Yellow vitamin E capsules are a staple in the vitamin aisle, and many people take vitamin E as part of a multi-vitamin. Whether you opt to use the vitamin gel inside the capsule or take the vitamin orally, it offers a range of health benefits and uses. Be sure to consult your physician before taking vitamin E, though, to avoid interactions and incorrect dosages.
Skin Moisturizing
Break open a capsule of vitamin E and spread the gel on your skin -- this provides an effective moisturizer for your face. The University of Maryland Medical Center cites studies that indicate cream containing vitamin E is particularly useful to boost skin's softness and decrease the length and depth of wrinkles and facial lines. It offers benefits to the skin around your eyes, which often requires special treatment to keep it pliable and healthy. Vitamin E moisturizers firm the skin, although do not expect immediate results. You may find that ingredients in these moisturizers may trigger acne break-outs, though, so see your dermatologist if problems pop up.
Burn Care
While the first step in a minor burn is to apply ice, you can use vitamin E later to soothe and heal burned skin. The Doctor Yourself website recommends applying the gel from vitamin E capsules directly onto affected skin to decrease the amount of inflammation and reduce scarring from more severe burns. The website also suggests mixing the capsule gel with olive oil for topical use after a sunburn to decrease peeling, speed healing time and take the sting out of your skin. Ingesting vitamin E may also help ward off sun damage. A study published in the April 2008 issue of the "Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology" indicates that oral consumption of vitamin E protected hairless mice from some types of ultraviolet light.
Eye Health
Taking vitamin E orally may provide advantages for your eyes. You can take 400 IU of this vitamin to help ward off age-related macular degeneration, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center website, although your eyes may benefit even if you already have this condition -- taking vitamin E may slow down deterioration of your eyesight. This may be a result of the antioxidant effects of vitamin E, which protect eye membranes. Taking vitamin E can also promote better vision if you have uveitis, a condition marked by inflammation of the middle layer of your eye.
Considerations
Note that regularly consuming high doses of vitamin E -- defined as higher than 400 IU per day -- may trigger health problems. There is some indication that taking this vitamin in such a way can slightly bump up your risk of death, according to MayoClinic.com. It may also increase the effectiveness of blood-thinning medications, which can increase your risk of internal bleeding and cause coagulation problems if you suffer an injury.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Skin Wrinkles and Blemishes -- Treatment; December 2008
- Deep Fitness; Vitamin E: Nourishing Dry Skin Care; J. Foo
- DoctorYourself.com; The Selection and Therapeutic Use of Vitamin E. J. Saul
- "Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology"; Dietary Tocotrienol Reduces UVB-Induced Skin Damage and Sesamin Enhances Tocotrienol Effects in Hairless Mice; Y. Yamada, et al.; April 2008
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Vitamin E; December 2009
- All About Vision; Vitamin E and Minerals: Eye Nutrition from Nuts; G. Heiting; December 2010
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