It is nearly impossible to receive sufficient vitamin E from dietary sources alone, reports the November/December issue of Archives of Family Medicine*.

The authors state that "it would take 1000 almonds to provide 400 IU of vitamin E. Supplementation is the only feasible way to provide large doses of Vitamin E, since dietary sources do not lend themselves to this purpose." Daily intakes of 200-800 IU per day are consider optimal for protection from cardiovascular diseases. Vitamin E is found in many foods, but eating enough to receive only 200 IU on a daily basis can increase one's total calorie intake drastically. Supplements allow you to receive the positive health benefits of vitamin E, without the unwanted increase in calories. Countless studies support the cardiovascular protection that vitamin E provides, and every adult can benefit from this incredibly versatile nutrient.

Vitamin E should be one of the cornerstone nutrients of any supplementation program. Considered to be "Nature's Master Antioxidant," vitamin E is not just an essential nutrient, it protects cell membranes from damaging attack by highly reactive free radicals. Vitamin E is not solely alpha-tocopherol either, it is a family of nutrients that are all part of the food chain. It is composed of other tocopherols and tocotrienols. Many supplements, particularly synthetic vitamin E, do not contain these other important family members.

* REFERENCE: David H. Emmert, MD; Jeffrey T. Kirchner, DO, The Role of Vitamin E in the Prevention of Heart Disease, Archives of Family Medicine, Vol. 8 No. 6, November/December 1999