Vitamin E
We like to live
long, healthy lives (well, most of us).
To that end, people around the world ingest dietary supplements based on
vitamin tablets both synthetic and natural.
Vitamins are vital to certain life processes within your body. You usually get vitamins through the foods
you eat (mainly nuts, fruits, and vegetables).
Many act as ’keys’ that unlock certain catalyzed processes.
For many years, the
rule of thumb was that you couldn’t do too much harm if you took daily vitamin
supplements. Few people ever approached
even half of the advised daily maximum limit.
Recent studies over the last two decades have shed some light on one potential
problem related to high doses of Vitamin E.
In the most recent
report from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, a study found that those who
took half of the daily maximum dose had a higher risk of death. Researchers concluded that the safest way to
receive vitamin E was through a healthy diet with nuts and vegetables.
Despite the claims, several
critics have piped up about the bias they feel is evident in the findings. For one thing, there are a high proportion
of elderly folk in the study. This means that their sample is skewed towards
people who are closer to death anyway compared to, lets say, a healthy 25 year-old
adult. How this study extends to that
particular age group is unclear.
Further arguments include
the failure of the study to properly differentiate between synthetic Vitamin E
supplements and natural Vitamin E supplements.
So what’s the best
thing to do right now? Despite the fact
that the newest study has some statistical flaws in it, you should consider
lowering your doses of vitamin E or completely remove them as supplements. Since it’s known that they can harm
some people at high doses, it makes no sense to pursue them as supplements
right now until further studies can elucidate the matter.
Many vitamin E-rich
foods include nuts, green leafy vegetables, and vegetable oils. Purported benefits of Vitamin E are mainly
centered on anti-oxidant related activity that prevents deterioration of your
body’s cells from free radicals.
There are many other
sources of anti-oxidants aside from Vitamin E, so consider switching off
supplements and moving on to Green Tea, for instance. Despite the popularity of vitamins and other herbal medicines,
the best way to live a long, healthy life is still through regular exercise and
a healthy diet.
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