Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps fight inflammation-causing free radicals in the body. Without enough vitamin E in your diet, you can experience adverse side effects such as trouble balancing, muscle weakness or eye damage. For this reason, you may decide to increase your daily vitamin E intake by taking a supplement. Before you do, talk to your physician about potential drug interactions -- including with the blood-thinning medication warfarin.
Significance
Warfarin is a medication prescribed when you are at increased risk for developing blood clots. The risks may include having an irregular heartbeat, having experienced a heart attack or having been diagnosed with a blood clot in your leg. While warfarin can be a life-saving medication, it also is associated with a number of drug interactions. Although you may tell your physician about taking prescription medications, you may not think to tell your physician about vitamins you are taking. However, you should tell your physician about all medications, including herbal and vitamin supplements.
Mechanism
While vitamin E supplementation is associated with few side effects, one of the most significant potential effects is increased risk of hemorrhage or bleeding. It is possible that vitamin E can impair blood clotting in the body. This can be harmful because warfarin also reduces blood clotting. When taken together, the two medications can work almost too well and increase your risk of dangerous bleeding.
Daily Intake
Note that vitamin E supplements are considered harmful while you are taking warfarin, not the vitamin E in your daily diet itself. The recommended daily allowance for those ages 14 and older is 15 mg per day. Foods that contain vitamin E include cooking oils, including olive, soybean, corn, canola, safflower and sunflower oil. Other sources include almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts and spinach. Instead of supplementation, talk to your physician about increasing your intake of whole foods instead to reap the benefits of vitamin E intake.
Warning
If you do consider taking vitamin E supplements while you are also on warfarin, talk to your physician. While you will be constantly monitored while on warfarin, your physician may increase blood testing to ensure your blood has not become too thin as a result of supplementation. You should not take vitamin E or warfarin alongside a vitamin K supplement without close physician supervision.
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