Vitamin E is an essential fat-soluble vitamin found in vegetable oil, green leafy vegetables, nuts, wheat germ, cereal, meat, egg yolks and whole grains. The best way to get vitamin E is through your diet; however, vitamin E supplements are available as oil capsules and may benefit your health. The American Cancer Society (ACS) warns that vitamin E supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Individuals should consult a physician prior to supplementing with vitamin E oil.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an antioxidant. Antioxidants protect the body from free radicals, harmful substances that contribute to heart disease and cancer by damaging cells and tissue. According to MedlinePlus, vitamin E is also involved in the formation of red blood cells and helps the body use vitamin K. The ACS says vitamin E deficiencies can cause blindness and impair cognition.
Alpha-Tocopherol
Alpha-tocopherol is one of eight antioxidants that are collectively known as vitamin E, according to the Linus Pauling Insitute (LPI) at Oregon State University. Alpha-tocopherol is the most common form of supplemental vitamin E because it is the only form that is stored in the body and is the most nutritionally beneficial. Other antioxidant forms of vitamin E include beta-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, delta-tocopherol, alpha-tocotrienol, beta-tocotrienol, gamma-tocotrienol and delta-tocotrienol.
Benefits
The Mayo Clinic says vitamin E may help prevent heart disease and heart attacks, cataracts, certain cancers, Alzheimer's and dementia. Vitamin E may also benefit diabetics and improve immunity and inflammation caused by arthritis. Applying topical ointments and creams that contain vitamin E oil to burn wounds and surgical incisions may speed up the healing process.
According to the Mayo Clinic, as of 2010 vitamin E is being studied for its effect on nasal allergy symptoms, altitude sickness, anemia, chest pain, atherosclerosis, breast cancer, colon cancer, bladder cancer, chemotherapy, kidney and liver disease, hepatitis, high cholesterol, Parkinson's, PMS and asthma. The ACS notes that not all of the health claims concerning vitamin E have been scientifically proven, and there is still room for research regarding its role in preventing and treating medical conditions.
RDA
Vitamin E amounts can be expressed as milligrams or international units (IUs), where 1 mg equals 1.5 IUs. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin E is 4 to 5 mg for infants, 5 to 7 mg for children, 15 mg for teens, adults and pregnant women and 18 to 19 mg for women who are breastfeeding. According to the Mayo Clinic, the maximum amount of vitamin E recommended per day is 1,000 mg (1,500 IUs); however, recent evidence shows that there may be adverse side effects with more than 400 IUs a day.
Side Effects
The ACS warns that the risk of adverse side effects of vitamin E increases with high doses and prolonged use. Vitamin E supplements can interact with prescription medications used to treat heart problems, high cholesterol and cancer. Specific drugs affected by vitamin E include cholestyramine, colestipol, isoniazid, orlistat, mineral oil, sucralfate and olestra. According to the Mayo Clinic, rare side effects of vitamin E supplements include abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, decreased kidney function, gonadal dysfunction, fatigue, headache, weakness and blurry vision. Topical vitamin E can cause skin disorders like dermatitis and eczema.
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