Vitamin E

This nutrient maintains healthy blood vessels, is an anti blood-clotting agent and is useful in the treatment and prevention of heart and circulatory disorders. Vitamin E is also an anti-oxidant which reduces the severity of oxygen and free radicals in ageing the cells of the body. This process needs a brief explanation.

Metal tends to rust in the presence of oxygen and similarly an apple halved will soon begin to deteriorate when exposed to the air. The modern environment is particularly high in corrosive oxidants found largely in the air, in atmospheric pollution and frequently in food and water. It is believed that these cause the body to rust and age at a faster rate than normal. Certain nutrients appear to display a specific anti-oxidant action, vitamin C and selenium in particular, but the most potent anti-oxidant of all is vitamin E. Animals given vitamin E could withstand the effects of environmental pollutants up to 100% longer than animals with inadequate intakes of vitamin E. An experiment was then conducted to see if anti-oxidants and vitamin E in particular could protect cells from damage caused by carinogens (cancer-forming agents). Vitamin C reduced the cellular damage by 31.7%, selenium by 41% and vitamin E by 63.2%. The ability of vitamin E to protect the cell from the ravages of oxidants and carcinogens is the principal reason for its use in an anti-cancer programme. Between 500 i.u's and 800 i.u's are taken daily but this should be under medical supervision. Vitamin E is not recommended for people with cancer of the female reproductive organs.