Vitamin E: hype or hope

Unlike other vitamins, Vitamin E probably has received less attention in the past because humans are not likely to suffer from deficiency disorders. This fat soluble vitamin is available in many foods, is easily stored, and is readily reused by the body. The original research carried out in the 1920s found that a Vitamin E deficiency in rats produced problems in their reproductive capacity. The name given to the substance at that time, "tocopherol," reflects this action as it is taken from the Greek word, "tocos," meaning "to give birth."