vitamin e

8 forms of ve

4 are tocopherol the other 4 are tocotrrienol

what is the form of vitamin E that is found in the plasma?

alpha tocopherol, this is also the type that is found in supplements.

what type of vitamin E is found in vegetable oil?

gamma-tocopherol

is gamma tocopherol or alpha tocopherol more biologically active?

alpha-tocopherol is about 10x more biologically active than gamma-tocopherol.

what is vitamin E mostly found in?

-plant foods, which includes: nuts, seeds, and oils from plants

do refined grains include vitamin E?

-no, most vitamin E is in the germ of the grain; therfore it is taken out during refinement and not added back in.

what can destroy vitamin E?

it is not a stable structure, so it is destroyed by light, heat, and oxygen. like roasted nuts are often low in vitamin E due to their exposure to heat. this is also why oil bottles are often dark in color to allow as little light in as possible.

what is the RDA for men and women for vitamin E?

15 mg/day. this number does increase slightly when breastfeeding at 19 mg per day.

how is vitamin E digested?

no digestion

what type of absorption is used for vitamin E?

passive diffusion

what is the amount of vitamin E absorbed?

20-70%

what is the main function of vitamin E?

-its main function is to be an antioxidant, the chemical structure of vitamin E provides hydrogen ions that can be used to terminate the actions of free radicals and limit their destruction.

what is one of the susceptible organic molecules to free radicals?

-polyunsaturated fatty acids that are present in the phospholipid portion of the cellular membrane.

describe how vitamin E plays a role as an antioxidant in the cell membrane:

1. a cell needs a healthy cell membrane to function propely
2. free radicals can damage PUFAs in cell membranes, such damage will weaken the membrane
3. vitamin E donates a stablizing particle to the free radicals so it is no longer destructive.

describe the process of vitamin E and its recycling ability as an antioxidant

-vitamin E will present itself to participate in a redox reaction, vitamin E donates a H+. the molecule that recieves the hydrogen is reduced while vitamin E becomes oxidized. the oxidized version of vitamin E no longer has the capability to neutralize free radicals. luckily we have the ability to recycle vitamin E by reducing it from other vitamins and organic molecules, this allowing vitamin E to continue its role as an antioxidant.

vitamin E deficiency is ________.

rare

who is most likely to have a vitamin E deficiency ?

disease that interferes with fat absorption

what can long term vitamin E deficiency lead to?

nerve damage/neuromuscular issues: blindness; immune function

what is the upper tolerable limit for vitamin E?

1000 mg /d

what is vitamin E toxicity caused by and what are the symptoms?

-it is not common but is conceived through over supplementation. too much vitmain E may cause GI distress or impact bleeding or blood clotting