Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin found in many fruits, vegetables and grains as well as an oil used as a supplement. According to MayoClinic.Com, there are eight forms of vitamin E: alpha, beta, delta and gamma tocopherol and alpha, beta, delta, and gamma tocotrienol. The form our bodies requires is alpha tocopherol. There is some risk associated with taking daily high doses of vitamin E; you should speak to your physician before taking any supplements.
Heart Protection
According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, a division of the National Institutes of Health, vitamin E is considered an antioxidant that can help protect the body from free radicals which can damage cells. This type of damage has been known to cause cancer and cardiovascular disease. Research published in the March, 1976 issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation and conducted by M. Steiner and J. Anastasi showed that taking vitamin E in a controlled quantity helped to reduce the body's propensity for platelet aggregation, a precursor to blood clots.
Cancer Prevention
The antioxidant properties of vitamin E can help reduce the risk of some cancers. A study published in the September, 1993 issue of Cancer Research, conducted by R.M. Bostick, et. al., showed that people over 65 who took large vitamin E supplements had a decreased risk of colon cancer. Another study published in the March, 2010 issue of African Health Sciences and conducted by O.A. Adaromoye, et. al., showed that a deficiency of vitamin E increased the risk of men succumbing to prostate cancer.
Other Benefits
Vitamin E oil is commonly found in beauty products due to the belief it can help skin. On July 24, 2010, research by M.H. Javenbakht, et. al., published in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment showed the effectiveness of treating atopic dermatitis, or eczema, with vitamin E and vitamin D. In 2010, research sponsored by the Mayo Clinic and collaborated by New Health International sought to determine if vitamin E oil and evening primrose oil, separately and combined, can help ease breast pain.
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