Having a well-balanced diet is important for our biological functions as well as keeping our skin, hair, and nails healthy. One of the essential nutrients with a range of benefits is vitamin E, which is an antioxidant found in fresh produce like fruits and vegetables.
This fat-soluble mineral has some amazing health benefits and lowers the risk of several life-threatening diseases. Here are 5 reasons why you should be incorporating more vitamin E in your diet.
Vitamin E for Anti-Aging
Goodluz/Shutterstock | People who consumed less vitamin E than the recommended amount were more prone to early aging
One of the most important qualities of vitamin E is that it is a potent antioxidant that helps in ridding our cells of free radicals, which are toxic particles that speed up aging and tissue damage. Some of the most common sources of free radicals are smoking, drinking, air pollution, and sun exposure.
Over time, this accumulation of free radicals inside our bodies can weaken the cells, leading to an early onset of age-related neurological disorders like dementia and Alzheimer’s. These toxins also lead to a dangerous intracellular process called oxidative stress, causing damage to the DNA of the cells.
A study in 2018 showed that people who consumed less vitamin E than the recommended amount were more prone to early aging and oxidative stress.
Vitamin E for Macular Dysfunction
Robert Kneschke/Shutterstock | Vitamin E can prevent macular dysfunction from getting worse in patients diagnosed with the condition
Free radicals don’t just have a detrimental effect on neurological health but also on our eyesight. Several clinical trials have shown that these toxic chemicals can damage the macula region of your eye, leading to a gradual loss of eyesight.
This damage can be mitigated with a balanced diet rich in vitamin E, which can low the risk of blindness by 19%. However, it’s important to know that vitamin E can only prevent macular dysfunction from getting worse in patients who have already been diagnosed with the condition.
Vitamin E for Immunity
Besides the anti-inflammatory properties of this antioxidant, vitamin E is also good for your immune system, as explained by registered dietician Elizabeth Somer. According to her, vitamin E can increase the number of T lymphocytes in our blood, which are a type of white blood cells that respond to any foreign threats to our immune system.
TKBStudio1985/Shutterstock | Adults with vitamin E deficiency had poor antibody production
As we age, this number of T cells in our immune system starts to decrease, making us more prone to infections and autoimmune diseases. A 2018 study showed that adults with vitamin E deficiency had poor antibody production, although this problem can easily be mitigated through proper supplementation of the vitamin.
