Vitamin E (tocopherol). Vitamin E for a nursing mother and baby: what foods contain

Unlike other vital substances, vitamin E in foods occurs quite often. When we are healthy, we usually do not lack it. In addition, this vitamin is able to accumulate in our body in adipose tissue and, as necessary, be taken for our needs.

Like many vitamins, this is not one substance, but a group of similar compounds. It occurs naturally in eight varieties. The generally accepted name for vitamin E is tocopherol (which in Greek means “bearing offspring” or “promoting birth”), and the most common and active of them is alpha-tocopherol

The vitamin got its name for a reason. It is noticed that tocopherols affect the activity of the sex glands. With its shortage, various changes occur in the growth and development of sperm. In women, a lack of vitamin E leads to repeated abortions and infertility.

12-14 mg of vitamin E is enough for us per day. Overdoses are also rare, because. taking up to 300 mg per day is not dangerous to health. But of course, we must remember that any food and any substance can be both a medicine and a poison at the same time, it all depends on the amount.

Therefore, extreme doses of vitamin E can lead to indigestion, weakened immunity, bleeding and vitamin K blockage. You are unlikely to get an excess amount from food, this is possible only with the uncontrolled use of vitamin preparations.

Vitamin E in products of plant and animal origin.

The main location of vitamin E is plant products, especially various vegetable oils are saturated with it. Tocopherols protect them from spoilage, preventing them from becoming rancid quickly. For example, unrefined sunflower oil contains 63 mg per 100 g, so one tablespoon is the daily norm for us. In 100 g of wheat germ oil - 160 mg - already half a teaspoon contains the daily allowance. Refined oils contain much less tocopherols.

In sufficient quantities, this substance is present in nuts and seeds. Even a few nuts can contain half the daily requirement of tocopherols. And everyone can eat it. In our favorite sunflower seeds in 100 gr. - 1.5 (one and a half) daily norms of vitamin E, and in pumpkin - one daily norm.

This vitamin of youth is also found in vegetable products: red and white cabbage, tomatoes, celery root, pumpkin, sweet peppers. It is also found in greens: spinach, sorrel, parsley.

Of the berries and fruits richest in vitamin E: raspberries, blueberries, black currants, fresh rose hips, plums, avocados; as well as dried fruits: apples, pears, prunes, apricots.

In animal products, vitamin E in sufficient quantities is much less common. The exception is, perhaps, black caviar and eggs, even one may contain half the daily allowance.

In other fish, meat and dairy products, from 1% to 5% of the daily norm in 100 gr. product.

Tocopherols are quite stable and do not break down when heated, retaining all useful properties. But prolonged frying of products, as well as reheating, significantly reduce their number.

Why, with such an easy availability of this vitamin, there is a lack of it. This is mainly due to a lack of fat in the diet or malabsorption of fats, because. fat soluble vitamin. Poor absorption of tocopherols occurs with diseases of the pancreas or gallbladder. These diseases are typical for residents of northern latitudes.

Of course, even a heavily slagged body poorly absorbs vitamin E from food, and not only it. If you consider this nonsense, and you are sure that the body has all the mechanisms for cleaning the body, then just think - why all the religions of the world, starting even from the pagan ones, had fasts and abstinence from various foods at certain periods.

It is no coincidence that from antiquity the expression came to us: "In a dirty vessel, water will never be clean."

Action of Vitamin E

All tocopherols are powerful antioxidants. This means that they are able to neutralize free radicals (destroyers of our cells). But the most important value of vitamin E is that it does not allow them to damage the membranes (membranes) of cells and intracellular formations.

Tocopherols maintain the normal structure of the walls of our blood vessels, preventing them from thinning and breaking down. And strong and elastic vessels are already a significant contribution to health.

Vitamin E, together with vitamins A and C, as well as the microelement Selenium, limit the intake of harmful substances that cause oncological diseases into the body. It is able to accelerate wound healing and reduce scarring.

A sufficient amount of tocopherols in the skin allows you to retain the necessary amount of moisture in the upper layers and protects it from ultraviolet radiation. No wonder this vitamin is in many sunscreens.

Our body is not able to synthesize tocopherols, and they must be supplied with food. But since vitamin E is found in sufficient quantities in homemade foods, any deficiency in the body will always be associated with a lack of fat in the diet or a violation of their absorption.

Today it is useful to know foods containing vitamin E, as the body's need for antioxidants increases every day, and vitamin E is one of the few antioxidant vitamins. Bad ecology, stress, inadequate and sometimes unsafe nutrition - all this causes negative reactions in the body and increases the importance of antioxidants for humans.

Vitamin E properties

• Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin. Due to this, it can accumulate in human adipose tissue, where it is stored for many years. Excess Tocopherol that is not absorbed is excreted from the body by the liver with bile, kidneys, intestines and skin.
• Vitamin E is part of the cell membrane. It exhibits protective properties and protects the cells of the body from peroxidation. This process leads to aging and death of cells, and can also be the cause of the emergence and development of malignant cell formations. Therefore, the lack of tocopherol can lead to an increase in susceptibility and damage to cells by toxic substances, and, as a result, to a weakening of the immune system.
• Vitamin E acts on erythrocytes (red blood cells), helping them move through the blood vessels and preventing them from sticking to the walls of these vessels. Also, tocopherol neutralizes the action of vitamin K, which prevents platelets from sticking together. Thus, it prevents thrombosis. Therefore, it is prescribed as a means for the prevention of atherosclerosis.
• Vitamin E affects the functioning of the sex glands. So, with its deficiency in men, the production of active spermatozoa decreases, and in women, menstrual irregularities occur. Therefore, tocopherol is called the "vitamin of reproduction."
• Vitamin E improves tissue metabolism and cell nutrition. In addition, it prevents their damage by endogenous oxidants. This improves the condition of the skin, hair, nails. This causes the effect of "rejuvenation" of the body. Therefore, tocopherol is often included in cosmetic products (creams, lotions, lipsticks). Its local effect on the skin is noticeable, but it is not advisable to replenish the content of the vitamin in the body in this way - it is not absorbed.
• Vitamin E is necessary for the normal growth of the body, the development of internal organs - the liver, kidneys, muscles, nervous system. Its deficiency leads to muscular dystrophy, apathy, dry skin, hair loss, and the appearance of age spots.

The body's need for tocopherol

Today, doctors disagree on what should be the daily dose of vitamin E, and whether its excess is harmful to health. Doctors agreed on one thing - with a normal diet, a modern person receives a sufficient amount of vitamin E with food, and does not need an additional intake. Nutritionists recommend daily doses of vitamin E:

• Children - 5 mg,
• Adults -10 mg,
• Pregnant and lactating - up to 15 mg.

Such amounts can easily be obtained with daily meals.

* The table shows data on the content of vitamin E in 100 g of the product

This table shows that the required amount of tocopherol is easily covered by the daily diet. Only a few categories of people may have problems getting their daily dose of vitamin E.

• Premature babies, especially those weighing less than 1.5 kg. These children have not yet formed the process of assimilation of fats, so there are problems with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, including vitamin E.
• People with congenital disorders of fat absorption. Such people suffer not only from a deficiency of tocopherol, but also from a lack of other substances whose absorption depends on the absorption of fats.
• People with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract who have impaired absorption of nutrients (due to surgery or disease).

In other people, including children and the elderly, a lack of tocopherol is observed very rarely, and is usually caused by a diet poor in vegetable fats and vegetables, diets and malnutrition (or starvation).

Products containing tocopherol

It is worth noting that vitamin E is formed exclusively in plants. But since this vitamin is fat-soluble, it can also accumulate in animal products, although in smaller amounts per 100 g of product.

Eating foods that contain vitamin E will fully satisfy your body's need for this vitamin. However, when preparing them, keep in mind that tocopherol is resistant to any cooking, but does not withstand direct exposure to sunlight. Therefore, do not leave such products in the light. And be healthy!

Who discovered vitamin E? What products contain it? How does it affect human health? What are the symptoms of hypo- and hypervitaminosis? Interaction with other vitamins, indications and daily dose.

Discovery of vitamin E

In 1920, the role of tocopherol in the reproductive process was revealed (“tokos” - “offspring”, and “phero” - “I carry”). Experiments on white rats have shown that with a long-term milk diet, their reproduction stops and beriberi develops. Scientists Bishop and Evans in 1922 concluded that during normal conception and ovulation, fetal death occurred in pregnant female rats if the fat-soluble factor found in grain germs and green leaves was excluded from their diet. Vitamin E deficiency in male rats was manifested by changes in the seminal epithelium.

The first preparations of tocopherol were obtained in 1936 by extraction from the oils of grain sprouts, and it was synthesized by Karrer in 1938. In a subsequent study by E.A. Sinkov, V.E. Romanovsky “Vitamins and vitamin therapy”, it was shown that the role of tocopherol is not limited to changes in reproductive function.

The action of vitamin E

• Vitamin E is essential for tissue regeneration;
• Useful in the treatment of fibrotic breast disease, premenstrual syndrome;
• Improves blood circulation;
• Provides healing and normal clotting;
• Helps prevent cataracts;
• Reduces the possibility of scarring from certain wounds;
• Relieves leg cramps;
• Reduces blood pressure;
• Prevents ;
• Strengthens the walls of capillaries, maintaining the health of nerves and muscles;
• Able to alleviate the course of Alzheimer's disease and diabetes.

Tocopherol interaction

1. Absorption may be hindered by inorganic salts (chloride and sulfate). If it is impossible to cancel iron preparations, iron gluconate or furamat is used instead of inorganic salts.
2. Absorption can reduce the use of contraceptive drugs.
3. To increase the activity of tocopherol, it is recommended to take ascorbic acid.
4. Vitamin E deficiency leads to a decrease in magnesium in the body and a violation of the activation of calciferol in the liver.
5. Its content in the body is affected by a lack of zinc.

Indications for the use of vitamin E

• hypovitaminosis
• reproductive dysfunction
• threatened miscarriage
• neurasthenia with overwork
• climacteric vegetative changes
• asthenic syndrome
• primary muscular dystrophy
• diseases of the muscles and ligaments
• amyotrophic lateral syndrome
• post-traumatic secondary myopathy
• proliferative and degenerative changes in large joints and ligaments of the spine
• psoriasis
• dermatoses, dermatomyositis
• in geranthology
• with epilepsy
• during the period of convalescence in diseases that occur with fever
• in complex treatment (as an antioxidant)
• spasm of peripheral vessels
• in pediatrics (with scleroderma, malnutrition, etc.)

Informative video about vitamin E:

Vitamin E is one of the essential natural substances, without which the normal functioning of the human body is impossible. The natural compound is directly involved in the processes of reproduction, growth of tissues and cells, maintains the protective qualities of cell membranes, and creates immunity. The intake of vitamin E in the body occurs with food, so it is important to make a diet from foods that contain these substances. What foods contain vitamin E? How does it affect the body?

Tocopherol is a natural antioxidant that preserves youth, tone of all tissues and muscles. With a shortage, there is a decrease in reproductive function or its absence. Products containing vitamin E are always on store shelves, you just need to know which ones contain it the most. The table of the content of substances in food will help you figure out which useful components are found in large quantities.

When there are not enough tocopherols

Tocopherol deficiency in the human body develops rapid aging of cells, making them susceptible to toxins and viruses.

Lack increases the risk of developing cancer, cardiovascular disease, causes a decrease in skin turgor and muscle damage. Consequences of tocopherol deficiency and the diseases it causes:

Vitamin E refers to fat-soluble compounds - it tends to accumulate in body fat. The deficit does not appear immediately, but gradually, when natural reserves are exhausted. With a shortage, increased fragility of hair and nails is observed. Hair becomes dull, falls out easily, nails exfoliate and do not grow. Wrinkles quickly form on the skin, flabbiness, dryness, change in shade, exacerbation of dermatitis, eczema are observed.

When can vitamin starvation occur? Deficiency can appear in the absence of vegetable and animal fats in the diet. As a rule, women who go on a strict diet that excludes fatty foods at the root are at risk.

An unbalanced diet for weight loss can cause accelerated wear of the body, decreased performance, libido, and immunity.

What are tocopherols and tocotrienols

Under the concept " vitamin E"combine a group of complex organic compounds that are soluble in fats - tocopherols and tocotrienols. Distinguish groups of substances with symbols by letters of the Greek alphabet: alpha (?), beta (?), gamma (?), delta (?). Do they have increased activity? - and? - tocopherols. The active substance is found in all vegetable oils.

Good absorption of tocopherol is promoted by vitamin A (retinol), it is also fat-soluble. Vitamins A and E in products are found in the complex. Products containing vitamin A and E are most often of plant origin.

According to the norm, a person should receive at least 10 mg of tocopherol daily with food. This is the minimum necessary for the normal functioning of the body. The intake of retinol should be at least 1.5 mg. For pregnant women, the rates are doubled.

http://youtu.be/-mn59psMCVM

Diet

Vital foods that contain tocopherol in large quantities are vegetable oils without heat treatment. It is useful to eat daily 1-2 tbsp. tablespoons of unrefined olive oil. Under the action of high temperature destroys tocopherols, therefore the assertion that foods fried in oil are healthy and there are useful substances is erroneous.

The sun's rays are detrimental to tocopherol - it is destroyed by ultraviolet radiation in the same way as during heat treatment. Therefore, you should not store the oil on a windowsill or in the sun. It is undesirable to keep any food in open sunny places.

Foods containing vitamin E should be included in the daily diet - it stimulates the body and allows you to always stay in shape:

• vegetable oils (wheat germ oil, corn germ oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, pumpkin seed oil);
• eggs;
• nuts (cashews, almonds, walnuts);
• dairy products (milk, cream, butter, kefir);
• beef liver;
• cereals (oatmeal, wheat, bran, wheat germ, muesli, buckwheat, etc.).

In order for useful components to be better absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract, you need to eat foods that contain vitamins A and C. Vitamins A and C are in large quantities in foods:

Products containing vitamin E and A are most preferred for proper nutrition, as the substances mutually reinforce each other's action.

Vitamin E stabilizes the form of retinol, it protects vitamin A from premature breakdown. Retinol promotes good absorption of tocopherol. Therefore, they are considered partner substances. Foods containing vitamin A, E, C should be consumed daily.

It is important to know which vegetables and fruits contain vitamins, give preference to them, add them to salads and eat them raw. Tocopherol is found in large quantities in plant foods - from green mass it is best absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract:

Food content tables

To know which foods have a lot of useful vitamins, you should use a convenient table. Tocopherol content table will help you create the most healthy diet nutrition. The values ​​show that sunflower oil contains more vitamin E.

According to the values ​​of the second table, it can be seen that the leader among vegetables is pumpkin, carrots, sweet peppers, celery - they contain the largest amount of beta-carotene - a derivative of retinol.

Proper nutrition is crucial for the proper functioning of the human body. A balanced diet that includes proteins, fats and carbohydrates is the key to good health and strong immunity.

In order to always stay in shape, it is important to combine foods containing vitamins E, A, C and others.

Discovered in 1922, the vitally important fat-soluble vitamin E (by the way, this compound was found fifth among vitamins after a, c, c and e) was named tocopherol, which in Greek means birth-bearing (“tokos” - birth, and “ ferro" - to carry).

Without the magic molecules of vitamin E on planet Earth, the reproductive function of all living organisms would simply die out, since this compound is responsible for the health of the pelvic organs.

• Fat-soluble vitamin E is not synthesized in the human body, it can only be obtained from food, usually saturated with fats.

Having information about which foods contain the largest amount of vitamin E, and how to properly compose a daily menu, you can prevent a deficiency of this substance in the body and related failures in the smooth operation of all systems. Therefore, today we publish the most interesting and useful information about tocopherol.

Source of beauty and health!

The main functions of vitamin E in the human body:

• Tissue regeneration;
• Takes part in protein metabolism;
• Maintaining the functions of the thymus gland, which produces immune cells;
• Harmonization of the sex glands, maintaining the reproductive function of the male and female body;
• Proper development and growth of the fetus during pregnancy;
• Protecting the body from radiological and electromagnetic radiation;
• Renewal of liver cells;
• Neutralization of free radicals due to the penetration of vitamin E molecules into cell membranes;
• Blood circulation in large and small vessels, activation of the access of oxygen molecules to all organs and tissues;
• Ensuring normal blood clotting;
• Nutrition of the organs of vision;
• Normalization of blood pressure;
• Nutrition and maintenance of skin elasticity (tocopherol is present in elastic and collagen fibers, which are the frame of our skin);
• Strengthening of the vascular walls, increasing their elasticity;
• Improving the processes of hematopoiesis, protection of red blood cells and absorption of iron;
• Nutrition of the brain and maintenance of its cognitive functions are normal.

Increased doses of tocopherol are required for fibrotic pathologies of the mammary glands, premenstrual syndrome, the threat of cataracts and blood clots, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes mellitus, bone and skin injuries, the formation of scar tissue during the healing of wound surfaces, senile pigmentation, hypertension, calf muscle cramps.

Foods rich in vitamin E are recommended by nutritionists to be consumed regularly to protect the body from oxidative stress caused by the damaging effects of free radicals on cells (tocopherol is a universal protector of cell membranes from oxidative effects), respectively, the substance is indispensable for prolonging youth and active longevity.

Many cosmetologists and dermatologists call tocopherol the vitamin of youth and beauty. This is true, since a sufficient intake of this compound with food provides nourishment to the skin and appendages from the inside, preventing the premature appearance of large folds and fine wrinkles.

How much vitamin E does a person need?

The amount of tocopherol in food is measured in international units (IU) or milligrams (mg). At the same time, for vitamin E, 1 IU is approximately 0.7 mg.

• The daily dosage ranges from 3 to 28 IU, depending on the age, gender, characteristics and health of the person.

So, for newborns, 3-4 IU / day is enough (the intake is provided by breast milk), for children (3-10 years old) - from 6 to 8 IU, for adolescents (10-16 years old) - from 8 to 18 IU, for women - 22 IU, for men - 24 IU, for women carrying a child - 24 IU, for women during lactation - from 24 to 28 IU. That is, the maximum daily dosage for an adult is about 20 mg of tocopherol.

Where to find the required element?

It is well known that the most vitamin E in foods is found in unrefined vegetable oils obtained by cold pressing and pressing from seeds and nuts. Other sources of tocopherol include unroasted nuts, seeds, and whole grains. A visual representation of vitamin E (which foods contain the most) is given by the following tables.

It should be noted that tocopherols are destroyed when heated, so it is advisable to use unrefined vegetable oils of the first cold pressing in the form of salad dressings from fresh and boiled fruits, as well as gravy to slightly chilled cereal dishes.

As can be seen from the tables above, the main suppliers of tocopherols are plant products, primarily seeds, nuts and cereals. Therefore, it is worth enriching the daily diet with just such food, and in small quantities. It is enough to eat a handful of peeled dried sunflower or almond seeds per day to provide the body with full fat-soluble vitamins.

Vitamin E - harm in excess!

An excessive concentration of tocopherol in the body prevents the full absorption of other vitamin-like compounds. An overdose of vitamin E provokes malfunctions of organs and systems and can cause apathy, depression, allergic reactions, visual disturbances, fatigue, loss of efficiency, weakness, drowsiness, and digestive problems.

Experienced cardiologists and neurologists argue that an overdose of tocopherol in smokers (a combination of vitamin and nicotine) can lead to a stroke.

Vitamin E deficiency - deficiency symptoms

Systematic lack of vitamin e can lead to the development of the following pathological conditions:

• Cerebellar atoxia;
• Decreased immunity;
• Anemia caused by the destruction of red blood cells;
• Peripheral neuropathy;
• Diseases of internal organs (liver, pancreas);
• muscular dystrophy;
• Migraine;
• Activation of aging processes;
• Impaired absorption of nutrients in the intestines;
• Drying of the skin, peeling, the appearance of premature wrinkles;
• Slowdown of metabolic processes and all the ensuing consequences (obesity, malfunction of the endocrine and reproductive systems, etc.).

9 signs of vitamin E deficiency:

1. Fragility of the nail plates;
2. Dryness of the skin;
3. muscle weakness;
4. Stratification and dryness of hair;
5. Violation of coordination of movement;
6. Decreased sex drive;
7. Low levels of hemoglobin in the blood;
8. Failures in the work of the myocardium;
9. , an increase in the volume of subcutaneous fat.

Vitamin E preparations - an alternative to products?

It should be borne in mind that natural tocopherol is much more active than its synthetic analogues. Since an overdose of vitamin E has much more negative consequences for the body than its deficiency, it is possible to take dietary supplements, pharmaceuticals, capsules and other dosage forms only after consulting an experienced doctor.

Vitamin E of domestic and foreign production is sold in capsules both in pure form (vitamin E soft capsules, vitamin E Zentiva, Evitol, Doppelgerg vitamin E forte, Biovital vitamin E, Enat 400, etc.), and in combination with fat-soluble vitamins, for example , drug Aevit (retinol + tocopherol).

There are many multivitamin complexes containing various doses of tocopherol. The amount, as a rule, is small, of this compound in IU is indicated on each package of the drug.

Indications for prescribing vitamin E preparations:

• avitaminosis;
• reproductive disorders (male and female infertility);
• high sports loads and hard physical labor;
• risk of miscarriage;
• neurasthenia, which developed as a result of overwork;
• climacteric disorders;
• pathology of ligaments and muscles;
• old age;
• epilepsy;
• , dermatoses;
• spasm of peripheral vessels;
• as an antioxidant.

Knowing what foods contain vitamin e, you can easily adjust your diet to provide the body with this valuable compound in a natural and easily digestible form.

Good health to you!