Intake of Vitamin E Essential in the First 1,000 Days of Our Lives : Study

Vitamin E supplements are important for better health, finds a study.

Vitamin E is found in nuts, seeds, spinach , wheat germ and sunflower oils and is known to have positive effects on the skin, eyes and  brain health. A research found an array of benefits of consuming the nutrient, especially in youngsters, seniors and pregnant women. The experts from the College of Public Health and Human Sciences at Oregon State University discovered a link between adequate intake of vitamin E during pregnancy and earlier years and 47 percent reduced risk of dementia in old age, reports the Red Orbit News.

They used data from past clinical researches on vitamin E consumption and noted not many Americans are able to derive the nutrient form their everyday food. Individuals who are diet and health conscious tend to ensure they receive nutrients in right amounts from their food but 90 percent of men and 96 percent women eat less than 15 milligram of vitamin E in a day.

Their analysis revealed vitamin E deficiency harms fetal development leading to infections and anemia . The DHA, a form of Omega-3 fatty acids is essential for development of nervous system in fetus.  Children with insufficient vitamin E in blood develop neurobiological diseases, muscle atrophy and impaired cognitive health. Low vitamin E levels in blood spike up the fat levels in the body.

In addition it was seen that eating vitamin E rich food and supplements slows down the disease progression in patients with Alzheimer's disease.  Snacking on nutritive food like nuts, seeds and essential oils curbed the risk of brain atrophy and related illnesses in elderly people.

"Many people believe that vitamin E deficiency never happens. That isn't true. It happens with an alarming frequency both in the United States and around the world. But some of the results of inadequate intake are less obvious, such as its impact on things like nervous system and brain development, or general resistance to infection," said Maret Traber, study author and professor at the Oregon State University in a news release.

"It's important all of your life, but the most compelling evidence about vitamin E is about a 1000-day window that begins at conception. Vitamin E is critical to neurologic and brain development that can only happen during that period. It's not something you can make up for later," added Traber.

More information is available online in the journal Advances in Nutrition.