Brain power: Study links increased vitamin E levels and physical activity to better academic performance in teens

Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that helps prevent cell damage. But according to a study, adequate levels of vitamin E, coupled with regular exercise, are also associated with improved cognitive performance in young students.

The study was published in the journal BMC Pediatrics and conducted by researchers from the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

What vitamin E does for brain health

For the study, researchers monitored 120 young students – 50 girls and 70 boys around 16 years of age, who were enrolled in six different senior secondary schools with the same academic curricula.

The researchers found that the students that were classified as “moderately” or “highly” active performed better academically compared to the rest of the volunteers. These students were found to have high serum levels of vitamin E.

The researchers posited that both vitamin E levels and total antioxidant capacity can be used as indicators for improving executive function, or one’s ability to manage thoughts and actions to accomplish certain tasks, physical activity and the academic performance of students.

These findings support existing data on the importance of proper vitamin intake and brain health.

Existing data also shows that vitamin E deficiency in early infancy can increase the risk of conditions like bronchopulmonary dysplasia and delays in the development of the central nervous system in children. (Related: Learn which foods and supplements can boost your memory.)

Other studies have also determined connections between vitamin E and beneficial anti-inflammatory properties.

Vitamin E also offers other benefits such as physiological improvements and enhanced cognitive performance in studies with diseased populations. According to data from a study in the journal Neurobiology of Aging, patients with decreased mental function and Alzheimer’s disease are more likely to have low blood levels of tocopherols and tocotrienols – two main types of vitamin E.

How vitamin E levels affect academic performance

To date, no studies have analyzed the effects of exercise and vitamin E levels on academic performance. The researchers pursued the study to examine vitamin E’s role in the cognitive performance of young and healthy participants. They set out to determine the l