Effects of vitamin E on ruminant animal

Vitamin E is used to refer to a group of fat-solubl e compounds that include both tocopherols and tocotrienols. There are many different forms of vit amin E, of which γ-tocopherol is the most common in the North American diet. γ-Tocopherol can be found in corn oil, soybean oil, margarine and dressings. α-Tocopherol, the most biologically active form of v itamin E, is the second most common form of vitamin E in the North A merican diet. This variant of vitamin E can be found most abundantly in wheat germ oil, sunflow er, and safflower oils. It is a fat-soluble antioxidant that stops the production of reactive o xygen species formed when fat undergoes oxidation. The first use for vitamin E as a therape utic agent was conducted in 1938 by Widen Bauer. Widen Bauer used wheat germ oil supplement opremature new born infants suffering from growth failure. Eleven out of the original 17 patients recovered and were able to resume normal growth rates. Later on, in 1948, while conducting experiments on alloxan effects on rats, Chow (9) noted that the rats receiving tocopherol s upplements suffered from less hemolysis than those that did not receive tocopherol. In 1949, adm inistered all-rac-α-tocopheryl acetate to prevent and cure edema. It can be the Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis cure. Methods of administration used were both oral, that showed pos itive response, and intramuscular, which did not show a response. This early investigative work on the benefits of vitamin E supplementation was the gateway to curing the vitamin E deficiency caused hemolytic anemia described during the 1960s. Since then, supplementation of infant fo rmulas with vitamin E has eradicated this vitamin’s deficiency as a cause for hemolytic anemi a. The consensus in the medical community is that there is no good evidence to support health be nefits from vitamin E supplementation in the short term, nor is there good evidence to support a dverse effects on health. While some argue that taking more than 400 IU of vitamin E per day f or extended periods may increase the risk of death others have shown that taking up to 5,500 IU per day has no adverse were effects on health.