Vitamin E is a group of 8 different nutrient compounds: 4 types of tocopherols and four types of tocotrienols. Both tocopherols and tocotrienols are types of vitamin E nutrients. 

Image: Forms of Vitamin E

The most predominant form of vitamin E in the body is α-tocopherol.   It comprises over 90% of the vitamin E found in the body. This form was first isolated from wheat germ oil. Interestingly, the “tokos” in α-tocopherol stands for “childbirth.”

Animal studies have revealed that a deficiency of α-tocopherol increases the risk of infertility. That’s why this nutrient is also known as anti-infertility vitamin or anti-sterility factor X.

Food Sources of Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an essential nutrient, which means we need to obtain this nutrient through food sources.

Some foods rich in vitamin E are almonds, sunflower seeds, avocados, peanut butter, pine nuts, rainbow trout, and pumpkin.

Benefits of Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant and protects our body from the damaging effects of free radicals.

Free radicals are unstable molecules that are harmful to the healthy cells in our bodies.

Vitamin E also has anti-aging properties. 

Absorption and Metabolism of Vitamin E

Once vitamin E enters the body, it is absorbed by the intestines and stored in the adipose tissues, commonly known as body fat. On-demand, the adipose tissues are broken down to release vitamin E.

Here, it is important to know that the liver only acts on α-tocopherol and converts it into a form that is usable by the cells in the body.  All other types of vitamin E are excreted out. 

Vitamin E Deficiency

A healthy adult woman requires about 8 mg of vitamin E per day. In men and pregnant women, the requirement increases to 10 mg per day.

Vitamin E deficiency can result in a weakened immune system, muscle damage, vision loss, and nervous system-related disorders.

Many conditions like cystic fibrosis, short bowel syndrome, and chronic pancreatitis prevent effective absorption of fats, including the fat-soluble vitamin E. So, they can increase your risk for vitamin E deficiency.

Genetics of Vitamin E Deficiency

Genetics is another important factor that contributes to vitamin E deficiency. 

The TTPA gene is crucial for regulating vitamin E levels in the body. It contains instructions for the production of α-tocopherol transfer protein.  This protein is responsible for the distribution of vitamin E obtained from the diet to all the cells and tissues of the body.

Any changes in this gene can affect the amount of the protein produced, and hence the vitamin E levels. People who have these changes are at a higher risk of vitamin E deficiency.

Getting a Genetic Test

A simple genetic test can reveal your genetic status of vitamin E deficiency.

Most genetic tests provide your DNA information in the form of a text file called the raw DNA data. This data may seem like Greek and Latin to you.

At Xcode Life, can help you interpret this data. Upload your raw data and order a nutrition report. 

Xcode Life then analyzes your raw data in detail to provide you with comprehensive nutrition analysis, including information on your vitamin E requirements.

Also Check Out: Gene Nutrition Report Walkthrough!

Video

Vitamin E has gained popularity recently. The association between vitamin E and skin health is a key reason for its popularity.

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble nutrient. Both plant and animal sources are available:

Animal sources: fish and oysters, dairy products like butter and cheese, Plant sources: vegetable oils, nuts and seeds, and green vegetables like broccoli and spinach.

There are 8 different chemical forms of vitamin E found. 

• Tocopherols - alpha, beta, gamma, and delta
• Tocotrienol - alpha, beta, gamma, and delta

All of these have varied effects on the body. Out of these, alpha-tocopherol (α-tocopherol) is the most active form while gamma-tocopherol (γ-tocopherol) is the most common form found in foods consumed by North Americans.

Here are some of the significant functions of vitamin E:

Vitamin E as an antioxidant

Vitamin E is a proven anti-oxidant (substances that prevent oxidation). It helps prevent cell damage from free-radicals.

Free radicals are active molecules in the body that can harm the cells in the body and prevent the cells from staying healthy.

Free-radical damage is the most common reason for skin problems including aging of the skin, development of wrinkles, fine lines, and dark spots, and skin becoming loose and saggy. 

Vitamin E in both dietary forms and topical forms (external application in the form of creams, gels, and serums) is beneficial for healthy skin.

Vitamin E and immunity - Vitamin E helps improve immune response and provide protection against various infections by keeping the immune cells healthy.

Vitamin E and lifestyle risks - Lifestyle risks like smoking, drinking, and UV exposure can harm the cells in the body. Vitamin E provides protection against these.

Vitamin E and degenerative diseases - Many studies have shown that taking the recommended amounts of vitamin E reduces the risk of developing diseases like cancer, high blood pressure, and coronary heart diseases. These promising early results are being further investigated.

The Story Behind Vitamin E

The early 1900s was the time when some of the initial vitamins like vitamin A, B, C, and D were discovered. Scientists and biochemists were involved in intense research identifying what else these vitamins could and couldn’t do.

Herbert McLean Evans and Katherine Bishop were anatomists experimenting with rats at the University of California. They fed rats only milk and studied how the rats were progressing. While they found that the rats were growing healthier, they were not reproducing!

They tried modifying the diet and included some starch and animal fats. The female rats became pregnant but were unable to carry the pregnancy to full term. 

That’s when they introduced lettuce as a part of the diet. Now they found that the rats got pregnant and delivered healthy babies. 

It was then recorded that healthy and natural sources of food were important for fertility. A particular nutrient was extracted from lettuce and was named vitamin E in 1922.

Since the nutrient was related to fertility in rats, it was given a Greek name ‘Tocopherol’. In Greek, ‘toco’ meant birth, ‘pher’ meant carrying, and ‘ol’ referred to it being a chemical. 

Molecular Role Of Vitamin E- Getting Technical

Upon consuming vitamin E rich foods or vitamin E supplements, it is absorbed in the body like any regular fat source that you eat. Vitamin E is absorbed by the small intestine and from here, it reaches the blood and is circulated around.

The liver absorbs most of the vitamin E from the blood. You should know that the liver only acts on alpha-tocopherol and converts it into a form that is usable by the cells in the body. All other types of vitamin E are sent (excreted) out. 

The converted form of alpha-tocopherol is now sent out to the blood and reaches all the tissues and cells.

Excess vitamin E is stored in the adipose tissues (fat-storing tissues present in several locations in the body)  just like how normal fat is stored and is used when needed. 

Did You Know?

The use of vitamin E in the cosmetics and skincare industry has become quite common. Every product in the market seems to have added vitamin E to it.

Are all of these actually beneficial?

No, says research.

Vitamin E needs to remain stable to be useful for your skin. Most generic skincare products use unstable vitamin E forms that get destroyed as soon as you expose the product to light and air.

Hence the products you religiously use may do nothing to your skin.

The next time you buy a vitamin E-enriched product, make sure the base nutrient used is an ester form of vitamin E (a type of compound produced from acids) that is more stable and is also easily absorbed by the skin.

What Happens When You Take Excess Of Vitamin E

You cannot get vitamin E toxicity by just consuming foods rich in vitamin E. You get it only when you consume excess supplements. Here is a list of maximum levels of vitamin E that your body can handle safely.

Vitamin E toxicity can lead to internal and external blood loss (hemorrhage). When you consume excess vitamin E supplements for a longer duration, the side effects get worse. 

What Happens When You Have Vitamin E Deficiency

For normal healthy individuals, vitamin E deficiency is quite rare. These individuals can easily get their recommended values only from regular food that they eat. 

If a person gets vitamin E deficient because of certain genetic and non-genetic reasons mentioned below, it can result in:

• Muscle damage
• Loss of motion in hands and legs
• Vision problems
• Lowered immunity 
• General tiredness

Non-Genetic Factors Affecting Vitamin E Levels

• Fat-malabsorption disorders - Certain health conditions and damage to the intestine can prevent the small intestine from being able to absorb fat. Since vitamin E is a fat-soluble nutrient, that is also not absorbed in the right quantities. This can lead to vitamin E deficiency. Treating the disorder and compensating with a larger dose of supplements help.
• Premature birth - Children that are born prematurely (weighing less than 1.5 kg) can be vitamin E deficient at birth. This can cause an increased risk of infections and vision problems.
• Bile-related disorders - Some diseases like cystic fibrosis or Crohn’s disease can cause lowered levels of bile. Bile is necessary to absorb vitamin E from the small intestine. These disorders can also cause vitamin E deficiency.

Genetic Factors Affecting Vitamin E Levels

Genetically, few people can have higher levels of vitamin E in the body and a few others can have lower levels. You will have to plan your vitamin E intake based on your genetic design.

APOA5 gene - The APOA5 gene is responsible for producing (encoding) the Apolipoprotein A-V protein. This is important for transporting fats including vitamin E. There are two SNPs of this gene that alter the vitamin E needs in the body.

CYP4F2 gene - The CYP4F2 gene produces the CYP4F2 enzyme. This helps in breaking down vitamin E. A particular allele of the gene is known to result in higher levels of vitamin E in the body.

TTPA gene - The TTPA gene helps produce the alpha-tocopherol transfer protein. This helps in transferring vitamin E in the body. Few mutations of the TTPA gene can cause Ataxia with Vitamin E Deficiency (AVED). AVED is another very rare inherited disorder that can lead to vitamin E deficiency.

Here, the transfer protein required to process vitamin E into cell-usable forms is absent or doesn’t function right. AVED results in vitamin E deficiency and individuals with these mutations are likely to require more vitamin E than recommended levels.

MTTP gene - The MTTP gene is responsible for producing a particular type of protein called microsomal triglyceride. This protein, in turn, helps produce beta lipoproteins. Beta lipoproteins carry fats in the food you eat from the intestine to the blood. These also carry fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin E. 

There are about 60 different mutations of the MTTP gene that cause a condition called abetalipoproteinemia.This is a very rare inherited disease that hinders dietary fat absorption in the body.

People with abetalipoproteinemia are likely to require more vitamin E levels. They will need large doses of vitamin E supplements (5-10 grams a day) to prevent getting vitamin E deficient.

Recommendations For Healthy Vitamin E Levels

• Unless you have conditions that can prevent the absorption of vitamin E from food, it is recommended you get your daily dose of the nutrient from the foods you eat. Include a variety of greens, dairy products, and fatty fishes in your everyday diet plan.
• Snack on nuts and seeds. These are amazing sources of vitamin E.
• If certain factors and health issues prevent your body from absorbing the right amounts of vitamin E from your intestine, then consider supplements. Talk to your doctor or a nutritionist about the right doses needed.
• Genetically, few people can be prone to vitamin E deficiency. They definitely have to rely on supplements.

Summary

1. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that is especially known to maintain healthy skin.
2. Vitamin E is available naturally in eight forms. The alpha-tocopherol form is the major kind used by the body.
3. This nutrient is an excellent antioxidant and prevents free radical damage to the cells in the body.
4. While vitamin E deficiency in healthy individuals is rare, vitamin E toxicity can happen when you consume excess supplements.
5. There are many health conditions that can prevent the normal absorption of vitamin E from the intestine and hence leads to a possible deficiency.
6. Genetically, few people can be prone to requiring more vitamin E levels than normally recommended doses. Get your genetic testing done to know your recommended vitamin E values.

References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6266234/

https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/135/3/363/4663706

https://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/topics/vitamine.html

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23183290/

https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/vitamin-e-deficiency

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE-HealthProfessional/

 https://www.healthline.com/health/all-about-vitamin-e

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-e/

https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/health-disease/skin-health/vitamin-E

Dietary Antioxidants Hold the Key for Optimal Health

Well, you’ve heard it umpteen times that you are what you eat. You are probably gearing up already to redesign your food chart to throw in a few healthy choices based on nutritionists' recommendations.

In that case, you must be familiar with the term “antioxidants” – the magical word in the lexicon of health and nutrition that has become a synonym of power-houses of nutrients.

After all, who wouldn’t want to look perennially young, be energetic, and free of ailments! Though such a proposition may sound a fantastic probability, you can turn it into a possibility by opting for a sensible diet plan that includes foods rich in antioxidants.

Antioxidants are naturally occurring chemicals in foods that help to counter the detrimental effects of oxygen free radicals, which form during normal metabolism.

External factors like pollution, ultra-violet radiation, and X-rays also produce free radicals that affect our system. Free radicals are deprived of oxygen and are responsible for the development of serious ailments, including cancer and heart disease.

Antioxidants convert the free radicals into harmless waste products that are eliminated from the body before any damage is done to the body. Thus, antioxidants act as scavengers that rid our body of free radicals that cause serious metabolic disorders by damaging the tissues and cells.

Daily consumption of antioxidants

Plants are one of the primary sources of antioxidants.

Fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, cereals, and seeds are foods that are naturally rich in antioxidants.

The best way to ensure adequate intake of the antioxidants is to consume a variety of fruits and vegetables through a diet consisting of 5 to 8 servings of fruits and vegetables per day.

Fruits and vegetables can help guard against heart disease, cancers, and the effects of radiation, pollution, and aging.

Antioxidant-rich foods

Fruits

Pomegranate, grape, orange, pineapple, plum, apple, and guava are some of the fruits that have the highest concentration of antioxidants.

In addition to being deliciously sweet, berries such as raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries are rich in antioxidants.

These berries are rich in proanthocyanidins - the antioxidants that can help prevent cancer and heart disease as well.

Vegetables

Broccoli, cabbage, carrots, spinach, lemon, ginger, peppers, parsley, kale, red beets, and tomato are vegetables rich in antioxidants.

Broccoli, a cruciferous vegetable, is one of the best antioxidants. It contains more vitamin C than an orange and has more calcium than a glass of milk.

In addition to minerals and vitamins, broccoli is filled with disease-fighting chemicals called phytonutrients.

Sulforaphane, a phytonutrient found in broccoli, has been shown to lower the risk of many types of cancers.

Tomato is the richest source of a powerful anticancer agent called lycopene.

Legumes

Broad beans, pinto beans, soybeans are some of the best antioxidant foods.

Cereals

Barley, millet, oats, corn are cereals rich in antioxidants.

Nuts and Seeds

Pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, groundnut or peanut and, sunflower seeds contain a good amount of antioxidants.

Spices

Garlic, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and oregano are antioxidant spices.

It also has been used as a natural antibiotic to kill off some strains of harmful bacteria.

Garlic is also useful for decreasing blood pressure and cholesterol, removing heavy metals from the body, preventing cancer, and acting as an antifungal and antiviral agent.

One clove of garlic contains vitamins A, B, and C, selenium, iodine, potassium, iron, calcium, zinc, and magnesium.

Green Tea

Green tea contains high concentrations of catechin polyphenols. It is also a powerful antioxidant and is very effective against cancer, heart disease, and high cholesterol.

Vitamins rich in antioxidants

Vitamin A

Vitamin A includes carotenoids and retinol.

They are essential for healthy eyes and prevent macular degeneration or age-related blindness.

The antioxidant in vitamin A neutralizes free radicals and boosts your immunity.

Beta-carotene, which is sometimes called provitamin A, can be found in fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, broccoli, guavas, carrots, pumpkins, apricots, and all green leafy vegetables.

Vitamin B

All B vitamins are essential to a woman’s health.

They are essential for brain functioning, red blood cell formation, and DNA building. The important B vitamins are:

• Vitamin B6 or pyridoxine helps in metabolism and in facilitating brain function. It can help you boost your memory. Bananas, cereals, oatmeal, avocados, beans, meat or poultry, and seeds are rich in vitamin B6.
• Vitamin B9, or folic acid, is an essential vitamin for pregnant women. It strengthens the nervous system of the baby and prevents mental retardation. Vitamin B9 aids the production of blood cells and prevent anemia. Green leafy vegetables, legumes, fortified grains, eggs, and liver are rich in vitamin B6.
• Vitamin B12 is important for metabolism, normal cell division, and protein synthesis. Anemia is one of the most common consequences of vitamin B12 deficiency. Sources of this vitamin include milk, yogurt, cheese, eggs, meat, and fish.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, serves as an antioxidant that facilitates wound healing.

It helps in the formation of collagen, which is essential for the wounds to heal.

It also helps in the production of new red blood cells, which deliver oxygen to your brain and to the other cells of your body.

Vitamin C is present in citrus fruits, grapefruits, strawberries, tomatoes, kiwi, oranges, and broccoli.

Vitamin D

Also called cholecalciferol, this vitamin functions as a hormone and regulates bone homeostasis, together with calcium.

It is an important vitamin for women as it maintains strong and healthy bones.

A deficiency of this vitamin can cause you to have osteoporosis.

Exposure to sunlight helps your body produce vitamin D.

The dietary sources of vitamin D are eggs, fish, and vitamin-fortified products like milk.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E or tocopherol acts as an antioxidant that aids in the production of red blood cells and the maintenance of the integrity of cellular membranes.

It also helps to slow age-related changes in the body.

Sources of this vitamin include nuts and nut products, wheat germ, cod liver oil, corn oil, and safflower oil.

Eat healthy to stay healthy

In reality, eating healthy is never a cumbersome task. It all starts with a simple step of ringing in variety to your table.

• Include a wide variety of vegetables and fruits that are of different colors. Antioxidants endow plants with their natural color to protect them from the vagaries of climate.
• Control your temptation to pick up those attractive packs of processed and synthetically flavored foods. Keep off these labeled foods that are rich in preservatives. Enjoy eating foods in their whole form – be it fruits or brown rice or brown bread or unrefined grains or nuts. Lastly, remember that refined foods are almost devoid of antioxidants.
• To the best extent possible, always cook your food by steaming or grilling instead of frying that enhances the carcinogenic properties of food.
• Do not succumb to the temptation of substituting the natural sources of antioxidants with the antioxidant supplements. Supplements that contain antioxidants in excess have found to be harmful to the functioning of the body. Remember, supplements are not our primary sources of nutrients. The best way to receive the essential nutrients that your body requires is only through food.
• Foods rich in antioxidants supply the essential nutrients for your well-being. Include them generously in your diet every day and get that protective cover that shields you from ailments.

Do you have your DNA raw data from 23andMe, AncestryDNA, FTDNA, MyHeritage?

Upload your DNA raw data to Xcode Life to get insights into 700+ health-related traits!

Updated 22 May, 2020

PON1 gene and Antioxidant Needs

An introduction 

PON1 gene in humans is located on the long arm of chromosome 7.

This gene was the first discovered gene of the paraoxonase multigene family along with the PON2 and PON3 genes.

The PON1 gene codes for the enzyme serum paraoxonase/arylesterase 1 or PON1 that has esterase and paraoxonase activity.

The PON1 enzyme is composed of 354 amino acids and is synthesized by the liver.

PON1 associates itself with High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) in the circulation.

The PON1 gene shows many polymorphisms in the coding and promoting regions.

Polymorphisms in the PON1 gene have an association with coronary artery disease and diabetic retinopathy. 

PON1 association with antioxidant needs

PON1 plays a major role in oxidative stress and inflammatory response by virtue of its association with HDL cholesterol in the body.

HDL facilitates the secretion of the PON1 enzyme, which in turn prevents the oxidation of HDL and stimulates cholesterol efflux from the cells.

These together offer an atheroprotective function to HDL.

What are antioxidants? 

As the name goes, these substances and compounds inhibit oxidation in the body. 

Antioxidants are natural compounds that help neutralize free radicals in our bodies.

Free radicals are substances whose elevated levels can be harmful to the body. 

The elevated levels have an association with diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and aging.

What is the function of antioxidants? 

Our body cells constantly produce free radicals as a reaction to internal body and environmental pressures and stresses.

The cells in our body are responsible for the production of these free radicals. 

These are unstable molecules, and thus can cause slow cell damage.

Since these free radicals are reactive oxygen species, the antioxidants naturally counter them.

Antioxidants are neutralizers of these free radicals and can be obtained by consuming foods that are rich in them.

In individuals who are healthy and disease-free, there is a balance of antioxidants that counter the effects of the reactive free radicals.

What’s the genetic link?

SNP rs854560 is a polymorphism that is present on the PON1 gene associated with antioxidant needs.

The variants of this SNP affect levels of the PON1 enzyme and have an association with coronary diseases and diabetes. The T allele is the more favorable form of the SNP and codes for methionine, which leads too elevated levels of paraoxonase.

This is beneficial to the body.

However, the A allele codes for leucine; this leads to reduced paraoxonase activity, which is harmful to the body.

SNP rs662, also called as Q192R is a polymorphism of the PON1 gene.

The C allele codes for arginine, whereas the less common T allele codes for glutamine.

The presence of the TT allele can imply lower or decreased levels of PON1 enzyme activity. Higher the PON1 enzyme activity, the lower is the risk for heart disease.

The TT allele also increases the risk of coronary heart disease by 2.3x and also increased the risk of vascular dementia, kidney disease, ischaemic heart disease, and male infertility.

Do you have your DNA raw data from 23andMe, AncestryDNA, FTDNA, MyHeritage?

Upload your DNA raw data to Xcode Life to get insights into 700+ health-related traits!

References

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5327813/
2. https://www.snpedia.com/index.php/Rs662

Updated on June 09, 2020

The Alpha-Tocopherol Transfer Protein (TTPA) gene is associated with the synthesis of alpha-tocopherol transfer protein, a fat-soluble antioxidant that is secreted by the liver, together with low-density lipoproteins into the bloodstream. Variants of this gene are associated with an increase or decrease in the level of Alpha-Tocopherol Transfer Protein, which corresponds to an increase or decrease in the level of vitamin E in the body. When alterations in the gene for alpha-tocopherol transfer protein lead to its deficiency deficiency, it is associated with infertility, neurological disorders, and muscular weakness.

This vitamin is fat-soluble which is essential for a healthy immune system, skin, and eyes. As it is a good anti-oxidant, it can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. In humans, 40 mg/kg of vitamin E is normally present, with 77% in the adipose tissue, 20% in muscle and only 1% in the liver. People on a low-fat diet are also at an increased risk for its deficiency.

In a study by researchers from the Vanderbilt and NorthWestern University, 652 children and their mothers were studied for the first two years. Mothers with low levels of alpha-tocopherol were shown to be associated with an increased risk of having babies with asthma.

Does your 23andme, Ancestry DNA, FTDNA raw data have TTPA gene variant information?

Association with Vitamin E Needs: 

In a study conducted on 500 people from the Mediterranean population, people with the A variant of the gene were shown to be significantly associated with lower plasma levels of this vitamin.

In a similar study conducted on 449 people, there was an association between alpha-tocopherol, when supplement users were excluded. This study indicates that the lowered production of the protein that leads to lower alpha-tocopherol levels can be modified by the intake of supplements.

 References:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1136412/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3566896/

“Nutrigenetics, fitness genetics, health genetics are all nascent but rapidly growing areas within human genetics. The information provided herein is based on preliminary scientific studies and it is to be read and understood in that context.”