Higher Intake Of Vitamin E As A Child May Prevent Liver Disease Later On

[haidut]

I think most people on this forum know about the link between estrogen and liver disease. Peat has written at length about it and there is officially published data spanning more than century showing that (just like "autoimmune" conditions) liver disease has much higher incidence in women, thus exposing the role of estrogen. One of the most potent natural antagonists of estrogen, both at the receptor level and by inhibiting aromatase, is vitamin E. So, one would expect to find protective effect of vitamin E on the development and progression of liver disease.
This new study found exactly that, and more importantly, that the link between vitamin E and liver health begins in early childhood. Most doctors/pediatricians are squarely against vitamin E supplementation for kids, but given that not many foods are fortified with it any more I think this recommendation may have to change.

Association of Vitamin E Intake at Early Childhood with Alanine Aminotransferase Levels at Mid‐Childhood
https://www.healio.com/hepatology/s...ake-linked-to-liver-health-later-in-childhood

"...“Early and mid-childhood could be key windows of opportunity to prevent rising ALT levels. Moreover, identifying protective factors against elevated ALT levels could inform future interventions to prevent pediatric [non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)],” Jennifer A. Woo Baidal, MD, MPH, from the division of pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition at Columbia University Medical Center and colleagues wrote. “Vitamin E is a prime candidate for protection against development of NAFLD. ... Identifying the prospective association of alpha-tocopherol intake during early childhood with later ALT levels could inform future efforts to prevent liver damage in children.”

"...“Our results extend the existing literature showing alpha-tocopherol treatment effect in established NAFLD to suggest that alpha-tocopherol intake early in childhood could have a protective role against liver injury later in childhood,” they wrote. “Modifiable risk factors, specifically intake of vitamin E, should be considered in future interventions to identify approaches to prevent pediatric NAFLD.”"

 

[Tarmander]

It’s very tough to get the RDA of E without supplementing. It is always low when I put my diet into crono, especially because nuts are pretty much out. I guess you could try milling your own grains to get the natural E before it degrades?

 

[haidut]

It’s very tough to get the RDA of E without supplementing. It is always low when I put my diet into crono, especially because nuts are pretty much out. I guess you could try milling your own grains to get the natural E before it degrades?

Grains may help but liver is probably a safer source of vitamin E, and it can be eaten once weekly and still provide enough vitamin E for up to 2 weeks.

 

[RobertJM]

The cronometer says there is barely any vitamin E in 50g of lambs liver (0.35mg), especially with the amount of iron that comes with it. But who can say that the cronometer is anything accurate.

For me, it just seems that any food with higher amounts of vitamin E usually has a heavy load of PUFA along with it. Almost like Mother Nature put it there to protect (to some degree) against the PUFA poison.

 

[Tarmander]

Grains may help but liver is probably a safer source of vitamin E, and it can be eaten once weekly and still provide enough vitamin E for up to 2 weeks.

That is interesting. Do you think freezing would damage the vitamin e at all?

 

[haidut]

That is interesting. Do you think freezing would damage the vitamin e at all?

It should not. Prolonged cooking may do some damage but should still leave most of it intact.

 

[haidut]

The cronometer says there is barely any vitamin E in 50g of lambs liver (0.35mg), especially with the amount of iron that comes with it. But who can say that the cronometer is anything accurate.

For me, it just seems that any food with higher amounts of vitamin E usually has a heavy load of PUFA along with it. Almost like Mother Nature put it there to protect (to some degree) against the PUFA poison.

I don't think cronometer takes into account all of the vitamin E isomers, I think it tracks only alpha tocopherol. Also, it does not take into account various metabolites of vitamin E like tocopheryl-quinone, which are metabolized back into vitamin E once ingested. Biopsies done on humans show much higher concentrations of vitamin E per gram of liver tissue. Not encouraging cannibalism in any way, but if this is true and grazing animals have even more vitamin E than us stored in their liver something is amiss with those numbers from cronometer.

 

[raypeatclips]

It should not. Prolonged cooking may do some damage but should still leave most of it intact.

What do you consider prolonged cooking?

 

[RobertJM]

I don't think cronometer takes into account all of the vitamin E isomers, I think it tracks only alpha tocopherol. Also, it does not take into account various metabolites of vitamin E like tocopheryl-quinone, which are metabolized back into vitamin E once ingested. Biopsies done on humans show much higher concentrations of vitamin E per gram of liver tissue. Not encouraging cannibalism in any way, but if this is true and grazing animals have even more vitamin E than us stored in their liver something is amiss with those numbers from cronometer.

Wow that's interesting stuff. Thanks, Haidut.

Without meaning to digress too much, Ray (I'm fairly sure) once said that liver was one of the cleanest organs to eat? Not sure if I have that right. But it's not the main organ that detoxifies? How can it be the cleanest organ to eat? It's just one of a million questions I would love to ask Ray, but I am not lucky enough to have his email. Not sure if you have an opinion on it?

 

[Tenacity]

@haidut On Danny Roddy's Generative Energy podcast regarding autoimmunity, you said that liver disease is a common co-morbidity of autoimmune disease. Do you think this mean that vitamin E would help with autoimmune conditions, too?