Shastak, Y.; Obermueller-Jevic, U.; Pelletier, W. A Century of Vitamin E: Early Milestones and Future Directions in Animal Nutrition. Agriculture2023, 13, 1526.
Shastak, Y.; Obermueller-Jevic, U.; Pelletier, W. A Century of Vitamin E: Early Milestones and Future Directions in Animal Nutrition. Agriculture 2023, 13, 1526.
Shastak, Y.; Obermueller-Jevic, U.; Pelletier, W. A Century of Vitamin E: Early Milestones and Future Directions in Animal Nutrition. Agriculture2023, 13, 1526.
Shastak, Y.; Obermueller-Jevic, U.; Pelletier, W. A Century of Vitamin E: Early Milestones and Future Directions in Animal Nutrition. Agriculture 2023, 13, 1526.
Abstract
Vitamin E is a group of eight compounds divided into two subgroups: four tocopherols (α-, β-, γ-, and δ-) and four tocotrienols (α-, β-, γ-, and δ-). α-Tocopherol is considered the most biologically active form. This review paper summarizes the current knowledge and historical progression of vitamin E research, with particular emphasis on its role in animal nutrition. Early studies in the 1920s identified vitamin E’s role in preventing neonatal mortality in rats. Over the following decades, scientists discovered the compound’s chemical structure and its importance for the immune system, skin health, anti-inflammatory properties, hormonal balance, and other bodily functions. Production of vitamin E products has evolved, starting with isolating the vitamin from natural sources and advancing to synthesizing it with greater efficiency and standardized potency units. Early animal studies focused on reproductive health and growth disorders, but further research demonstrated the importance of vitamin E in preventing encephalomalacia in domestic fowl and muscular dystrophy in rabbits and other animals. Today, vitamin E is commonly used as a feed additive to meet animals’ requirements and assure immune function and overall health. Despite much knowledge on vitamin E’s role in animal nutrition, many questions remain unanswered, and current research aims to determine optimal supplementation levels, interactions with other nutrients, impacts on gene expression, cell signaling and communication, and effects of supranutritional dosages in livestock. Vitamin E has a long and fascinating history in scientific research, with significant advancements in understanding its chemical structure and biological activity. In animal nutrition, vitamin E continues to play an important role in improving animal health, and ongoing research will continue to expand our understanding of its benefits and mechanisms of action.
Keywords
Vitamin E, history, animal nutrition, production, activity
Subject
Biology and Life Sciences, Animal Science, Veterinary Science and Zoology
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
