Vitamin E: Oral anti-aging, external use to lighten scars? Can it fight cancer? The truth you may not know

May 14, 2022

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"Vitamin E fights cancer."

"Vitamin E is taken internally for anti-aging and externally used to lighten scars."

A few dollars a bottle of vitamin E seems to have many magical effects, so it is loved by many people. Is vitamin E really so amazing? Are you deficient in vitamin E?

1. Is vitamin E anti-cancer or carcinogenic?

There seems to be some inextricable connection between the vitamin family and cancer. Nowadays, there are also rumors that vitamin E is anti-cancer and carcinogenic. What is the relationship between vitamin E and cancer?

It is reported that some studies have shown that vitamin E has anti-cancer effects in animal studies, and some studies have found that vitamin E is not associated with cancer, and even increases the risk of prostate. In fact, it may all be genetics at work.

The study by Harvard University Dr. Hall and his team, published in the journal National Cancer Institute, found differences in the COMT gene that can lead to different outcomes.

• Compared with placebo, those with the met-met variant of COMT had a 12% lower risk of cancer after vitamin E supplementation.

• Compared with placebo supplementation, those with the val-val variant of COMT had an 18% higher risk of developing cancer after vitamin E supplementation.

• When the COMT gene was val–met, vitamin E supplementation was not associated with cancer risk.

The study believes that when met is mutated into val, it may accumulate carcinogens and increase the risk of cancer.

In this case, is vitamin E still edible?

The team of professors of surgery at Sun Yat-sen University Affiliated Hospital once explained that the vitamin E in this study was supplemented on the basis of the diet, that is, the conclusion was drawn in the case of excessive vitamin E. Our daily dietary intake of an appropriate amount of vitamin E is actually relatively high. It is safe and reliable.

2. Vitamin E is taken orally for anti-aging, and externally used to lighten scars?

The alias of vitamin E is tocopherol, which has antioxidant physiological effects. Therefore, when vitamin E is insufficient, it will shorten the lifespan of red blood cells and cause hemolytic anemia. Moreover, the process of oxidative phosphorylation will also be hindered by insufficient vitamin E, increasing chronic diseases. morbidity risk.

So is it true or false that vitamin E is taken orally for anti-aging and externally used to lighten scars?

In fact , taking vitamin E orally can indeed improve skin condition and delay aging to a certain extent.

Usually, the secretion of estrogen in women will affect the state of the skin. If the secretion of estrogen is low, the skin will become dry, and the secretion of estrogen will be more prone to acne. Oral administration of vitamin E can promote the secretion of estrogen, which can help regulate hormone levels. At the same time, the powerful antioxidant capacity of vitamin E can also enhance the skin's resistance.

However, this does not mean that vitamin E can be taken casually.

In the case of a balanced daily diet, there is generally no lack of vitamin E. If blindly supplementing vitamin E, it is likely to cause excessive vitamin E in the body and accumulate in the body, which may cause health risks.

Applying vitamin E to your face may actually make your skin worse.

Oral vitamin E soft capsules are oily, and more than 90% of them are excipients. The purpose is to facilitate taking and absorption. However, the oily substances in the soft capsules are difficult to be absorbed by the skin through the skin barrier. , and oily skin after topical vitamin E is likely to add oil to the oil, clogging pores and causing acne on the face.

So, don’t listen to rumors and apply oral vitamin E to your face. If you want to use it, it’s better to choose skin care products that specifically contain vitamin E.

At the same time, everyone must pay attention to distinguishing, and the role of vitamin E should not be exaggerated.

3. Four major clinical applications of vitamin E

According to a pharmacist from Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, vitamin E is widely used in clinical practice .

• Autoimmune disease

Autoimmune reactions will produce a large amount of free radicals and inflammatory cytokines in the body. At this time, supplementing some antioxidants, such as vitamin E, can improve the immune system, help the body build an antioxidant defense system, and protect normal cells from inflammation. factor destruction.

Clinical use of vitamin E for the treatment of chronic glomerulonephritis, IgA nephropathy and systemic lupus erythematosus and other diseases.

• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Vitamins can alleviate the problem of liver tissue damage caused by lipid oxidation in the body, and can also enhance the liver's ability to interpret, help patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver serum transaminases return to normal, and effectively improve liver fat deformation and inflammation.

American guidelines recommend vitamin E as the drug of choice for adults with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease without diabetes.

• Prevention of atherosclerotic disease

Vitamin E has the effect of improving lipid metabolism, can prevent the "foaming" of arterial endothelial cells, and effectively balance the cholesterol metabolism of endothelial cells. As a primary and secondary prevention strategy for atherosclerosis.

The antioxidant effect of vitamin E can help scavenge free radicals, protect the retina and epithelial layer from oxidative damage, and reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration.

It should be reminded that these treatments for diseases belong to the category of prescription drugs and should be carried out under the guidance of doctors.

4. What else do you need to know about vitamin E?

Many people have heard that vitamin E has many effects, so they buy medicines and take them on their own. This is wrong, and wrong use may have adverse effects.

1. What kind of people may be deficient in vitamin E?

Vegans are more likely to be deficient in vitamin E and should be supplemented in moderation. In addition, some people with gastrointestinal diseases have poor absorption of fat and may also have symptoms of vitamin E deficiency. They should follow the doctor's advice to supplement vitamin E.

2. There is a limited "amount" of vitamin E supplementation

High-dose vitamin E supplementation is a nutritional therapy. The general recommended dose of vitamin E is 14 mg per day for adults, while for nutritional therapy for up to 3 to 6 months, the recommended safe upper limit of the dose is 600 mg per day. This needs to be done under the guidance of a doctor.

3. Three types of people are not suitable for vitamin E supplementation

• It is not advisable to supplement vitamin E during cancer radiotherapy to avoid vitamin E weakening the efficacy of radiotherapy.

• Breast cancer patients have an increased risk of cancer recurrence when they eat a lot of fat.

• Experts do not recommend vitamin E supplementation for the general population to prevent disease.

Like other vitamins needed by the human body, vitamin E is an essential nutrient for the human body. As long as we pay attention to a balanced diet in our daily life, there is generally no problem of vitamin E deficiency. In addition, it is recommended that you do not blindly supplement vitamin E, because excessive vitamin E in the body is likely to cause disease problems.

References:

[1] "Vitamin E fights cancer or causes cancer? 50,000 people in 20 years of clinical research say so! 》.Medical.2019-01-25

[2] "Does vitamin E have magical anti-cancer effects? ". Lan Shiting. 2022-01-27

[3] "The "amazing" vitamin family, this article introduces you all! 》.Medicine.2022-02-21

[4] "Vitamin E, can oral use anti-aging, external use can fade spots? 》. Family Doctor. 2021-03-01

[5] "8 Clinical Applications of Vitamin E". Center for Drug Evaluation. 2021-03-04

[6] "Is vitamin E anti-cancer or carcinogenic? A 20-year study tells the truth". Life Times. 2019-08-17

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