Explore our alphabetical guide and discover why you need them, where you can get them and how to catch a deficiency before it catches you. Just click on a letter, and scroll down. Why you need it Vitamin E is an antioxidant and protects molecules and cell membranes in the human body against the destructive effects of oxygen-containing free radicals. It is also thought to play a key role in the functioning of the immune system and the protection of the cardiovascular system.
Secondary sources are barley, oats, rice, corn, wheat, maize, nuts and leafy green vegetables.
Because depletion of vitamin E stores takes a very long time, no clinical deficiency symptoms have been noted in otherwise healthy adults. So although disease conditions associated with vitamin E deficiency are rare, vitamin E's protective role is considered to be essential in nutrition. However, supplementary daily intakes of up to 800mg TE are considered safe. When occasionally present, side effects disappeared when high-dosage supplementation was discontinued. Higher intakes of vitamin E may increase the risk of bleeding in patients treated with anticoagulants.