But it's the most frequently used letter in the English language. And so it is with vitamin E and the human body. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that protects the body's cells from oxidation damage caused by free radicals that contribute to the development of health problems such as cancer and heart disease. Some researchers speculate that the aging process itself is the result of years of accumulated damage by free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive substances that result from normal metabolism and from exposure to environmental factors like cigarette smoke and ultraviolet light.
Vitamin E is indispensable for good health.
Every cell in the body needs some, but it is especially important in protecting blood cells, the nervous system, skeletal muscle and the retinas of your eyes from free-radical damage. Vitamin E works with other antioxidants, such as vitamin C and selenium, to help protect the body from damage caused by these free radicals. Vitamin E is a broad term that refers to a family of compounds. There are two groups of vitamin E compounds, the tocopherols and the tocotrienols. Each of these comes in four slightly different chemical shapes.