Vitamin E, also known as tocopherol, is essential for your body, as it is an antioxidant that helps protect the body's fatty acids and keep them healthy. Another function of vitamin E in the body is to strengthen the immune system to protect us from viral or bacterial infections.
This well-known vitamin has a set of health benefits that you can take advantage of. However, you should know that its consumption can result in side effects, so it is essential to consult your doctor before administering it via vitamin complexes.
Does taking vitamin E make you fat?
Although vitamin E can cause various side effects, the reality is that it does not make you fat. In fact, by not providing calories, neither vitamin causes weight gain . Nor are nutritional complexes like vitamin E 400 fattening.
If you are taking vitamin E and notice that you have gained weight without having changed your diet, it would be best to visit a doctor, as it could be due to a digestion problem that will surely have to be treated professionally. Another reason vitamin E might cause weight gain is early menopause . In these cases, the lack of estrogen can cause the development of fatty tissue in your abdomen.
However, it is not normal for vitamin E to make you fat, so if you take this vitamin and notice a radical increase in weight , do not hesitate to consult a specialist doctor.
Does the vitamin lose weight?
As we have explained, vitamins do not provide calories. Vitamin E capsules generally have very few of them, so they don't have the possibility of making us fat either. However, you may be wondering if vitamin E can be used for weight loss instead.
Taking vitamin E does not gain weight or lose weight . It is not considered a weight loss supplement. However, it is true that vitamin E helps to strengthen muscle mass , causing the dissolution of fats in the body. In this way, if you are following an exercise regimen to increase muscle or lose weight, vitamin E could be a good ally to achieve more effective results. Do you want to know how you can lose weight using this vitamin? Please note the following:
- By itself, vitamin E will not cause you to lose weight. It is essential that you lead a healthy life, a balanced diet and exercise often.
- One of the best options is to eat foods rich in vitamin E daily to reduce abdominal fat.
- There is also vitamin E in supplement form, capsules that you can find at any pharmacy. It is recommended to consult a doctor first to guide you on the exact amount of these supplements that you should take per day. If you want to know more about vitamin E supplements in capsules, see our article How to take vitamin E in capsules .
Benefits of vitamin E
Vitamin E is known as the vitamin of youth , as it fights cell aging. For this reason it is often used as a treatment against wrinkles, blemishes and scars. In addition, vitamin E also has these benefits:
- Helps fight infections – Because it increases the production of defense cells, it strengthens the immune system and helps you get rid of viral infections.
- Promotes healing : vitamin E stimulates the formation of collagen and elastic fibers, so, although studies on the matter are not conclusive, it is believed that it helps to achieve good healing of wounds and burns.
- It is a powerful antioxidant : by protecting cells from free radicals, this vitamin is used to combat aging and prevent the appearance of wrinkles, which is why vitamin E is considered the vitamin of youth and beauty of the skin. skin.
- Benefits certain vital organs : Vitamin E also reduces the harmful effects of cigarette smoke on the lungs, as well as the damage that alcohol can cause to the liver. It also helps prevent high cholesterol and fights cell degeneration in the brain.
- Protects the membranes of muscles, nerves and the cardiovascular system.
If you want to know more about what are the benefits of vitamin E , feel free to click on the article link where we discuss all about it.
Vitamin E: recommended daily dose
Although there are many benefits of vitamin E, its excessive intake can cause toxic effects in the body. In general, if you consume vitamin E naturally , that is, through your diet, you will be able to access all the positive properties of this nutrient without any negative impact. If you want to reinforce it through supplements, you must take into account the recommended daily dose.
When it comes to synthetic vitamin E or vitamin E in capsules , it is recommended not to consume more than 400 IU (international units) per day. The maximum limit of consumption of this macronutrient should be 1,100 IU daily. Some vitamin E supplements contain values higher than 400 IU, so be sure to check with your doctor to determine if taking supplements is right for you.
For its part, the daily dose of natural vitamin E that is recommended for adults to consume is 15 mg per day. This amount is maintained in adolescents and pregnant women. In children, the dose is lower:
- In infants up to 6 months of age: 4 mg
- In infants 7 to 12 months of age: 5 mg
- In children 1 to 3 years of age: 6 mg
- In children 4 to 8 years of age: 7 mg
- In children 9 to 13 years of age: 11 mg
What time to take vitamin E?
The best time to take vitamin E is during lunch, as it is usually the time of day when we consume dishes with the highest fat content. Being fat-soluble, vitamin E needs fat to be digested properly and not cause stomach upset. If you take it on an empty stomach or after a light breakfast, it could cause heartburn and discomfort.
You can also take vitamin E with foods rich in selenium, vitamin C, and vitamin A. It is not recommended to take it with food or iron supplements.
Side Effects of Vitamin E
It is very rare that cases of vitamin E overdose occur. However, since vitamin E expands blood vessels and prevents blood clots, not moderate consumption can cause excessive bleeding . For this reason, it is not recommended to take vitamin E with anticoagulants or antiplatelets. Also, it is not advised to take it if you suffer from hemophilia.
Also, taking antioxidant supplements during chemotherapy or radiation treatments for cancer can reduce their effectiveness.
Excessive consumption of vitamin E can cause hypervitaminosis E. Although rare, this condition produces symptoms such as dizziness, abdominal pain, high blood pressure and bleeding. Other side effects include headache, fatigue, nausea, skin rash, increased concentration of creatine in the urine, and muscle aches.
Foods with vitamin E
If you want to take advantage of the benefits that vitamin E provides in the most natural, healthy and balanced way, you can add all the foods that contain it to your diet, such as:
- Green leafy vegetables such as spinach, asparagus and broccoli provide vitamin E, in addition to a large amount of nutrients necessary for your body.
- Egg yolk and liver are also great sources of vitamin E.
- Some fruits such as kiwi, mango, avocado, grapes and coconut have a certain amount of vitamin E, in addition to being antioxidant fruits that provide your body with large amounts of nutrients.
- Vegetable oils such as sunflower, olive, soybean or corn oil are the main source of vitamin E, as well as products derived from these such as mayonnaise and margarine. You have to take into account the amount you eat of these foods, since an abuse could lead to serious health problems.
- Nuts such as walnuts, pistachios, almonds, peanuts or hazelnuts.
- Cereals such as oats, wheat , rye and rice.
