Vitamin E a Fountain of Youth for Your Skin

Vitamin E is one of the natural antioxidants, proven to help your body fight several health problems and to fend off some of the natural signs of aging. Severe deficiencies of Vitamin E are rare, though some people may not be getting the full recommended daily allowances of many vitamins, including Vitamin E.

There are two recent advances in the understanding of Vitamin E that could ultimately impact a reduction in the tendency for some people to experience heart problems and cancer. Studies are still inconclusive and there seems to be several opinions as to the ultimate outcome of the benefits of Vitamin E to seriously impact these two major health concerns. Whether Vitamin E will ultimately become a viable treatment for those at high risk for heart disease and cancer remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, the benefits of Vitamin E as an antioxidant to help fight aging continue to be touted. Vitamin E supplements are also prescribed in some cases to help those adults at risk for developing cataracts.

Some manufacturers of cold sore medications include Vitamin E to help speed the healing process. A combination of Vitamin E and aloe vera seems to be a very popular remedy that many claim to be very effective in the treatment of severely chapped lips, cold sores and minor infections.

Two groups of people seem to be most at risk for low levels of Vitamin E in the body. Some people have trouble absorbing all fat-soluble vitamins and may show symptoms of deficiencies of several vitamins, including E. Babies who are born prematurely may also be at risk for some time following birth. Some other factors may play a role, including the tendency toward extremely poor eating habits and even some genetic disorders.

Oils tend to be high in Vitamin E with sunflower oil being near the top of that list. A single tablespoon of sunflower oil may provide up to a quarter of the daily recommended allowance for Vitamin E. Corn oil is another viable source. Peanuts, sunflower kernels and almonds are also good sources of this important vitamin.

While there are many uses and effects of sufficient daily consumption of Vitamin E, there continues to be a focus of using Vitamin E as an anti-aging agent. Nearly a decade ago, results of studies indicated that this vitamin slowed the aging process in laboratory experiments. Today, anti-aging creams and cosmetics often include Vitamin E.