Harvard School of Public Health. ‘‘Vitamins.’’ Harvard
University, November 10, 2006.http://www.hsph.
harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamins.html
Maryland Medical Center Programs Center for Integrative
Medicine. ‘‘Vitamin D.’’ University of Maryland Med-
ical Center, 2002.http://www.umm.edu/altmed/
ConsSupplements/VitaminDcs.html/Vitamin
Medline Plus. ‘‘Vitamin D.’’ U. S. National Library of
Medicine, August 1, 2006.http://www.nlm.nih/gov/
medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-vitamind.html
Natural Standard. ‘‘Vitamin D.’’ MayoClinic.com, August 1,
2006.http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vitamin-d/
NS_patient-vitamind
Office of Dietary Supplements. ’’Dietary Supplement Fact
Sheet: Vitamin D.‘‘ National Institutes of Health, April
12, 2006.http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/
vitamind.asp
Tangpricha, Vin. ‘‘Vitamin D Deficience and Related Dis-
orders.’’ emedicine.com, December 22, 2006.http://
[http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic3729.htm](http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic3729.htm>)
Trubo, Richard. ‘‘Researchers Conclude the ‘sunshine
vitamin’ is Good Medicine.’’ eMedicineHealth.com,
February 14, 2006.http://www.emedicinehealth.com/
script/main/art.asp?articlekey=78080
Tish Davidson, A.M.Vitamin E
Definition
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble organic compound that
the body needs to remain healthy. Humans cannot
make vitamin E, so they must get it from foods in
their diet. Vitamin E comes in eight forms. The most
biologically active form in humans is alpha-toco-
pherol. Most vitamin E indietary supplementsis
synthetically manufactured alpha-tocopherol.
Purpose
Vitamin E is one of the more poorly understood
and controversialvitamins. Its exact functions are
not completely clear. Vitamin E is an antioxidant.
Antioxidantshelp protect the body against damage
caused by free radicals. Free radicals are formed
during normal metabolic processes. The quantity of
free radicals in the bodymay also be increased by
exposure to environmental toxins, ultraviolet light,
and radiation. Free radicals have a strong tendency
to react with and damage other compounds, espe-
cially those in DNA (genetic material) and certain
fats(lipids) in cell membranes. Antioxidants prevent
this damage by reacting withfree radicals to neutral-
izethem.Thedamagethatfreeradicalscauseto
cells is believed to play a role in the development of
certain diseases, especially cancer.Manyofthe
health claims for vitamin E are based on its antiox-
idant properties.Description
Vitamin E is a collection of eight different, but closely
related, compounds. These are alpha-, beta-, gamma-,
and delta-tocopherol and alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and
delta-tocotrienol. Each of these compounds has a differ-
ent degree of activity in humans. Alpha-tocopherol is the
most active form. Vitamin E in dietary supplements is
usually a synthetic compound called alpha-tocopherol
acetate. Synthetic alpha-tocopherol is sometimes labeled
dl-alpha-tocopherol.Normal vitamin E requirements
The United States Institute of Medicine (IOM) of
the National Academy of Sciences has developed val-
ues calledDietary Reference Intakes(DRIs) for vita-
mins andminerals. The DRIs consist of three sets of
numbers. The Recommended Dietary Allowance
(RDA) defines the average daily amount of theVitamin ERecommended Dietary Tolerable Upper
Age Allowance Intake Level
Children 0–6 mos. 6.0 IU (AI) 4 mg (AI) Not established
Children 7–12 mos. 7.5 IU (AI) 5 mg (AI) Not established
Children 1–3 yrs. 9.0 IU 6 mg 300 IU 200 mg
Children 4–8 yrs. 10.5 IU 7 mg 450 IU 300 mg
Children 9–13 yrs. 16.5 IU 11 mg 900 IU 600 mg
Children 14–18 yrs. 22.5 IU 15 mg 1,200 IU 800 mg
Adult 19 yrs. 22.5 IU 15 mg 1,500 IU 1,000 mg
Pregnant women 22.5 IU 15 mg 1,500 IU 1,000 mg
Breastfeeding women 28.5 IU 19 mg 1,500 IU 1,000 mg
Food Vitamin E (IU) Vitamin E (mg)
Wheat germ oil, 1 tbsp. 30.5 20.3
Almonds, roasted, 1 oz. 11 7.4
Sunflower oil, 1 tbsp. 8.5 5.6
Hazelnuts, roasted, 1 oz. 6.5 4.3
Peanut butter, fortified, 1 oz. 6 4.2
Safflower oil, 1 tbsp. 6 4.6
Avocado, 1 med. 5 3.4
Olive oil, 1 tbsp. 3 1.9
Peanuts, roasted, 1 oz. 3 2.2
Spinach, raw, ½ cup 3 1.8
Spinach, cooked, ½ cup 2.5 1.6
Kiwi, 1 med. 1.5 1.1
Mango, sliced, ½ cup 1.5 0.9
AI Adequate Intake
IU International Unit
mg milligram(Illustration by GGS Information Services/Thomson Gale.)Vitamin E