Vitamin E
What is it: Vitamin E is best known as a powerful antioxidant aiding the body in fighting the damaged from free radicals that we encounter in daily life such as air pollution, ultraviolet light from the sun, cigarette smoke etc. This fat-soluble vitamin also works to boost our immune system and fight off viruses while promoting longer cell life. The term vitamin E refers to eight different compounds with Alpha-tocopheral being the most prominent form in humans. In supplement form however, there are essentially two forms to look for on labels. The natural form is more bioavailable and thus more easily absorbed by the body.
- The natural form - d-alpha-tocopherol
- The synthetic form - dl-alpha-tocopherol
Functions/Benefits: Vitamin E, being a powerful antioxidant, helps elongate the life of our cells by fighting off damage by free radicals. As free radicals are a naturally occurring part of life, they are enhanced by environmental factors such as air pollution, cigarette smoke, and ultraviolet light from the sun. Vitamin E helps combat the negatives effects of these environmental factors that ages us according to studies done at the National Institutes of Health.
Food Sources: Vitamin E is found naturally in foods as well as comes fortified in other food sources. The best source of vitamin E is from vegetable oils like wheat germ, sunflower and safflower oils as well as various nuts and seeds. Green vegetables like spinach, broccoli also provide vitamin E.
Deficiency/Toxicity: According to the studies done by the National Institutes of Health, the diet of most American's does not provide adequate amounts of vitamin E. That said, vitamin E deficiency is somewhat rare in healthy people. Those at higher risk of developing a deficiency almost always have another disease such as Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis or other rare genetic diseases.
Toxicity of vitamin E is very rare and do not run the risk of getting to much simply from diet. However, taking supplements for vitamin E can have adverse risks such as an increase risk of bleeding and stroke. The upper limits for vitamin E are 1,500 IU/day for natural vitamin E supplements and 1,100 IU/day for synthetic vitamin E supplements for adults. The upper limits for children are lower.
People should get most of their vitamin E from healthy diets, and there are supplements available as well as in fortified foods. Below the chart we have provided more information and resources to continue learning about vitamin E and we always recommend you consult with your doctor before taking any supplements or making changes.
Fun Factoid: Vitamin E got it's name "tocopherol" from the Greek word meaning birth or to bear or carry when the vitamin was first identified as essential for fertilized eggs to result in babies in a study done on rats.
| Life Stage | Recommended Amount |
|---|---|
| Birth to 6 months | 4 mg |
| Infants 7–12 months | 5 mg |
| Children 1–3 years | 6 mg |
| Children 4–8 years | 7 mg |
| Children 9–13 years | 11 mg |
| Teens 14–18 years | 15 mg |
| Adults | 15 mg |
| Pregnant teens and women | 15 mg |
| Breastfeeding teens and women | 19 mg |
Below are sources and further studies to review on vitamin E.
Vitamin E Fact Sheet for Health Professionals
Vitamin E Fact Sheet for Consumers