This vitamin is actually made up of a group of several related compounds, known as tocopherols, each characterised by a letter from the Greek alphabet:
alpha, beta, delta, gamma, .etc. Tocopherols have a similar chemical structure to that of sex hormones.
Regardless of the type of tocopherol, it consists of a pale yellow, oily liquid.
The best-known and most widely used of these tocopherols, as it is the most active form, is alpha-tocopherol.
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin which is insoluble in water, resistant to heat and light, but unstable in the present of oxygen and destroyed by UV rays.
Only small amounts of vitamin E are produced by the body. Therefore, daily intake via dietary sources or supplementation is necessary.

Role

Tocopherol is a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals, thus protecting the cell membranes in our body from oxidative stress.

Requirements

Besides age and status, requirements are diet-dependent. As such, they increase in the case of high-fat diets, as vitamin E is required to protect polyunsaturated fatty acids from going rancid inside the body.

Table of RNI (Reference Nutrient Intakes) for vitamin E :