Among the antioxidants useful to our body,vitamin e's main role is to scavenge free radicals, but this is not its only use. Find out here what you need to know about it, and how to get what your body needs, every day.
What is vitamin e and what is it used for?
Vitamin E or tocopherol contains alpha tocopherol, a compound that is present in very large amounts in this vitamin. This vitamin cannot be produced by the human body and will therefore be available through the recommended dietary allowance, through the diet.
Very important for the health of cell membranes, it is an organic
substance, effective in preserving the lipids contained in our
membranes. It also preserves the lipoproteins from the destructive
effect of lipid peroxidation.
This particular phenomenon generates free
radicals, elements that are particularly harmful and toxic to the human
body.
Vitamin E is actually composed of 8 organic molecules, with tocopherols, and tocotrienols. Alpha tocopherol is known to be more active, but the y-tocopherol form is the most common form. This is found in vitamin-rich foods of this group.
What does it do?
Vitamin E tocopherol protects, as we have just seen, our cell membranes,
but it is also very involved in other processes. It will prevent and
also reduce the oxidation of low-density lipoproteins, otherwise known
as LDLs.
It is therefore involved in the neutralisation of free
radicals.
Among its other actions, it is known to have a preventive and protective role for the heart and the neurological system.
It is also essential for the health of our skin, which must be supple and well nourished. Without it, our skin would not look good and would also be uncomfortable, with tightness and other discomforts.
For all the benefits it has on our bodies, we should make sure we eat foods rich in vitamin E, to get the recommended nutritional intake.
Its role
As we have just seen, this vitamin has several uses. But here is also what it does, in addition, for us:
- it fights against the oxidation of lipoproteins and the oxidation of ldl;
- it has a preventive role in relation to cardiovascular diseases;
- it has a preventive role in relation to a certain category of cancerous diseases;
- it is also effective in the fight against ageing;
Concerning cardiovascular diseases, it contributes to decrease the
degradation of ldl.
These ldl are moreover implied in the action of
transport of the cholesterol, which has a great responsibility at the
time of the occurrence of lesions of arterial type. Vitamin E can help
prevent cardiovascular disease.
In addition, vitamin E tocopherol has anti-inflammatory properties. It acts on prostaglandins. Platelets can also aggregate with each other. Finally, it modulates the various inflammatory processes.
Taking care of the advised nutritional intake is really recommended, so that our body functions optimally,
Side effects of L-Carnitine
Like everything else, L-Carnitine supplementation has side effects when taken in high doses.
It can cause nausea to vomiting, abdominal cramps or diarrhoea, headaches, liver and kidney dysfunction or marked body odour.
Green tea, the natural L-carnitine
Green tea is considered to be one of the best fat burners, and for good reason, it does not affect the muscles. It contains a lot of virtues such as the amino acids lysine. These play an important role in the functioning of the immune system; but also, in cohesion with other amino acids, in the synthesis of proteins and the manufacture of muscle cells.
*Ilias I, Manoli I, Blackman MR et al. L-Carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine in the treatment of complications associated with HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy. Mitochondrion. 2004 Jul;4(2-3):163-8.
