Antioxidants fight free radicals, which are electrons that have broken off from an atom. Free radicals have been linked to a wide range of health conditions, from cancer to premature aging.
Vitamin E oil is derived from vitamin E and can be applied directly to the skin, or added to lotions, creams, and gels. Many supporters of vitamin E oil argue that it is a potent antioxidant, but research on its benefits is mixed.
BACKGROUND:
This study was performed to evaluate the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of vitamin E on oxidative stress in the plasma, synovial fluid, and synovial tissue of patients with knee osteoarthritis.
METHODS:
Seventy-two patients with late-stage knee osteoarthritis scheduled for total knee arthroplasty were randomized to take oral placebo (Group A) or 400 IU of vitamin E (Group B) once a day for 2 months before undergoing surgery. The blood levels of endpoints indicating oxidative stress or antioxidant capacity, Knee Society Score (KSS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score (WOMAC), and adverse effects were compared before and after the intervention between the two groups. At surgery, these redox endpoints and histological findings were compared between the synovial fluid and synovial tissue.
RESULTS:
In blood samples, the pre-intervention of oxidative stress and antioxidative capacity were not different between Group A and Group B. In post-intervention blood samples, the Malondialdehyde (Group A 1.34 ± 0.10, Group B 1.00 ± 0.09, p < 0.02), Alpha tocopherol(Group A 15.92 ± 1.08, Group B 24.65 ± 1.47, p < 0.01) and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (Group A 4.22 ± 0.10, Group B 5.04 ± 0.10, 0 < 0.01) were significantly different between Group A and Group B. In synovial fluid samples, the Malondialdehyde (Group A 1.42 ± 0.12, Group B 1.06 ± 1.08, p 0.01), Alphatocopherol (Group A 4.51, Group B 7.03, p < 0.01), Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (Group A, 1.89 ± 0.06, Group B 2.19 ± 0.10) were significantly different between Group A and Group B. The pre-intervention WOMAC score and KSS score were not different between Group A and Group B. The post-intervention WOMAC score was significantly improved in all categories in Group B (Pain: Group A 27.26 ± 0.89, Group B 19.19 ± 1.43, p < 0.01; Stiffness: Group A 8.23 ± 0.79, Group B 5.45 ± 0.73, p 0.01; Function: Group A 94.77 ± 4.22, Group B 72.74 ± 6.55, p < 0.01). The post-intervention KSS score was significantly improved in all categories in Group B (Clinical: Group A 25.31 ± 14.33, Group B 33.52 ± 16.96, p < 0.01; Functional: Group A 41.43 ± 16.11, Group B 51.61 ± 19.60, p 0.02). Significantly fewer synovial tissue cells were stained with nitrotyrosine and hematoxylin-eosin in Group B than in Group A. There were no differences in adverse effects or surgical complications between the groups.
CONCLUSION:
Vitamin E is an effective antioxidant that can improve clinical symptoms and reduce oxidative stress conditions in patients with late-stage knee osteoarthritis.
The millennial generation wields immense buying power. According to the United States Census Bureau, this group is now the largest living generation. (Sorry, baby boomers.) Millennials, those born between 1982 and 2000, also have significantly different buying habits than previous generations. When shopping for food, millennial often consider the manufacturer’s social responsibility, nutrition as well as convenience. That’s one reason why products made with Malaysian certified sustainable palm oil can be so appealing to this demographic. This premium oil fulfills their needs on many levels.
Ambient aerosol fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is associated with male reproductive toxicity in experiments and may have adverse effects in the female. However, studies evaluating the protective effects and precise mechanisms of aspirin, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, or ozone against toxic effects of PM2.5are sparse. This study was conducted to investigate the possible protective effects and mechanisms of aspirin, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, or ozone on fertility in female mice treated with PM2.5.
Eighty-four ICR mice were divided into six groups: control group, PM2.5group, PM2.5 + aspirin group, PM2.5 + Vitamin C group, PM2.5 + Vitamin E group, and PM2.5 + ozone group. PM2.5was given by intratracheal instillation every 2 days for 3 weeks. Aspirin, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E were given once a day by oral gavage for 3 weeks, and ozone was administered by intraperitoneal injection once a day for 3 weeks. The levels of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Western blotting analysis was used to analyze the expressions of Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3 in ovaries. Changes in histological structure were examined by light microscope and electron microscopy was used to detect ultramicrostructure.
The results demonstrated that PM2.5 decreased AMH levels (P < 0.001); however, aspirin (P < 0.001), Vitamin C (P < 0.001), Vitamin E (P = 0.001), and ozone (P = 0.002) alleviated the decrease. Changes of IL-6, TNF-α, 8-OHdG, Bax/Bcl-2, and caspase-3 in PM2.5group were increased compared to control group (P < 0.001), while in PM2.5 + aspirin, PM2.5 + Vitamin C, PM2.5 + Vitamin E, and PM2.5 + ozone groups, they were statistically decreased compared to PM2.5group (P < 0.001 or P< 0.05).
PM2.5cause the damage of ovaries, and aspirin, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and ozone antagonizes the damage. The protective mechanism is probably due to its ability to blunt the inflammatory and oxidative stress caused by PM2.5, which subsequently suppressing the expression of apoptotic regulatory protein and reducing the incidence of ovary apoptosis.
It’s not surprising that nutrient deficiencies are fatigue causes, given that your body’s trillions of cells rely on vitamins and minerals to generate energy. What is surprising is that few doctors recognize the fact that fatigue and lacking energy is often an early symptom of multiple vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Many health care providers also ignore the well-documented fact that lack of vitamins and minerals is a surprisingly common malady. This is true even in the developed world, where we are known as the “overfed but undernourished.”
Four tocopherols are available in nature and are absorbed with the diet, but only one RRR-α-tocopherol satisfies the criteria of being a vitamin. The biological activity of the different tocopherols studied in the rat by the resorption-gestation test has been inconsistently extrapolated to human beings where the tocopherols have no influence on a successful pregnancy. Diminution of RRR-α-tocopherol intake results in diseases characterized by ataxia, whose pathogenetic mechanism, despite vigorous claims, has not been clarified. The calculation of the Daily Reference Intake (DRI), necessary to prevent disease, is based on an obsolete test, the peroxide-induced erythrocyte hemolysis, called the gold standard, but of highly questioned validity. If many epidemiological studies have given positive results, showing prevention by high vitamin E containing diets of cardiovascular events, neurodegenerative disease, macular degeneration and cancer, the clinical confirmatory intervention studies were mostly negative. On the positive side, besides preventing vitamin E deficiency diseases, vitamin E has shown efficacy as anti-inflammatory and immune boosting compound. It has also shown some efficacy in protecting against nonalcoholic hepato-steatosis. At a molecular level, vitamin E and some of its metabolites have shown capacity of regulating cell signaling and modulating gene transcription.
Media Buzz: I went on the NBC lifestyle program, San Antonio Living, to talk about natural ways to boost your energy.
One way to boost your energy is by eating good-for-you fats. We need omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in our diet for brain, skin, heart and joint health. Usually we think of fish or olive oil as way to get these essential nutrients. But other sources include nuts, seeds, avocados and Malaysian palm fruit oil.
The oxidative process in atherogenesis generated by proinflammatory induction and response to antioxidants vitamins in an experimental model were analyzed.
Male rats were used: (A)Control, (B)Control+vitamin E plus C, (C)Hyperfibrinogenemia and (D)Hyperfibrinogenemia+vitamins E plus C. Hyperfibrinogenemia induced by daily injection of adrenaline (0.1mg/day/rat) for 120 days.
3.42 mg/kg of vitamin E plus 2.14 mg/kg of vitamin C, fifteen days after induction. Vascular histology analyzed by optical microscopy. Fibrinogen, nitrites and superoxide dismutase(SOD) analyzed by spectrophotometry.
MANOVA, Hotelling test for post testing, significance level p<0.05.
(C) group showed higher fibrinogen than (A) and (B)(p<0.001). Compared to (C) group, (D) showed a decrease of fibrinogen(p<0.001). A marked increase in nitrites was found in (C) versus (A), (B) and (D) groups(p<0.001). SOD activity increased in (C) group compared to groups (A) and (B) (p<0.001). In the group (D) an increase of the activity of this enzyme was observed in comparison to groups (C)(p<0.001), (A) and (B) (p<0.0001 in both). The (C) group shown endothelial denudation, thickening of the vascular intima and extracellular matrix enlargement with foam cells(p<0.001).
These results strongly suggest that vitamins E plus C produce regression of inflammatory and oxidative stress processes in this experimental model.
Millions of people are regularly exposed to ozone, a gas known to contribute significantly to worsening the symptoms of patients with asthma. However, the mechanisms underlying these ozone exacerbation effects are not fully understood. In this study, we examined the exacerbation effect of ozone in OVA-induced asthma mice and tried to demonstrate the protective mechanism of vitamin E (VE). An asthma mouse model was established, and used to identify the exacerbating effects of ozone by assessing cytokine and serum immunoglobulin concentrations, airway leukocyte infiltration, histopathological changes in lung tissues, and airway hyper-responsiveness. We then determined the amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulated, the extent to which VE induced ROS elimination, and examined the antagonistic effects of VE on the ozone-induced exacerbating effects. This study showed that 1-ppm ozone exposure could exacerbate OVA-induced asthma in mice. More importantly we found that ozone induced oxidative stress in asthmatic airways may lead to the inhibition of Nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and may subsequently induce even more exaggerated oxidative stress associated with asthma exacerbation. Through VE induced Nrf2 activation and the subsequent increase in Nrf2 target protein expression, this study suggests a novel mechanism for alleviating ozone exacerbated asthma symptoms.
As the days grow longer, the sun hotter and the hours spent outside more plentiful, it’s important to know which supplements to take to keep your body functioning in the heat. A study published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine found that vitamin C and vitamin E supplements can help protect skin against harmful ultraviolet radiation. This means less DNA damage, fewer sunburns and decreased risk of skin cancer. However, to reap the shielding benefits of these vitamins, these supplements must be taken together. Only taking vitamin C can increase immune function, and vitamin E on its own is an antioxidant that takes out potentially damaging free radicals. But if you want to enjoy the anti-ultraviolet effects of these supplements, it’s critical to take them both.
