Nutrition Science and Everyday Application - beta v 0.1

VITAMINS AND MINERALS AS ANTIOXIDANTS 477
Food Sources of Vitamin E
Excellent dietary sources of vitamin E include nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils, with additional
amounts provided by green leafy vegetables and fortified cereals. 3
Figure 8.14. Dietary sources of vitamin E. Source: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Surveys of Americans’ diets often find that they provide less than the RDA for vitamin E.
However, these studies may underestimate the amount of vitamin E in the diet because
they don’t fully account for vegetable oils in the diet, as these are rich sources of vitamin E.
Vitamin E can be destroyed at high temperatures, especially when reheated repeatedly, so
oils used in deep frying are not good sources of the vitamin.
Vitamin E Deficiency and Toxicity
Outright vitamin E deficiency with obvious deficiency symptoms is very rare in healthy
people. It most often occurs in people with an underlying disorder that impairs the digestion
and absorption of fat. Symptoms of vitamin E deficiency include nerve and muscle damage,
vision problems, and a weakened immune system. 3
Studies have not found any risks of consuming vitamin E in foods. The UL for vitamin
E is set at 1,000 mg for adults, far above the RDA of 15 mg and far higher than could
naturally be obtained from food. These amounts are available in supplement form, however.
As mentioned, high-dose vitamin E supplements were shown to increase the risk of prostate
cancer in men. Other studies have found that high-dose vitamin E supplements are
associated with an increased risk of hemorrhage, stroke, and death.