Importance of Vitamin E and Vitamin K

By: Gerald Fitz
Submitted: 2009-10-22 16:03:14
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Vitamin E is a name for a group of fat-soluble compounds that have specific antioxidant functions.  It also helps the immune system.  Vitamin E works to protect vitamin A and essential fatty acids from oxidation in the cells.  It also prevents the breakdown of the tissues by forming red blood cells and muscles in our body.  Recent studies have found that Vitamin E can help prevent heart disease, cancer, eye disorders and cognitive decline.

Vitamin E deficiencies are rare.  People who cannot absorb fat are more likely to have a vitamin E deficiency.  If you are not getting enough vitamin E your muscles will be weak and your retina will deteriorate causing blindness.  To make sure you are not vitamin E deficient, the recommended daily allowance for men and pregnant or nursing women is 10mg, for women 8 mg.  Nuts, seeds, vegetable oils are the best sources of vitamin E.  You can also find vitamin E in eggs, milk, whole grain foods, spinach, asparagus, avocado, broccoli, kiwi, and mango. 

Vitamin K helps to for an enzyme needed for the blood to clot.  If our blood does not clot, we would bleed to death.  New research is finding that vitamin K also helps maintain bone mass.

As with vitamin E, vitamin K deficiencies are rare. When it does happen, the body cannot absorb the vitamin or after long-term treatment with antibiotics. Those with a deficiency will most likely have bruising or bleeding.  Since we all need vitamin K, men and women between the ages of 14 and 18 should take 75 mcg a day, and men and women age 19 and older should take 90 mcg a day.  Most of our diets are not lacking vitamin K because it is widely found in most of our foods.  You can find vitamin K in leafy vegetables (broccoli, spinach, leaf lettuce, parsley, cabbage, and cauliflower) and some vegetable oils.

In order to make sure you are getting the proper amounts of vitamin E and K, taking a multivitamin is a good way to do that.  It has the proper amount in each dosage.  Multivitamins are a great way to fill in our nutritional gaps.  No matter how well you plan your meals, you could be missing certain vitamins.  A multivitamin will help you get the recommended amount of vitamins and minerals in case they are missing from your diet.  Most of the vitamins in a multivitamin are water soluble, so the excess will be flushed from your system, while the fat soluble ones will remain until they are needed.  Meaning that unless you are using vitamin supplements like candy that there is little chance of having too many vitamins in your system.  A single good multivitamin will provide all nutrients and vitamins you need. 

Vitamin E is so important because essentially it is a super anti-oxidant.  In addition it strengthens your immune system and prevents cancer and cardiovascular disease.  Vitamin K is so important because if we get cut, it helps the blood to clot and we can begin healing.  These vitamins are found in green leafy vegetables and vegetable oils.  If these foods are not in your diet, make sure you add them because they have many health benefits.  Also add a multivitamin to your diet.  It will fill in any nutritional gaps you may have in your diet.

Article source: Expert Articles