The Vitamin E and Omega-3 Connection
Look at almost any omega-3 fish oil supplement, and you will
notice that vitamin E is also listed as an ingredient. Have you ever thought about why vitamin E is
included, how much should be in there, and where it comes from?
Why is Vitamin E in omega-3 supplements?
Omega-3 fats are unique and essential dietary fats.
They are not made in the body and must be consumed through the diet or
supplements. EPA and DHA are the omega-3 fats found in fish and fish oil that
scientists believe are the most important functional omega-3 fats. Always
found together in nature and working synergistically in the body, EPA and DHA
in omega-3 fish oil are long chain fatty acids with multiple double bonds. Due to their fragile nature, EPA and DHA can oxidize
and turn rancid very quickly when they come in contact with oxygen.
To protect the omega-3 oil, a small amount of vitamin E is
often included in omega-3 supplements and acts as a natural preservative to
help the oil retain its freshness (or to prevent oxidation). Vitamin E is typically listed under the word
“tocopherol”. Most omega-3 supplements contain only d-alpha tocopherol which
works in the lipid portion of cell membranes; without adequate levels of
d-alpha, omega-3 fats oxidize and are unlikely to remain in a functional
form. Very few omega-3 supplements
contain both d-alpha and gamma tocopherols.
It’s important to have both because gamma tocopherol provides protection
against nitrogen-based free radicals which d-alpha tocopherol cannot do. The two nutrients work synergistically to
prevent oxidation of the fat-containing outer layer of cells and enhance the
health benefits of omega-3.
How much vitamin E should be included?
The amount of vitamin E in omega-3 supplements varies
depending on the purpose. A small amount
is often used simply to keep the oil fresh while a much larger amount is
included for therapeutic purposes. Vitamin
E is incredibly safe and is critical for normal brain function. Most fish
oil supplements contain a very small amount (5-10 IU) of vitamin E to serve as
a natural preservative in a softgel.
While it may stabilize the oil, this small amount does not serve any
notable effect in the body.
With sufficient amounts consumed either through the diet or
with supplementation, vitamin E acts as a powerful natural antioxidant that
protects cells from the damaging results of free radicals, a natural
biochemical process in the body. A deficiency in vitamin E shows as symptoms
that include expressive speech delay, hypotonia, and sensory integration
dysfunction. In autism and apraxia, many
children face issues with malabsorption of fats, inflammation, and chronic
oxidative stress within their bodies.
This malabsorption and oxidation leads to decreased availability and
necessitates an increased need for antioxidants (namely vitamin E). In fact, many of the symptoms of vitamin E
deficiency mirror those of verbal apraxia including speech production problems,
hypotonia, abnormal proprioception, pain sensation, and poor coordination. Resolution of the vitamin E deficiency has
been shown in hundreds of cases to relieve these conditions.
If there’s too much oxidative stress in the body, essential
fatty acids (e.g. EPA, DHA) become compromised without adequate intake of
antioxidants. What this means is that
even if you’re supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids, free radicals may cause
the fatty acids to self-destruct before they can enter the cell. Vitamin E intercepts the free radicals and
prevents oxidation.
Significantly larger doses of vitamin E may be required to
maximize reversal of vitamin E deficiency and is the standard treatment. The
improvements responders show to higher doses of omega-3 and vitamin E typically
include improved speech (new sounds, words, improved narrative, more
age-appropriate speech), improved gross and fine motor skills, eye contact, and
pointing. These are basically a resolution of neurological symptoms that are
similar if not identical to those that develop from vitamin E deficiency due to
malabsorption caused by inflammation, food allergies, gluten sensitivity,
and/or chronic oxidative stress.
Where does the vitamin E come from?
Due to the highly allergic nature of certain children, many
of us have become adept label readers. So it may come as a surprise to find out
that an estimated 95% (or more) of the vitamin E on the market (and included in
most omega-3 supplements) is derived from soy.
Soy can be a scary word to many people due to its highly allergenic
properties. While a few companies disclose the source of their vitamin E on the
label, the majority do not even though the vitamin E is derived from soy. Even though the majority of vitamin E in the
USA is derived from soybean oil, it is rarely called out and identified on
dietary supplement labels. Why? How can
this be? Don’t we have allergen laws to protect us?
The answer is yes, we do have laws to protect us. However, vitamin E derived from soybean oil
is excluded from allergen statements due the fact that there are no traces of
soy in vitamin E. The Food Allergen and
Labeling Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) requires listing of the 8 major food
allergens (including soy) on a label.
However, when derived from highly refined soybean oil, vitamin E is
exempt from allergen labeling due to the fact that vitamin E is produced
through a thorough transformation process that results in no detectable levels
of soy protein. This is typically measured by traditional methods and ELISA
(Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay). Most individuals with soy allergies and
soy sensitivities are allergic to the proteins in soy; however, through the
purification and filtering process, all traces of soy proteins are
removed. Even the most reputable brands
including SpeechNutrients, Nordic Naturals, and Barleans use vitamin E derived
from soy, but there are absolutely no detectable soy allergens in these
products.
Which omega-3 is right for my
child?
When
choosing an omega-3 supplement for your child, the choices can be
overwhelming. How can you be sure you
are getting the highest quality with the most efficacy? First, always look at the serving size and
compare it to the amount of EPA and DHA in the supplement. For example, brand A may promise 1000mg of
fish oil per serving which sounds pretty good.
However, after reading the label, you may notice that a serving is 3
large capsules and the total amount of EPA and DHA (the forms of omega-3 that
we want) is only 520mg. So, if 3
capsules contain only 520mg of EPA and DHA, what else is in those large
capsules? Typically, it’s nothing that
you would want and in some cases it could include saturated fats. If you’re curious about what’s in your
omega-3 supplement, place it in the freezer for about 30 minutes. If the capsule remains clear, great! If it
becomes cloudy, then typically it contains saturated fat and other undesirable
oils.
Second,
check the smell. Fish oil is always
going to smell like, well, like fish oil.
However, it shouldn’t be a strong odor or cause an instant adverse
response (gagging, coughing, etc). If
the fish oil smells bad, it typically is.
Remember that the oil oxidizes very quickly, so if it has a very strong
odor, it has probably begun the oxidation process and may even be rancid. You’ll want to purchase from companies who
are members of GOED (Global Organization for EPA and DHA www.goedomega3.com) as
their members must adhere to a strict monograph and standard of purity.
Finally, think about why you are supplementing your child
with fish oil. If it’s for general
health, aim for a high quality omega-3 with at least 300mg EPA and 200mg DHA
per serving. If your child has
malabsorption issues due to oxidation and inflammation and is facing speech
and/or motor challenges, you will want to make sure that your omega-3 contains
a therapeutic dose of at least 500IU of d-alpha tocopherol and 200mg gamma tocopherol vitamin E per serving. It’s always best to talk to your doctor
before beginning any new supplementation program.
References:
1.
Morris, Claudia R, and Agin, Marilyn C. Syndrome
of Allergy, Apraxia, and Malabsorption: Characterization of a
Neurodevelopmental Phenotype that Responds to Omega 3 and Vitamin E
Supplementation. Alternative Therapies in
Health and Medicine 2009; Vol. 15, No. 4: 32-41.
2.
Richardson AJ, Montgomery P. The Oxford-Durham
study: a randomized, controlled trial of dietary supplementation with fatty
acids in children with developmental coordination disorder. Pediatrics. May 2005; 115(5); 1360-1366.
