Can you imagine your body having a bunch of little bodyguards wandering inside, protecting your cells from getting damaged?
That’s what antioxidants do — and vitamin E is one of the finest antioxidants!
Ever since antioxidants were discovered, they proved themselves worthy of praise for offering many promising health benefits! Antioxidants are great at strengthening your body from the inside and making you glow outside. ?
More than that, antioxidants fight free radicals that lead to menopause symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats and skin aging… This makes vitamin E’s antioxidant properties sound even MORE fantastic for us women in midlife!
You can also benefit from products rich in vitamin E to promote healthier skin and hair, as well as to ease vaginal dryness! ?
With all these menopausal hurdles we need to leap on, getting that kind of support for our midlife health is such a comfort! Discover more about the health benefits in store for you by embracing the natural powers of vitamin E!
The Importance of Antioxidants for Menopause
It is a universally recognized fact that our hormones hit an all-time low during menopause. Various symptoms are creeping up, and we often find ourselves figuring out what to do!
For that reason, we certainly need all sorts of support to strengthen our health in midlife — from the food we eat, the extra boost of nutrients we get and the lifestyle we choose to live.
As we age, our antioxidant levels also decline, leaving our body more susceptible to various discomforts and health conditions. Luckily, antioxidants such as vitamin E came to public attention!
When many experts and health enthusiasts discovered antioxidants in 1990, they also understood oxidative stress better.
Oxidative stress happens when there is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body.
→ Free radicals are unstable molecules that can cause damage to cells and tissues.
→ Antioxidants, on the other hand, are molecules that neutralize free radicals and prevent them from causing damage.
When there are more free radicals than antioxidants in your body, oxidative stress occurs, which may increase your risk of health problems ー including heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. As mentioned earlier, oxidative stress also contributes to various menopause symptoms!
Worry not, though, because vitamin E will surely save the day! This antioxidant vitamin will help protect your cells from oxidative stress and support your overall health in midlife. And to top things off, you can easily find vitamin E in many healthy foods, which you will learn as you read further!
7 Major Vitamin E Benefits for Midlife Health
Apparently, an “antioxidant vitamin” sounds twice as powerful, doesn’t it? It’s time to know what this menopause hero can serve you!
1. Relief for Hot Flashes and Night Sweat
I mean, who would ever think that vitamin E is actually a miracle-worker for these menopause symptoms? Studies show that vitamin E is a recommended treatment that can effectively ease hot flashes and night sweats among menopausal women. No wonder why many multivitamins for women never miss vitamin E on the list!
2. Protection Against Serious Diseases
The antioxidant properties in vitamin E play as your health shield! As mentioned, antioxidants are vital in our body. They can protect you against the risks of getting heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer, cognitive problems and other health conditions!
3. Maintaining Skin Health
All gratitude still goes to the antioxidants present in vitamin E! Dermatologists themselves give a full thumbs-up on vitamin E’s ability to keep your skin healthy. It naturally makes you glow by fighting environmental stressors that cause fine lines, wrinkles and premature aging!
4. Promoting Eye Health
Studies show that vitamin E can reduce your risk of getting age-related cataracts! Another study under the Age-Related Eye Diseases Studies (AREDS) support vitamin E intake for effective prevention of macular degeneration — the leading cause of blindness among American adults.
5. For Better Blood Flow
For blood circulation to happen effectively, the body needs proper nutrition with the help of certain vitamins — vitamin E being one! This vitamin improves blood circulation by widening the blood vessels. It is also required in the production of red blood cells and the prevention of clotting!
6. Improving Brain Health
Scientific evidence linked the effectiveness of antioxidants, especially vitamin E, in reducing cognitive decline among middle-aged adults! Cognitive decline results in brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Moreover, vitamin E was associated with better verbal memory!
7. Fighting inflammation
Vitamin E is not just a potent antioxidant — it has anti-inflammatory properties too! Did you know that inflammation can put you at greater risk of having osteoporosis?
A study also showed an increased rate in inflammation development, even among healthy women moving through the menopausal transition. For this reason, the anti-inflammatory role of vitamin E for midlife health is especially significant!
Eager to dig deeper? Watch this video from Dr. Berg as he discusses further the vital functions of vitamin E for our health! [The Most Important Function of Vitamin E]
Go for These Natural Vitamin E Sources!
Vitamin E is mostly found in plant-based oils, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables. Get your boost of vitamin E with these top natural food sources!
- Sunflower Seeds and Oil
- Almonds
- Avocados
- Spinach
- Butternut Squash
- Kiwifruit
- Broccoli
- Trout
- Olive Oil
- Shrimp
- Hazelnuts
- Tomato
Midlife-Friendly Products Infused with Vitamin E
Vitamin E does not only have the power to strengthen your health on the inside but makes you glow outside too! This beautiful truth paved the way for vitamin E-infused products! The best ones to go for are:
Feminine Cream
Among the common symptoms that we experience during menopause is vaginal dryness. Luckily, there are available vitamin E-rich feminine creams that could ease the dryness in our intimate area! These creams can also relieve itching, renew elasticity and promote moisture. Grab it and bid farewell to vaginal dryness!
Vitamin E Oil
This oil is usually mixed with other natural oils like coconut oil, soybean oil, olive oil or almond oil to obtain the right viscosity. It is applied topically and is generally beneficial for skin health! You can use vitamin E oil for these useful purposes:
- As a natural anti-aging product
- Night cream
- Skin moisturizer
- To heal scars (pigmentation scars, keloid scars, scars made by cuts, scrapes, wounds, surgeries, acne scars)
- For smoother, tangle-free hair
- To relieve psoriasis
- To reduce stretch marks
- For sunburn relief
- As a makeup remover
Sounds like a product you should grab real soon! ?
Speaking of oils, we have a great article about the most beneficial essential oils in menopause that can save your day! Check it out here ? 8 Most-Loved Essential Oils That Can Save Your Day
Takeaway
Now, you see what makes vitamin E extraordinary! ?
From making sure you get “bodyguarded” internally against possible health problems to effectively promoting your skin health… this antioxidant vitamin truly has it all!
Make sure you are getting your daily vitamin E in your diet and top everything off with an active lifestyle! Vitamin E is your ultimate friend to keep glowing at midlife, beautiful woman! ?
Fact Box
Is there a recommended intake for vitamin E?
The recommended intake for vitamin E is 15 mg or 22.4 IU. It is advised not to exceed 1,000 mg or the equivalent of 1,500 IU of vitamin E daily.
Symptoms of Vitamin E Deficiency
Generally, the following are the most common symptoms if you lack vitamin E in your body:
- Muscle weakness
- Coordination and walking difficulties
- Numbness and tingling
- Vision deterioration
- Immune system problems
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References
nutri-facts.org/en_US/news/the-role-of-antioxidants-in-menopause0.html
hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vit-e-benefits/
cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/a27609307/vitamin-e-for-skin-benefits-products/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25591715/
nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/age-related-macular-degeneration/nutritional-supplements-age-related-macular-degeneration
newhealthadvisor.org/blood-circulation-vitamins.html
link.springer.com/article/10.1186/1471-2458-14-643
nutraingredients-usa.com/Article/2020/11/23/Study-links-vitamin-E-and-carotenoids-to-reduced-cognitive-decline
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27534876/https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE-HealthProfessional/
webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1522/tocotrienols
oilhealthbenefits.com/vitamin-e-oil/
drugs.com/dosage/vitamin-e.html
myfooddata.com/articles/vitamin-e-foods.php
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17664882/
Gita is the founder of My Menopause Journey. Since 2014, she has been supporting midlife women by sharing hard-earned learnings from her own experience. To advance her knowledge, Gita puts a lot of her time and effort into understanding the broad spectrum of women’s health. She immerses in extensive research about the physical, mental and emotional aspects of menopause. Gita believes in the life-changing power of healthy, holistic living — this is where she anchors her message to all women. Learn more about her marvelous mission in About us - My Menopause Journey.