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What's New with Vitamin E?
BY JEROME WIERSUM The answer to the above question would take several volumes. While the old information is fascinating, the new discoveries are mind-boggling. In addition, ongoing studies and their future spin-offs will add even more important information to what is existing or safely predicted. Vitamin E intersects, combines with, or directly effects most bodily functions. It is essential; we cannot live without it. In past centuries, before the industrial raping of our soil's nutrients, the pollution of our soil, air and water, and when our diet included nonprocessed foods, we obtained enough vitamin E from food sources. If farm animals, game food, and fish consumed adequate supplies of fully developed plant foods, they too, would be fine sources. However, in today's modern, nutrient-poor agribusiness, this is unlikely. Therefore, to increase our amount of vitamin E to sufficient levels, it is essential to supplement. Vitamin E is made up of eight different compounds, four tocopherols and four tocotrienols. The first vitamin Es discovered and studied were natural extracted oils, which contained all eight elements. However, 'better living' through chemistry synthesized the vitamin, leaving many of the benefits behind. The only synthesized form of vitamin E is dl-alpha tocopheryl (succinate or acetate). Since our cells cannot readily utilize this form, it is only about 40- 50% active. While the benefits of natural d-alpha tocopherol are exciting, more research is now being conducted on gamma tocopherol and its work in conjunction with its gamma tocotrienol counterpart. Gamma tocopherol suppresses nitric oxide (which dilates blood vessels) from becoming harmful nitric dioxide or other damaging nitroradicals. Tocotrienols seem to be active in reducing serum cholesterol, triglycerides (and thus LDL) and alpha lipoproteins. It will dissolve plaque build-up on arterial linings as well as dissolve cholesterol, calcium and other hardening materials in the vessel walls, making them more elastic. It also reverses hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis). While the proper form of vitamin E provides these wonderful health benefits, supplementation may be even more important for those suffering from certain diseases. Illnesses like Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, cystic fibrosis, and cholestasis may actually cause a vitamin E deficiency. There are special forms of vitamin E to aid these conditions. One such form is a polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate form of d-alpha tocopherol TPGS— which is water-soluble. It is important to note that use of this product and any treatment of the previously mentioned diseases require assistance from a qualified specialist. The primary diseases directly assisted by all 8 elements of vitamin E are all forms of cardiovascular disease. Especially through their roles as antioxidants, vitamin Es breakdown saturated serum fats before vessel damage, and repair them if damage has occurred. Many aspects of cancer therapy involve the use of vitamin E and both gammas are involved with diabetes and eye diseases such as cataracts. Skin diseases and burns require it for healing. Also, some people suffering from severe neurological diseases, like Parkinson's, and many with AIDS may reap the benefits of the proper form of vitamin E. A significant amount of education, information, and products N.E.E.D.S. provides focus on autoimmune disease, chemical sensitivities, environmental illnesses, allergies and even aging. Vitamin E is not only helpful as monotherapy in the above, but also in combination with many other supplements to make it more effective. Most of the preceding article comes from personal knowledge and is spelled out in a wonderful book called, The Vitamin E Factor, by Andreas Papas, Ph.D., published by HarperPerennial. This book details vitamin E with the most current information available. If you want an outstanding prevention book in your personal library, it should be this one. In my 50 years in and around many aspects of the medical profession, I've never read a more informative, as well as entertaining book. Dr. Papas doesn't seem to have the characteristics of the father character in the film, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," but he does give Greek meaning to many things—even the word tocopherol (birth giving). Yasoo Health products, developed by Dr. Papas, are antioxidant combinations of all the essentials. The vitamin E groupings are the first products to synergistically combine all 8 elements of vitamin E in the most effective physiological dose. Feel free to contact me at N.E.E.D.S. if you would like further insight on the benefits of these outstanding products. |
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