Benefits Of Vitamin E Capsules

Vitamin E is second only to Vitamin C as the most commonly used vitamin in the United States, according to Shari Lieberman, Ph.D., author of "The Real Vitamin & Mineral Book." There are eight different forms of Vitamin E, with D-alpha-tocopherol the type most readily used by the body, says Lieberman. Vitamin E can be purchased as capsules, tablets or oil.

Convenience of Capsules

Though bottles of Vitamin E oil can be purchased at natural foods retailers, you may opt to purchase capsules instead. Capsules are convenient for their ability to protect volatile oils from deteriorating, as well as their tendency to mask the unpleasant taste and smell of some supplements. Vitamin E can be purchased in soft gel capsules made of gelatin. Though gelatin is typically derived from animal byproducts, a vegetarian version made from Irish moss is also available. The label on your bottle of Vitamin E gel caps should indicate which type of gelatin was used.

Easy Topical Application

You can use Vitamin E capsules for topical applications by piercing a capsule with a pin and squeezing out the desired amount of oil. Vitamin E is safe to apply directly to skin. Researchers have found that Vitamin E oil applied before exposure to the sun exhibits some effectiveness in preventing skin damage, such as age spots, according to the book "Healing with Vitamins," edited by Alice Feinstein. Additionally, Lieberman says you can aid in the healing of injuries by applying Vitamin E oil directly to scabs.

E Capsules Taken Orally

Taken orally Vitamin E has numerous uses. It has been praised as an antioxidant, a cancer fighter and an immune system booster, says Lieberman. The consumption of Vitamin E capsules has shown promise in reducing the risk of respiratory infections among the elderly, according to a study published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" in 2008.

At the UCLA Brain Injury Research Center in 2010, studies performed on rats revealed Vitamin E's potential to reduce learning disabilities following a brain injury.

A study published in the "Journal of Cardiac Failure" in 2007 indicates that Vitamin E offers protective effects to diabetic rats against heart failure.

Lieberman recommends a daily optimum intake of 400 to 1,200 IU of Vitamin E for adult men and women. She warns that dosages of more than 1,200 IU per day have been associated with adverse reactions, such as fainting, headache and heart palpitations.