This is pure vegetable oil.

There are eight naturally occuring forms of vitamin E, but one reigns supreme: alpha-tocopherol.

The other seven forms of vitamin E cannot meet the body's vitamin E needs. In fact, alpha-tocopherol is so potent that the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin E is based on the body's requirement for alpha-tocopherol. Even the synthetic form of alpha-tocopherol, while beneficial, pales in comparison to naturally occurring alpha-tocopherol.

Alpha-tocopherol is the predominant form of vitamin E found in almonds, safflower oil, olive oil and soybean oil. These are the sources of this product, the most potent natural form of stable vitamin E, d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate.

This converts to alpha-tocopherol most efffectively in the body. Natural vitamin E source (d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate) has a relative biopotency of more than 136% compared to dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate (synthetic Vitamin E). That is, the accepted USP biopotency factor for dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate (synthetic vitamin E) is 1.00 and 1.36 for d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate – this product, the natural source of vitamin E (United States Pharmacopia, 1980).

This official potency factor, however, does not take into account newer findings in vitamin E metabolism research. Recent research data demonstrated a higher biopotency factor, 1.76, for natural source vitamin E than the currently accepted USP definition. (Specific scientific details available at: http://www.moormans.com/swine/TechBulletinHTML/VitaminE.htm)

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that protects cell membranes and other fat-soluble parts of the body, such as LDL cholesterol, the 'bad' cholesterol, from oxidative damage. Only when LDL cholesterol is damaged does it become a threat to the heart. Numerous studies have shown Vitamin E to be an effective heart disease preventative. It also aids immune function and prevents osteoarthritis.

Externally, it is healing to skin. It is an effective membrane stabilizer that protects the skin from sun damage, reduces fine facial lines and wrinkles and generally improve skin smoothness. Vitamin E oil is a common additive to massage oils and face creams.

'Oxidative stress' is the term experts use to describe the havoc wreaked by free radicals, unstable forms of oxygen. Free radicals are by-products of the normal, everyday workings of the body, but they can be lethal to cells by destroying the important fats in the body.. Vitamin E is one of the body's best weapons against the oxidative stress your body faces every day.

By donating part of itself to a free radical, vitamin E turns an unruly, hostile compound into a harmless substance. That means that the free radical is no longer able to destroy the fatty portion of cell membranes and other fats found in your blood stream. Once vitamin E has given freely of itself in service to your cells, it is regenerated by several different substances, including vitamin C, and off it goes to defend and protect cells once again.

Speaking of defense, vitamin E is garnering a lot of attention for its ability to fend off oxidative damage to low-density lipoproteins (LDL), the 'bad' cholesterol. When LDLs are oxidized by free radicals, they become stickier and more likely to clog arteries, boosting the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Vitamin E may also prevent blood cells from sticking to each other and to the blood vessels they travel, helping to promote clear and flexible blood vessels that allow the passage of oxygen-rich blood to your heart.

Reducing oxidative stress with vitamin E may be linked to heading off the complications of diabetes, to a reduced rate of aging, lowering cancer risk, boosting immunity and slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin. This means the fat found in foods serves as the vehicle for vitamin E to get into your body to do its good work. It's no surprise, then, that most dietary vitamin E is found in higher fat foods, such as vegetable oils and spreads, nuts and seeds.

Information provided by National Institutes of Health:

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is the average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97-98%) healthy individuals in each life-stage and gender group. The 2000 RDAs for vitamin E for adults, in International Units (IUs) are: 22 IU for men and women over age 19 including pregnant women, and 28 IU for lactating women.

The RDA for vitamin E is based on the alpha-tocopherol form because it is the most active, or usable, form. Unlike other vitamins, the form of alpha-tocopherol made in the laboratory and found in supplements is not identical to the natural form, and is not quite as active as the natural form.

The National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine states that most North American adults get enough vitamin E from their normal diets to meet current recommendations. However, they do caution that low-fat diets can substantially decrease vitamin E intakes if food choices are not carefully made to enhance alpha-tocopherol intakes.

When can vitamin E deficiency occur?
Vitamin E deficiency is rare in humans. There are three specific situations when a vitamin E deficiency is likely to occur. It is seen in persons who cannot absorb dietary fat, has been found in premature, very low birth weight infants (birth weights less than 1500 grams, or 3 1/2 pounds) and is seen in individuals with rare disorders of fat metabolism. A vitamin E deficiency is usually characterized by neurological problems due to poor nerve conduction.

Current Issues and Controversies about Vitamin E

Vitamin E and heart disease
Preliminary research has led to a widely held belief that vitamin E may help prevent or delay coronary heart disease. Researchers are fairly certain that oxidative modification of LDL-cholesterol (sometimes called 'bad' cholesterol) promotes blockages in coronary arteries that may lead to atherosclerosis and heart attacks. Vitamin E may help prevent or delay coronary heart disease by limiting the oxidation of LDL-cholesterol. Vitamin E also may help prevent the formation of blood clots, which could lead to a heart attack.
Observational studies have associated lower rates of heart disease with higher vitamin E intake.

A study of approximately 90,000 nurses suggested that the incidence of heart disease was 30% to 40% lower among nurses with the highest intake of vitamin E from diet and supplements. The range of intakes from both diet and supplements in this group was 21.6 to 1,000 IU (32 to 1,500 mg), with the median intake being 208 IU (139 mg).

A 1994 review of 5,133 Finnish men and women aged 30 - 69 years suggested that increased dietary intake of vitamin E was associated with decreased mortality (death) from heart disease. But even though these observations are promising, randomized clinical trials raise questions about the role of vitamin E supplements in heart disease.

The Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation (HOPE) Study followed almost 10,000 patients for 4.5 years who were at high risk for heart attack or stroke. In this intervention study the subjects who received 265 mg (400) IU of vitamin E daily did not experience significantly fewer cardiovascular events or hospitalizations for heart failure or chest pain when compared to those who received a sugar pill. The researchers suggested that it is unlikely that the vitamin E supplement provided any protection against cardiovascular disease in the HOPE study. This study is continuing, to determine whether a longer duration of intervention with vitamin E supplements will provide any protection against cardiovascular disease

Vitamin E and cancer
Antioxidants such as vitamin E help protect against the damaging effects of free radicals, which may contribute to the development of chronic diseases such as cancer. Vitamin E also may block the formation of nitrosamines, which are carcinogens formed in the stomach from nitrites consumed in the diet. It also may protect against the development of cancers by enhancing immune function. Unfortunately, human trials and surveys that tried to associate vitamin E with incidence of cancer have been generally inconclusive.
Some evidence associates higher intake of vitamin E with a decreased incidence of prostate cancer and breast cancer. There is evidence that vitamin E may reduce the size of cysts in women with fibrocystic breast disease, which is a risk factor for breast cancer. However, an examination of the effect of dietary factors, including vitamin E, on incidence of postmenopausal breast cancer in over 18,000 women from New York State did not associate a greater vitamin E intake with a reduced risk of developing breast cancer.

A study of women in Iowa provided evidence that an increased dietary intake of vitamin E may decrease the risk of colon cancer, especially in women under 65 years of age. On the other hand, vitamin E intake was not statistically associated with risk of colon cancer in almost 2,000 adults with cancer who were compared to controls without cancer.

At this time there is limited evidence to recommend vitamin E supplements for the prevention of cancer.

Vitamin E and cataracts
Cataracts are growths on the lens of the eye that cloud vision. They increase the risk of disability and blindness in aging adults. Antioxidants are being studied to determine whether they can help prevent or delay cataract growth.
Observational studies have found that lens clarity, which is used to diagnose cataracts, was better in regular users of vitamin E supplements and in persons with higher blood levels of vitamin E. A study of middle aged male smokers, however, did not demonstrate any effect from vitamin E supplements on the incidence of cataract formation. The effects of smoking, a major risk factor for developing cataracts, may have overridden any potential benefit from the vitamin E, but the conflicting results also indicate a need for further studies before researchers can confidently recommend extra vitamin E for the prevention of cataracts.

What is the health risk of too much vitamin E?
The health risk of too much vitamin E is low. A recent review of the safety of vitamin E in the elderly indicated that taking vitamin E supplements for up to four months at doses of 530 mg or 800 IU (35 times the current RDA) had no significant effect on general health, body weight, levels of body proteins, lipid levels, liver or kidney function, thyroid hormones, amount or kinds of blood cells, and bleeding time.
Even though this study provides evidence that taking a vitamin E supplement containing 530 mg or 800 IU for four months is safe, the long term safety of vitamin E supplementation has not been tested. The Institute of Medicine has set an upper tolerable intake level for vitamin E at 1,000 mg (1,500 IU) for any form of supplementary alpha-tocopherol per day because the nutrient can act as an anticoagulant and increase the risk of bleeding problems. Upper tolerable intake levels represent the maximum intake of a nutrient that is likely to pose no risk of adverse health effects in almost all individuals in the general population.

Some food sources of vitamin E
Vegetable oils, nuts, and green leafy vegetables are good dietary sources of vitamin E. Food manufacturers fortify many foods with vitamins and minerals. It is important to read the nutrition facts panel of the food label to determine whether a food provides vitamin E.

Wheat germ oil, 1 Tb: 26.2 IU ~ 90% of Daily Value (DV)
Almonds, dry roasted, 1 oz: 7.5 IU ~ 25% DV
Safflower oil, 1 Tb: 4.7 IU ~ 15% DV
Corn oil, 1 Tb: 2.9 IU ~ 10% DV
Turnip greens, frozen, boiled, 1/2 c: 2.4 IU ~ 8% DV
Mango, raw, 1 fruit: 2.3 IU ~ 8% DV
Peanuts, dry roasted, 1 oz: 2.1 IU ~ 8% DV
Broccoli,frozen, chopped, boiled, 1/2 c: 1.5 IU ~ 6% DV
Kiwi, 1 medium fruit: 0.85 IU ~ 2% DV
Spinach, frozen, boiled, 1/2 c: 0.85 IU ~ 2% DV