Edema occurs when your body retains too much fluid, causing swelling. It can affect different parts of your body, including your face, hands, legs, feet, eyes and lungs. Edema itself is not a disease but a symptom of another health condition, so treating the underlying condition is the best way to resolve edema. However, certain supplements, including vitamin E, may help minimize edema, depending on the reason for the edema.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that can act as an antioxidant, which is why it may be helpful in treating edema, along with the fact that vitamin E may improve the health of your heart, thus lowering your risk for pulmonary edema. Vitamin E also plays a part in immune function, the signaling and proliferation of cells and the expression of genes in your body. Adults should consume at least 15 mg of vitamin E per day.
Animal Studies
Animal studies indicate a possible protective effect of vitamin E supplementation with regard to injury-associated edema. Rats who experienced brain compression were less likely to suffer from edema if they had high levels of vitamin A compared to rats who were deficient in vitamin A, according to a study published in "Neurology" in February 1983. Another study, published in November 2003 in the "European Journal of Ophthalmology," found that guinea pigs supplemented with vitamin E were less likely to suffer from retinal edema due to retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury than guinea pigs in the control group.
Human Studies
Studies involving people, rather than animals, seem to indicate less of a benefit for vitamin E supplementation. For example, a study published in January 2006 in the "American Journal of Ophthalmology" found no benefit to high-dose vitamin E supplementation for limiting edema associated with uveitis, an inflammation of the middle part of your eye. Study participants taking 1,600 IU of vitamin E per day for four months didn't have any better vision or less thickening of the retina than those taking a placebo.
Side Effects and Safety
High doses of vitamin E from supplements, but not from food, can cause toxicity symptoms, including an increased risk for bleeding. Vitamin E supplements can also interact with medications such as those used in chemotherapy, blood thinners, niacin and simvastatin, so speak with your doctor before taking vitamin E supplements to make sure they would be safe for you.
References
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin E
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Edema
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Pulmonary Edema
- "Neurology"; Compression-induced Brain Edema: Modification by Prior Depletion and Supplementation of Vitamin E; S. Yoshida, et al.; February 1983
- "European Journal of Ophthalmology"; The Protective Effects of Melatonin, Vitamin E and Octreotide on Retinal Edema During Ischemia-reperfusion in the Guinea Pig Retina; T. Yilmaz, et al.; November 2002
- "American Journal of Ophthalmology"; Vitamin E in the Treatment of Uveitis-associated Macular Edema; R.B. Nussenblatt, et al.; January 2006
Member Comments