Medically CitedOverview
Most likely you are already aware of the essential role of vitamins in supporting health, immunity, and other bodily functions. Vitamin E stands out as a powerful antioxidant that is central to immunity, reproduction, vision, heart health, and more.
Discovered in 1922 by Herbert McLean Evans and Katharine Scott Bishop at the University of California, Berkeley, this nutrient goes by the scientific name ‘tocopherol’.
Vitamin E is not produced naturally by the body, so we have to get it from food or supplements to derive its powerful advantages to health and well-being. In this review, we explore the benefits of Vitamin E, the best sources, recommended intake, and more.
What is Vitamin E?
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble nutrient that plays a key role in multiple aspects of human health. It comprises 8 separate compounds, and the one used most actively by the human body is alpha-tocopherol.
With its powerful antioxidant properties, Vitamin E destroys free radicals in the body, lowering oxidative stress and inflammation. As we explained in our review of Healthy Resolve, this helps to repair cells and protect them from damage.
While clinical deficiency is uncommon, evidence indicates that over 90% of Americans do not consume enough of this essential nutrient to meet the recommended daily requirement. Why is it so important to take in enough vitamin E? Let’s explore some of the key benefits in detail.
Vitamin E: What is it Good For?
This key nutrient may offer multiple advantages for health and well-being, and these are some of the top vitamin E benefits.
Vitamin E promotes healthy skin and overall well-being naturally.
Strengthening the Immune System
By destroying free radicals that roam your system causing damage, vitamin E lowers levels of oxidative stress to prevent and repair cellular damage. This helps boost immune function to help your body fight off infection and illness.
Registered dietician Julia Zumpano, RD, LD., explains:
Studies have shown that vitamin E is found in high amounts in certain immune cells. A deficiency in this vitamin prevents your immune system from doing its job well.
Due to its powerful antioxidant defense, some studies show that it may help lower the risk of developing some chronic health conditions like cancer, cataracts, and arthritis.
Supporting Heart Health
With its powerful antioxidant properties, vitamin E may protect the lipids from damage, and it thins the blood to help prevent possible blood clots. In addition, this nutrient could prevent plaque buildup to help lower diastolic blood pressure.
There is some evidence indicating that vitamin E may help decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease, although the results are not conclusive. A review in the Journal of Lipid Research indicated that it may help lower heart disease risk in patients with specific genetic conditions or type 2 diabetes.
Supporting Eye Health
The potent antioxidant properties of vitamin E help lower oxidative stress in the eyes, repairing damage to cells to support healthy eyesight and improve night vision.
Some studies show that adequate levels of this key nutrient may help protect against glaucoma and other progressive conditions. A review article published in Frontiers in Neuroscience discussed its therapeutic role in guarding against vision loss in age-related macular degeneration.
Rejuvenating the Skin
A popular ingredient in skincare creams, serums, and other products, vitamin E has multiple dermatological benefits. It helps repair the skin barrier and protect it from UV-induced damage, as we said in our review of Beverly Hills MD® ElastaBoost.
It also boosts the synthesis of collagen, helping to tighten the complexion and decrease the depth of wrinkles, lines, and scarring, and it increases hydration to moisturize and prevent dryness.
With its potent anti-inflammatory benefits, the vitamin E uses for skin include decreasing redness and swelling to help prevent acne breakouts and skin conditions like eczema. In addition, it helps slow melanin production in the skin to help fade dark spots and even out skin tone.
Supporting Brain Health
As a powerful antioxidant, vitamin E supports brain health by repairing neural cells, protecting them from damage, and supporting neural plasticity. This helps improve the synthesis of neurotransmitters like glutamate and GABA, supporting cognitive function and potentially helping to lower stress.
Vitamin E helps decrease brain fog, and evidence indicates that it may slow the progress of cognitive decline in older individuals and those with degenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.
Supporting Reproductive Health
Vitamin E may offer benefits to reproductive health and fertility in both men and women. improve sperm quality and motility. In women, vitamin E can repair damage to the cells in the ovaries to improve egg quality, and it supports endometrial development.
In men, this nutrient decreases inflammation and repairs damage to the Leydig cells in the testes, helping to increase sperm quality and motility and possibly boost the chance of fertilization.
Ways to Incorporate Vitamin E
Boost your health with these Vitamin E-rich foods.
Our bodies do not produce vitamin E naturally, so we have to derive it from other sources. The best way to get your daily intake of this nutrient, naturally, is from food. Some of the top choices to incorporate into your diet include:
- Oils: wheat germ, soybean, safflower, sunflower
- Fruits: mango, bananas, kiwi, avocado
- Vegetables: red bell pepper, spinach, red capsaicin
- Nuts and Seeds: peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, pine nuts
Supplements: If you are not getting enough of this nutrient from food, consider taking a vitamin E supplement to meet the daily recommended intake. Consult with a healthcare practitioner regarding your levels and suitable dosages. As it is fat-soluble, you should always take this vitamin with food that contains healthy fats, like nuts or avocado.
Skincare: If one of your goals is to rejuvenate your skin, products like vitamin E oil for skin, vitamin E cream, and masks incorporate this nutrient as a top ingredient. They offer anti-aging benefits like reducing wrinkles, fine lines, and dark spots, and help to balance skin tone, boost hydration, and enhance overall skin health.
How Much Vitamin E Should You Take?
The recommended daily intake of vitamin E for adults, including pregnant women, is 15mg. Women who are breastfeeding should take 19mg daily to ensure that the infant has adequate levels of this essential antioxidant.
If you are unsure whether you are getting enough, consult with a physician for a blood test. Signs of a vitamin E deficiency may include:
- Poor coordination
- Muscle weakness
- Difficulty with vision
- Numbness in the arms and/or legs
- Losing control of body movements
Are There Vitamin E Side Effects?
It’s important to take the recommended daily intake of vitamin E, whether it be from food, supplements, or both. While there are no serious potential side effects at the stipulated daily dosage, a high intake can increase the risk of symptoms. Some evidence indicates that men with or at risk for prostate cancer should avoid taking vitamin E supplements.
Common vitamin E side effects may include fatigue, nausea, headaches, rash, stomach cramps, or blurred vision in rare instances. If you have symptoms that concern you, see a healthcare practitioner for an assessment and possible supplement dosage adjustment.
FAQs about Vitamin E
Q: What Does Vitamin E Do?
A: Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that lowers oxidative stress to repair cellular damage, supporting immunity, heart and brain health, vision, reproduction, skin rejuvenation, and more.
Q: What Food is Highest in Vitamin E?
A: The food highest in vitamin E is wheat germ, with 20 milligrams per tablespoon or 135% of the recommended daily intake. Other foods rich in this essential nutrient include fish, egg yolk, nuts, seeds, and some fruits and vegetables like spinach, broccoli, mango, and avocado.
Q: Does Vitamin E Help Hair Growth?
A: Vitamin E has antioxidants that destroy free radicals in the scalp and follicles, repairing damage and decreasing inflammation to potentially help support hair growth and prevent loss. In addition, vitamin E for hair may enhance shine and overall health.
Q: Who Should Take a Vitamin E Supplement?
A: Individuals who do not derive enough vitamin E from foods should consider taking supplements, as well as individuals with conditions that impact fat absorption like ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease.
Q: What is the Best Form of Vitamin E?
A: While vitamin E is made up of 8 separate compounds, the best and most active form for the human body is d-alpha-tocopherol.
Conclusion
Vitamin E is a powerhouse antioxidant that offers multiple health benefits, including supporting the heart, brain, immune system, eyes, and reproductive tract.
It also has rejuvenating properties for the skin, helping to boost hydration and decrease signs of aging like wrinkles, fine lines, and dark spots. There is a wide range of vitamin E skincare products that incorporate this potent ingredient.
The best way to get your daily intake of vitamin E is from foods like almonds, kiwi, wheat germ oil, and kiwis, however, individuals who are not getting enough should consider meeting with a healthcare practitioner to discuss taking a supplement.
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We review published medical research in respected scientific journals to arrive at our conclusions about a product or health topic. This ensures the highest standard of scientific accuracy.
[2] What Can Vitamin E Do for You? https://health.clevelandclinic.org/vitamin-e
[3] The Role of Vitamin E in Human Health and Some Diseases: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3997530/
[4] Vitamin E in the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: The Importance of Proper Patient Selection: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3735930/
[5] Molecular Mechanisms Underlying the Therapeutic Role of Vitamin E in Age-Related Macular Degeneration: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2022.890021/full
[6] Vitamin E in Dermatology: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4976416/
[7] Role of Vitamin E in the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease: Evidence from Animal Models: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5751107/#:~:text=A%20systematic%20review%20concluded%20that,effects%20or%20mortality%20%5B81%5D
[8] The Effect of Vitamin E on Sperm Motility and Viability in Asthenoteratozoospermic Men: in Vitro Study: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/and.13891
[9] Vitamin E: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE-Consumer/
[10] The Role of Vitamin E in Human Health and Some Diseases: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3997530/
[11] Vitamin E and Metabolic Health: Relevance of Interactions with Other Micronutrients: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/11/9/1785
[12] Vitamin E Supplementation in Inflammatory Skin Diseases: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/dth.15160
[13] Vitamin E: Necessary Nutrient For Neural Development and Cognitive Function: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8842820/
[14] Vitamin E Supplementation and Cardiovascular Health: A Comprehensive Review: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10692867/
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