Why Is Vitamin E Good For Skin Health?

If you ask a random assortment of friends to recommend a vitamin for your skin, chances are that at least one of them will name vitamin E. Most familiar as little gel caps containing a golden oil, vitamin E has a reputation for fading scars, minimizing stretchmarks and keeping your skin young. Vitamin E is good for your skin, but the reasons may surprise you.

Definition

Vitamin E is the collective name for a group of fat-soluble vitamins. Scientists have identified eight forms of vitamin E. Alpha-tocopherol, says the Office of Dietary Supplements, is the only form of vitamin E that meets human requirements. Other forms of vitamin E include beta-, gamma- and delta-tocopherol and alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-tocotrienol. Your liver preferentially selects only alpha-tocopherol for use by your body.

Benefits

Vitamin E is a "good team player," says nutritionist Lisa Drayer, author of "The Beauty Diet: Looking Great Has Never Tasted So Good." It has antioxidant properties and can help protect the skin from damage caused by the sun. Sebum, the oily substance produced by sebaceous glands, contains vitamin E. Sebum has anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties. It helps protect the skin from fungal and bacterial infections. Vitamin E also prevents the degradation of hyaluronic acid, which helps keep skin hydrated and slows the aging process, according to Miranda Farage, author of "The Textbook of Aging."

Food Sources

Nuts, seeds and vegetable oils are among the best dietary sources of vitamin E. One tablespoon of wheat germ oil, for example, provides 100 percent of the Food and Drug Administration's recommended daily value of vitamin E. Two tablespoons of sunflower seeds provide about 59 percent of the recommended daily value. Other foods containing vitamin E include spinach, tomatoes, kiwi and mangoes.

While you'll get the most effect from eating foods rich in vitamin E and other antioxidants, Drayer also recommends using topical products that contain antioxidants.

Scars and Stretchmarks

Many products advertise that they contain vitamin E to help fade scars and stretch marks. Research shows that, as much as you may want it to be effective, vitamin E doesn't help cuts heal without scarring or fade stretch marks. In fact, a 1999 trial conducted at the University of Miami found that vitamin E may actually hinder wound healing, in part because of the increased risk of an allergic reaction.

Natural vs. Synthetic

Natural alpha-tocopherol appears to be superior to the synthetic form. In fact, your body needs about 50 percent more synthetic vitamin E to get the same amount of usable alpha-tocopherol as it would get from natural sources of vitamin E. If you have a choice, eat foods rich in vitamin E to get your daily recommended value. If you do choose to take a vitamin E supplement, stick to the daily value recommended by the Food and Drug Administration, unless your health practitioner advises otherwise. When shopping for supplements, remember that natural vitamin E is "d-alpha" and synthetic vitamin E is "dl-alpha."