.
From losing your hair, dry flaky skin, eye problems to hormonal imbalances and many more,
stay tuned to hear about them all.
Before we get into the actual symptoms let’s talk about the health benefits of Vitamin
E and why it is so important for you.
Prevents Eye Disease: Vitamin E is integral to eye health, aiding in the self-repair of
the retina, cornea, and uvea which is the pigmented portion of your eye.
A study concluded that vitamin E supplementation was associated with a reduced risk of age-related
cataracts.
Vitamin E supplements have been used to treat an eye disorder in newborns known as retinopathy
of prematurity.
Balances Cholesterol: Cholesterol is a naturally occurring substance made by the liver and
required by the body for the proper function of your cells, nerves and hormones.
When cholesterol levels are in their natural state, they’re balanced, normal and healthy.
When cholesterol oxidizes, it becomes dangerous.
Studies have shown that certain isomers of vitamin E serve as a protective antioxidant
that fights cholesterol oxidation.
This is because they can fight free radical damage in the body, which leads to cholesterol
oxidation.
Vitamin E can also positively impact your cardiovascular health due to their ability
to reduce activity of an enzyme that controls cholesterol production.
It can also slow down progression or hardening/thickening of the arteries.
It’s important to note synthetic vitamin E doesn’t have the same benefits of natural
forms.
Repairs Damaged Skin: Vitamin E benefits skin by strengthening the capillary walls and improving
moisture and elasticity, acting as a natural anti-aging nutrient within your body.
Studies have shown that vitamin E reduces inflammation both within your body and on
your skin, helping maintain healthy, youthful skin.
These antioxidant properties are also helpful when you’re exposed to cigarette smoke or
ultraviolet rays from sunlight, protecting against skin cancer.
Taking vitamin E with vitamin C fights skin inflammation after exposure to UV radiation
and can also be useful in decreasing signs of acne and eczema.
It also helps the healing process of your skin.
It’s absorbed by the epidermis layer of your skin and can be used to treat sunburns,
which is one of the leading causes of skin cancer, among other factors.
Because it speeds up cell regeneration, it can be used to treat scars, acne and wrinkles;
this makes your skin look healthier and younger.
Thickens Hair: Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant which helps decrease environmental damage
to your hair.
It can also promote circulation to the scalp.
Vitamin E oil can retain the natural moisture in your skin, which helps your scalp from
becoming dry and flakey.
This oil also makes your hair look healthier and fresher.
You can apply a few drops of vitamin E oil on your hair, especially if it looks dry and
dull.
Balances Hormones: Vitamin E can play a crucial role in balancing your endocrine and nervous
systems, naturally working to balance hormones.
Symptoms of a hormonel imbalance may include PMS, weight gain, allergies, urinary tract
infections, changes in the skin, anxiety and fatigue.
By keeping your hormones in balance, you will find it easier to maintain a healthy weight,
keep a regular menstrual cycle and find yourself feeling more energetic.
Helps people with Alzheimer’s Disease: Research shows that the anti-inflammatory activity
of tocotrienols, which are a group of chemicals that are part of the vitamin E family contribute
to their protection against Alzheimer’s disease.
Vitamin E may slow down the worsening of memory loss and functional decline in people with
moderately severe Alzheimer’s disease or other neurodegenerative disorders.
It can also delay the loss of independence and the need for a caregiver or assistance.
Vitamin E, taken with vitamin C, can also decrease the risk of developing several forms
of dementia.
Improves Physical Endurance and Muscle Strength: Vitamin E can be used to improve your physical
endurance.
It can increase your energy and reduce the level of oxidative stress on your muscles
after you exercise.
Vitamin E can also improve your muscle strength.
It eliminates fatigue by promoting blood circulation and can also strengthen your capillary walls
and nourish your cells.
Ok, So now that you know the health benefits, let’s move on and talk about the signs of
a Vitamin E deficiency:
Impaired Immune Response: Vitamin E plays a key role in proper function of your immune
system.
Vitamin E deficiency stunts the immune system response to harmful agents that trigger sickness
and disease.
As such, if you have vitamin E deficiency, you may become ill more often and experience
longer durations of illness.
Additionally, relative symptoms of illnesses may be worse in those with a vitamin E deficiency.
Loss of Muscle Mass: Bodybuilders have been singing the health benefit praises of vitamin
E for years.
As it turns out, scientists and researchers are in agreement with our bulkier counterparts.
Specifically, muscle cells have a tendency to tear, requiring an assortment of vitamins
and nutrients to aid the healing process.
Physiologically, vitamin E ensures that the plasma membrane which is an essential component
of muscle repair, remains intact.
Nervous System Problems: Deficiency of Vitamin E can cause nervous system related problems.
This includes burning sensation, numbness, tingling and pins and needles.
It may also cause a loss of sensation in your hands, feet, arms and legs.
Vitamin E deficiency can cause poor balance due to decreased muscular sense.
You may be unable to do certain basic tests like standing straight with a narrow base
of support with your eyes closed.
Poor Skin Health: Vitamin E protects your skin against the harmful effects of ultraviolet
rays of the sun.
If you have a vitamin E deficiency, your skin is more prone to damage.
This can lead to an increased risk of acne, blemishes and pigmentation.
Lack of vitamin E further induces the possibility of free radical attack, which makes the skin
look dull and older.
Fertility Problems: Vitamin E maintains the health of the reproductive system.
Its deficiency can lead to abortions, miscarriages and infertility.
Men can suffer from enlarged prostate, impotence and the chance of becoming sterile.
Babies who are born with a vitamin E deficiency can have anemia with shiny skin, puffy eyes,
firm legs, and low birth weight.
Hair Loss: Vitamin E is vital for good blood circulation.
Good circulation feeds your scalp, hair follicles and keeps them healthy.
Its deficiency can cause hair loss.
Vitamin E can be obtained from olive and canola oil, soybeans, nuts and seeds.
Cooked dried beans, kidney, pinto, garbanzo and black beans are also sources of vitamin
E.
Vision Problems: If you are having problems with your vision, it could mean that you are
vitamin E deficient.
Vitamin E has been shown to prevent, slow progression of, or improve macular degeneration.
Vitamin E deficiency weakens light receptors in your retina and other cells in the eye.
This can lead to vision deterioration and possibly total vision loss over time.
Muscle Weakness: Not only can deficient levels of vitamin E result in loss of muscle mass,
it can also cause your muscles to become frail.
The physiological mechanisms that promote muscle weakness is similar to muscle loss.
Deficiency of E vitamins allows free radicals to attack the innards of your muscle cells.
Scientists have also discovered the links between vitamin E and muscular dystrophy and
diabetes-related muscle weakness.
Cognitive Difficulties: Your brain is highly sensitive to the effects of free radicals
and oxidative stress.
In advanced stages, a vitamin E deficiency can directly impact basic cognitive functions.
People that test for high vitamin E levels often demonstrate better cognitive performance.
Vitamin E has been shown to prevent or delay cognitive decline which has been tested in
clinical trials in both aging population and Alzheimer’s disease patients.
Ok, now that you know the symptoms of Vitamin E deficiency, we will tell you how you can
correct it.
Diet: The best way you can correct Vitamin E deficiency is through your diet by eating
foods rich in Vitamin E. Some good sources of Vitamin E include nuts and seeds, such
as almonds, sunflower seeds, peanuts, and peanut butter, whole grains, vegetable-based
oils, especially olive and sunflower and Green Leafy vegetables.
Other food items that are a good source are eggs, fortified cereals, kiwi and mango.
Supplementation: Although taking supplements is a popular way to add vitamins and minerals
to your diet, you should be cautious about taking vitamin E in supplement form.
Supplements aren’t regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, so it can be
difficult to determine the quality of the ingredients.
It may be unclear what vitamin E you’re getting.
For example, some supplements only contain one type of vitamin E. Your body needs other
types found in various food sources.
It’s always best to get your nutrients from whole foods, rather than supplements.
Concentrated supplements , not multivitamins, can contain more vitamin E than you need.
This may cause side effects and lead to further complications.
Even if you do purchase a supplement from a reputable brand, there’s a chance that
it can interfere with other medications that you’re taking.
Did you already know about Vitamin E Deficiency?
Have you ever had a Vitamin Deficiency?
Let us know in the comments section below.