Excerpt
Vitamin E is all the following eight compounds alpha, beta, gamma, and delta-tocopherol and alpha, beta, gamma, and delta-tocotrienol. Alpha-tocopherol is the only compound of the eight that are known to meet human dietary needs. All of the vitamin E forms are absorbed in the small intestine, and then the liver metabolizes only alpha-tocopherol. The liver then removes and excretes the remaining vitamin E forms. Vitamin E deficiency is extremely rare in humans as it is unlikely caused by a diet consisting of low vitamin E. Rather, it tends to be caused by irregularities in dietary fat absorption or metabolism. Vitamin E is a lipid-soluble nutrient. Vitamin E may have a role in reducing atherosclerosis and lowering rates of ischemic heart disease. Premature infants have low vitamin E reserves due to vitamin E only able to cross the placenta in small amounts.