Vitamin E is the collective name for a group of eight fat-soluble compounds with distinctive antioxidant activities that help protect the membranes of cells and reduce the oxidation of the bad cholesterol (LDL). Vitamin E is necessary for structural and functional maintenance of skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle. It also assists in the formation of red blood cells and helps maintain stores of vitamins A and K, iron, and selenium. It may have a positive effect on immune health, protect against the oxidative damage that can lead to heart disease, have preventive effects against cancer, help relieve symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, and may help prevent some diabetes-related damage, particularly to the eyes. Some studies suggest that vitamin E helps to possibly prevent cataracts, and it might be yet another factor in preventing macular degeneration (AMD). Vitamin E deficiency causes such problems as poor transmission of nerve impulses, muscle weakness, and retinal degeneration that leads to blindness. This vitamin is found mainly in foods that contain fat like margarine, vegetable oil, wheat germ, nuts, nut butters, and seeds.
