Vitamin E is a group of eight compounds, including tocopherol, found in many foods. It’s a fat-soluble vitamin, which means you don’t need to take it every day because it’s stored in the liver until needed.¹ Vitamin E is important for strong immune function and helps maintain healthy skin and eyes.²

It’s also an antioxidant, so it protects the body from damage due to free radicals (oxidation). Plant oils, like olive oil, are a rich source of vitamin E. Soya, nuts and cereal are good sources too.³ Most people get all the vitamin E they need from their diet, so a deficiency is rare. Symptoms of a vitamin E deficiency can include a lack of coordination and muscle weakness.⁴

What does vitamin E do in the body?

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant, helping protect cells against free-radical damage. It plays an important role in your immune system, the body’s defence against illness and infection.⁵ Vitamin E also helps maintain:^6,7

cell membranes
formation of red blood cells
cell to cell communications
healthy skin
normal vision
blood clotting, using vitamin K

How much vitamin E do I need?

There’s no specific recommendation for vitamin E in the UK, but the NHS advises 3mg a day for women and 4mg for men.⁸ This can be provided in roughly 10 almonds.⁹ The European Food Safety Authority recommends higher levels: 11mg for women and 13mg for men.10 Vitamin E can be found in a range of foods, especially fats and oils, so your diet should provide all the vitamin E you need.¹¹

Which foods are the best sources of vitamin E?

Foods that contain vitamin E include:^12,13

wheatgerm, sunflower, sesame and olive oils
avocado
nuts
salmon
red peppers
wholegrain bread
egg yolks

What are the symptoms of a vitamin E deficiency?

Most people get more than enough vitamin E from their diet, so deficiency is rare. However, people with health conditions that make it difficult to absorb fats and fat-soluble vitamins, like cystic fibrosis and Crohn’s disease, may be at risk of a deficiency.¹⁴Symptoms of a vitamin E deficiency include:¹⁵

muscle pain
vision problems
disorientation

What happens if I consume too much vitamin E?

Little is known about the effects of high doses of vitamin E on the body, but scientists have reported that very high doses of vitamin E over long periods may be connected to an increased risk of stroke.¹⁶ The NHS says that taking up to 540mg of vitamin E a day is unlikely to cause harm.¹⁷

When should I take vitamin E supplements?

You’re very likely to get all the vitamin E your body needs from eating a healthy, balanced diet.¹⁸ However, if you have a health condition that prevents your body from absorbing fats, talk to your doctor first. Avoid taking a vitamin E supplement if you have iron-deficiency anaemia, hyperthyroidism or are taking anti-coagulant medicines.¹⁹

Should women take a vitamin E supplement during pregnancy?

No, it’s best to focus on getting your vitamin E from your diet. A 2015 Cochrane review of 21 trials found taking vitamin E supplements during pregnancy is associated with stomach pain and early rupture of the membranes once full-term.²⁰

What are the potential benefits of taking a vitamin E supplement?

As well as boosting the immune system,²¹ studies have found vitamin E supplements can help improve:

period pain²²
nail health²³
eczema symptoms²⁴

Sources

1. National Institutes of Health. Vitamin E. Available from: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE-HealthProfessional/

2. NHS. Vitamin E. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-e/

3. As above

4. Cathleen Crichton-Stuart. What are the symptoms of low vitamin E? Available from: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321800.php

5. Rizvi S, et al. The Role of Vitamin E in Human Health and Some Diseases. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3997530/

6. HSIS. Vitamin E (Tocopherol). Available from: https://www.hsis.org/supplements/vitamin/

7. Medline Plus. Vitamin E. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002406.htm

8. As Source 2

9. SelfNutritionData. Nuts, almonds: Nutrition Facts & Calories. Available from: https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3085/2

10. European Food Safety Authority. Overview on Dietary Reference Values for the EU population as derived by the EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA). Available from: https://www.efsa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/assets/DRV_Summary_tables_jan_17.pdf

11. As Source 2

12. As Source 4

13. As Source 6

14. Natalie Silver. How to Identify and Treat a Vitamin E Deficiency. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/vitamin-e-deficiency

15. As above

16. As Source 1

17. As Source 2

18. As Source 2

19. As Source 6

20. Rumbold A, et al. Vitamin E supplementation in pregnancy. Available from: https://www.cochrane.org/CD004069/PREG_vitamin-e-supplementation-pregnancy

21. As Source 5

22. Ziaei S, Zakeri M, Kazemnejad A. A randomised controlled trial of vitamin E in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhoea. Available from: https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2004.00495.x

23. Keen MA, Hassan I. Vitamin E in dermatology. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4976416/ 24. As above