Vitamin E and the electrolytes

Vitamin E

Vitamin E mainly works as an antioxidant. It helps prevent LDL (bad) cholesterol from contributing plaque to the arteries, which may help reduce risk for heart disease and stroke.

The antioxidant properties of Vitamin E also help protect against cell damage that can lead to health problems, including cancer.

Most Americans consume plenty of vitamin E because it's found in vegetables oils. Even if you don't use much vegetable oil, you would still get it from margarine, salad dressings, and other foods made from those oils. Nuts such as almonds and hazelnuts, and seeds, such as sunflower seeds, contain vitamin E. Wheat germ, peanut butter, and some breakfast cereals also contain vitamin E. Green, leafy vegetables have small amounts of vitamin E.

The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamin E is 15 mg daily for males and females over age 14. Children need between 4 and 11 mg, depending on age. Pregnant women need 15 mg daily but during breastfeeding this number goes up to 19 mg daily.

The %Daily Value for vitamin E is based on 30IU being 100%. To convert this, 30IU is equal to about 15 mg of vitamin E (depending on if the vitamin E is natural or synthetic). Remember, IU (International Units) is just a unit of measurement for some vitamins.

Eating plenty of foods with vitamin E and getting over the 15 mg daily from foods isn't a problem. Large doses of vitamin E supplements aren't recommended. Too much may increase the risk of bleeding. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level for adults age 19 and over has been set at 1,000 mg, which equals 1,500 IU of natural vitamin E and 1,100 IU of synthetic vitamin E.

Electrolytes

Three of the major minerals are grouped together as electrolytes, because their main function is to regulate fluid balance in the body. They are chloride, potassium and sodium.

Chloride is also in stomach acid, which helps digest food and absorb nutrients, and helps transmit nerve impulses. Chloride is found in salt (sodium chloride) so most people get plenty of it.

The Adequate Intake for chloride is 2,300 mg for people age 9 to 50. Those who are between age 50 and 69 need 2,000 mg a daily and over age 70 needs 1,800 mg daily. About 1/4 of a teaspoon of salt has 750 mg of chloride.

Potassium also helps maintain a normal blood pressure and counteracts sodium's raising of blood pressure. Potassium also helps transmit nerve impulses and helps your muscles contract.

The Adequate Intakes for potassium are:
Age 9 to 13 - 4,500 mg daily
Age 14 and up - 4,700 mg daily
Pregnant women - 4,700 mg daily
Breastfeeding - 5,100 mg daily
The exception to that is people who are on diuretics of heart disease medication may need less, but consult with your physician for that information.

The %Daily Value of potassium is based on 3,500 mg of potassium and does not have to be listed on food labels, that information is voluntary.

Excessive amounts of potassium are usually excreted from the body and are not harmful. People with kidney problems may be advised to lower potassium because they may not rid the extra amounts, but this would be discussed with a physician. A deficiency in potassium is rare, unless someone is vomiting or has diarrhea for an extended time or those with kidney problems.

Fruits, vegetables, beans, dairy foods, meat, and nuts have potassium. For specific foods and their amount of potassium, click here. We usually think of bananas as having the most potassium, but a potato actually does.

Sodium helps muscles and the heart relax, transmit nerve impulses, and regulates blood pressure.

Sodium deficiencies are not likely unless you have prolonged vomiting, diarrhea, or kidney problems. Too much sodium raises blood pressure as well as causes fluid retention.

The Adequate Intake for sodium for ages 9 to 50 is 1,500 mg daily; for ages 50 to 70 is 1,300 mg; above age 70 is 1,200 mg. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level is 2,200 mg for ages 9 to 13 and 2,300 mg for teens and adults. That Upper Intake Level number may be too high for people who already have high blood pressure. About 1/4 teaspoon has 500 mg of sodium.

Processed foods are the biggest contributor of sodium in the diet, the rest comes from table salt and the sodium naturally in foods.

The %Daily Value for sodium on food labels is based on 2,400 mg.

Remember that table salt is actually sodium chloride, so for a list of foods with their sodium and salt contents, click here and scroll a little over halfway down.

(Information is from the ADA Complete Food and Nutrition Guide and links are from the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University)