Innate function of vitamin E

For almost a century, the biological role of vitamin E has been a scientific puzzle. Diets deficient in vitamin E lead to disease, specifically involving muscle, but the mechanism involved remained unsolved. Recent studies, reviewed here, show that vitamin E improves skeletal muscle cell survival after membrane injuries typically induced by exercise, namely by robustly promoting the rapid repair response a cell mounts to patch membrane tears. This capacity for repair promotion can explain why vitamin E is essential for muscle health. Understanding the biological function of vitamin E might provide the needed direction in the application of vitamin E as a beneficial supplement.