Vitamin E deficiency linked to embryo damage, death

Oregon: Researchers for the first time have explained how deficient levels of vitamin E can cause neurologic damage to an embryo, failure to normally develop and ultimately death – a process that in women can be one cause of miscarriage. The research was published by scientists from Oregon State University in Free Radical Biology and Medicine. It answers some questions about the biologic activities of vitamin E that have been debated since 1922, when this essential micronutrient was first discovered, in part for its role in preventing embryonic mortality.

Study: Toss eggs onto salads to increase Vitamin E absorption

Purdue: Adding whole eggs to a colorful salad boosts the amount of Vitamin E the body absorbs from the vegetables, according to research from Purdue University. "Vitamin E is the second-most under-consumed nutrient in the average American diet, which is problematic because this fat-soluble nutrient has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties," said Wayne Campbell, a professor of nutrition science. "Now consumers can easily improve their diets by adding eggs to a salad that boasts a variety of colorful vegetables."

Research finds link between vitamin E and exposure to air pollution

Nottingham: A new study from The University of Nottingham and King’s College London has found an association between the amount of vitamin E in the body, exposure to particulate pollution and lung function. The new study adds to growing evidence from previous research suggesting that some vitamins may play a role in helping to protect the lungs from air pollution. Although the new study did not specifically demonstrate a protective effect, it is the first to show a clear link between vitamin E concentrations in the blood and exposure to fine particulate pollution in the general population.

How deficiency of vitamin E can cause brain damage

Oregon: Researchers at Oregon State University have discovered how vitamin E deficiency may cause neurological damage by interrupting a supply line of specific nutrients and robbing the brain of the “building blocks” it needs to maintain neuronal health. The findings – in work done with zebrafish – were just published in the Journal of Lipid Research. The work was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

High cholesterol, triglycerides can keep vitamin E from reaching body tissues

Oregon: In the continuing debate over how much vitamin E is enough, a new study has found that high levels of blood lipids such as cholesterol and triglycerides can keep this essential micronutrient tied up in the blood stream, and prevent vitamin E from reaching the tissues that need it.