Veggie Blog

Vitamin E and your body

What vitamin E does

We all know that oxygen is essential for life. But once inside the body, oxygen can form highly reactive molecules called free radicals, which can cause damage that is known as oxidative stress. As an antioxidant, vitamin E helps protect your cells from this type of damage.

Vitamin E and the heart

Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in animal foods and also made by the body in the liver. It travels in the blood in particles known as LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein). When LDL is oxidized, a fatty substance known as plaque can begin to build up on the artery walls, which narrows the arteries and restricts the blood flow.

Because vitamin E is an antioxidant, researchers once hoped that it would protect against this process and keep the arteries clear. Large trials have not confirmed it: vitamin E supplements have not been shown to reduce heart attacks or other heart disease. Narrowed arteries are a main cause of heart attacks, high blood pressure problems and other serious diseases, and the proven ways to protect them are not smoking, regular exercise, a healthy diet and, where needed, medication.

Cancer, skin and other claims

Some researchers and doctors have linked vitamin E to preventing cancer, but this has not been proven. Large trials found no cancer-preventing effect, and one of them even found a higher risk of prostate cancer in men taking vitamin E supplements.

Vitamin E is used in some skin products, and laboratory studies suggest that antioxidants may protect skin cells a little against UV damage. This does not replace sunscreen, and vitamin E does not prevent skin cancer. The sun’s harmful rays are best blocked with sunscreen, clothing and shade.

Vitamin E has also been studied in connection with Alzheimer’s disease, inflammation, scars and the healing of burns and wounds. The results are mixed or disappointing, and there is no good proof that it works for these problems. A balanced diet helps your skin to heal over time.

Food sources and how much you need

Vitamin E is often mentioned together with vitamin C, because both are antioxidants. You can find vitamin E in several forms of food. Good sources are nuts and seeds (almonds, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts), vegetable oils such as sunflower and wheat germ oil, and green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli. Oranges are rich in vitamin C, but they contain only small amounts of vitamin E, and orange juice is not a useful source of it.

Most people get enough vitamin E from their food. Adults need about 15 mg a day. Taking around 1,000 mg a day, as is sometimes suggested, is far more than you need: 1,000 mg is the upper limit for supplements, not a target, and high doses can increase the risk of bleeding. If you eat nuts, seeds, vegetable oils and green vegetables, you will most likely be well supplied. Talk to your doctor before taking vitamin E supplements.