When browsing the skin care aisle at the drugstore, you've probably noticed that vitamin E is included in many products. When applied topically, vitamin E can help protect your skin from UV damage. However, you also need vitamin E in your diet because it is essential to human development and functioning. The vitamin includes eight compounds, but only one of them is used in the human body – alpha-tocopherol.
The pros and cons of vitamin E have been disputed for many years. So what do you need to know? We did the research. Here are the benefits and drawbacks.
What is Vitamin E?
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble nutrient found in many foods and is important to the human body in a variety of ways. Vitamin E, in the form of alpha-tocopherol, is a a powerful antioxidant which works as a machine to fight free radicals.
Although it is possible to meet the daily requirement of vitamin E through food, oral and topical supplements are also available. However, supplements should be used carefully, according to the instructions and after consulting a doctor.
Adding vitamin E to your diet
Nuts, seeds and vegetable oils top the list best sourcesbut vitamin E can be found in many foods. Here are some great and varied food choices to boost your vitamin E.
- Asparagus
- Avocado
- Cooked or raw spinach
- Dry roasted sunflower seeds
- Dry roasted almonds
- Dry roasted hazelnuts
- Kiwi
- Mango
- Peanut butter
- Pumpkin
- Red pepper
- Tomatoes
The benefits of vitamin E
Vitamin E is thought to offer many benefits to the human body. Some of them are inconclusive in terms of showing real benefit in scientific studies. Here are some science-backed benefits of vitamin E.
1. It can lower blood pressure
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Some studies showed that vitamin E supplementation may help lower blood pressure, although the results were not as favorable for those with severe high blood pressure.
Although results are mixed on the link between vitamin E supplementation and cardiovascular disease, a study that followed 40,000 healthy women for 10 years found that those who took vitamin E had a 24% lower risk of dying from a heart event. The results were not as positive for those at high risk or who already had heart disease.
2. Fights against free radicals
Vitamin E is known for battle with free radicals and protects cells from their damage; fewer free radicals can mean several good things for the human body.
Cell damage due to free radicals increases the risk of various health problems such as cardiovascular disease, inflammatory diseases, cataracts and cancer. Antioxidants that fight free radicals, like vitamin E, also fight those chronic conditions.
Bonus? Vitamin E's contribution to reducing free radicals also reduces skin damage from UV exposure. Less skin damage means more youthful glow, and who doesn't want that?
Its anti-inflammatory effects also help reduce symptoms in chronic inflammatory skin conditions such as dermatitis.
3. May improve PMS symptoms
Around 80% to 90% of women experience some degree of premenstrual syndrome during their reproductive years. For some, PMS is painful and disrupts daily life. Vitamin E can bring some relief if you are one of the 80% to 90%.
Studies show that supplementing vitamin E with vitamin D can be an effective way to reduce PMS symptoms such as cramps, anxiety and cravings.
Disadvantages of vitamin E supplements
As with any supplement, vitamin E should be used as directed and with caution.
Avoid too much of a good thing
Being fat soluble is not a bad thing. But too much of a good thing can quickly turn into a bad thing. Fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin E dissolve in fat, unlike water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C. This means that vitamin E can be stored in the fatty tissues of your body and liver for up to six months.
Since most of our vitamin E needs can be met through food, high doses of vitamin E are rarely needed and can cause serious health conditions.
You may experience side effects
When taken in small doses, vitamin E rarely causes negative side effects. However, this is not the case for everyone. Here are a few side effects to pay attention to:
- Blurred vision
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Nausea
- A rash
- Stomach cramps
- Weakness
It can cause or worsen certain health conditions
Before supplementing or increasing your dietary vitamin E intake, consider the following health conditions that could be caused or worsened by vitamin E.
- Prostate cancer: Although further research is limited, a pilot study of 35,533 healthy men concluded that dietary supplementation with vitamin E caused a significant increase in prostate cancer.
- Heart diseases: Although there is no research to suggest that vitamin E causes heart disease, some research suggests that vitamin E may worsen the condition and increase the risk of death from heart attack or stroke.
- Hemorrhage: High doses of vitamin E have been shown to cause bleeding and increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke.
- Diabetes: Current information supports discouraging people with diabetes from vitamin E supplementation.
May interact with certain medications
If you are taking any prescription medications or supplements, check with your doctor before supplementing with vitamin E. Vitamin E can oppose the effectiveness of some drugs or supplements such as vitamin K, statins, niacin, blood thinners, antiplatelet drugs or even chemotherapy drugs.
Can vitamin E be taken daily?
For adults, recommended daily amount of vitamin E is 15 mg. It only takes a small amount of real food to reach 15 mg. For example, there are 7.4 mg of vitamin E in one ounce of sunflower seeds and 7.3 mg in one ounce of almonds. Each one will provide you with about 49% of your daily vitamin E requirement.
Since vitamin E is so readily available in food, and in this case, more is not better, supplementation is not often necessary. However, if you can't get the recommended daily amount through food, you should limit your supplementation to 15 mg or less per day to get the full benefits of vitamin E.
If you are taking other supplements or medications, be sure to check with your doctor before taking vitamin E.