Written by Dr. Sanjana V.B Bhms,dbrm,cdn

Founder & medical director of siahmsr wellness.in

Reviewed by SIAHMSR

all rights reserved with siahmsr digital healthcare[siahmsr wellness]

Vitamin E- Health benefits

   Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin which exists in several forms, but alpha-tocopherol is the only one used by the human body. There are around eight types of vitamin E-related molecules, but the dominant molecule in humans is alpha-tocopherol.

 It is abundantly available from natural sources and do good for our body’s health if consumed in moderate amounts. Natural vitamin E sources like organic fruits and vegetables do not cause toxicity even if you take a little more.

Vitamin E - An effective antioxidant for your skin health 

 Vitamin E has a vital role in keeping your skin soft, smooth and supple. It is essential for hair growth also. Vitamin E is an effective antioxidant. Antioxidants are substances that can protect your cells against the injurious or harmful effects of free radicals. Free radicals are harmful chemicals that cause multiple organ damage in your body and play an important a role in the occurrence of heart disease, cancer and various other serious ailments in human body in addition to their harmful effects on skin. Vitamin E has peroxyl radical scavenger properties to remove free radicals.

Antioxidants can protect your skin from premature ageing from intrinsic and environmental factors. 

Foods rich in vitamin E include canola oil, olive oil, margarine, almonds and peanuts, some vegetables and fruits

Natural sources of vitamin E

 Plant oils –  sunflower, soya, corn and olive oil

nuts and seeds

Wheat germ oil

Sunflower, safflower, and soybean oi

Sunflower seeds

Almonds

Avocado

Peanuts, peanut butter

Beet greens, collard greens, spinach

Pumpkin

Red bell pepper

Asparagus

Mango

How much vitamin E do you need a day?

RDA –Recommended daily allowance

 15mg a day for men

15mg a day for women

19mg for lactating women

The recommended daily amount of vitamin E for adults is 15 milligrams a day

 The impact of Vitamin E deficiency on your health

• impact on your nerves

Low levels of vitamin E in your body can affect vision and retina of your eyes causing Retinopathy.

Peripheral neuropathy (damage to the peripheral nerves, usually in the hands or feet, causing weakness or pain) from vitamin E deficiency may cause numbness and tingling over your limbs. 

Ataxia (loss of control of body movements) may also develop from nerve affections.

• Vitamin E deficiency can cause lowered immunity.

Decreased immune function is another important problem from vitamin E deficiency.

Safety and side effects of vitamin E Supplements

There is no evidence of toxicity from intake of vitamin E rich foods from natural sources such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds

Most adults who obtain more than the RDA [ Recommended daily allowance] of 22 IU daily are using multivitamins or separate vitamin E supplements that contain from 400-1000 IU daily. Till date there is no evidence of harmful side effects of vitamin E supplement use in healthy people. However, it is advised that take vitamin E only under the directions from a doctor or healthcare provider.

There is a risk of excess bleeding, particularly with vitamin E supplement doses greater than 1000 mg daily or if an individual is also using a blood thinning medication such as warfarin.

 Anticoagulants and anti-platelet drugs, herbs and supplements pose risk for regular intake of vitamin E. Use of vitamin E with these drugs, herbs and supplements to reduce blood clotting might increase the risk of bleeding.

 Vitamin E ,oral intake of capsules can interact with many conditions. For example, research suggests that oral use of vitamin E might increase the risk of prostate cancer. Other research suggests that vitamin E use might increase the risk of death in people with a history of heart disease, such as heart attack or stroke.

 Because of safety concerns, the upper limit for vitamin E has been set for adults 19 years and older of 1000 mg daily (1465 IU) of any form of tocopherol supplement.

Drug interactions of vitamin E.

·        Vitamin E with drug Statins or Niacin, which might benefit people with high cholesterol, could reduce niacin's effect.

·        Vitamin K. Taking vitamin E with vitamin K might decrease the effects of vitamin K

·        When taken at appropriate doses, oral use of vitamin E is generally considered safe. Some rare complications are:

·        Nausea

·        Diarrhea

·        Intestinal cramps

·        Fatigue

·        Weakness

·        Headache

·        Blurred vision

·        Rash

·        Gonadal dysfunction

·        Increased concentration of creatine in the urine (creatinuria)

·        Taking higher doses of vitamin E might increase the risk of side effects.

Extra notes for physicians

·        Vitamin E deficiency is associated with nerve diseases, bleeding and anaemia.

·        Vitamin E deficiency is not common , however, when it affects nerves, it is characterized by the development of progressively worsening peripheral neuropathy, ataxia, and hyporeflexia. The deficiency is usually seen in patient with cystic fibrosis, Crohn disease, and chronic pancreatitis etc. due to poor absorption of fat. In these cases, vitamin E supplementation may be needed[2].Mediterranean diet is rich in vitamin E as they contain more salads with greens, nuts and seeds with veg oils.

·        Vitamin E has been used in cardiovascular disease prevention such as stroke, coronary heart disease, and myocardial infarction. Tocotrienols were found to be more beneficial in coronary artery disease and strokes than alpha-tocopherols as supplements [3].

·        Relation between cholesterol & vitamin E levels.

In cases of very high or low cholesterol levels, vitamin E levels in the blood is affected as Vitamin E is absorbed in intestinal cells and is transported to the liver by chylomicrons. So extremely low cholesterol levels in patients taking anti-cholesterol medications need to be addressed along with vitamin E supplementation.

·        Excess intake of vitamin E  supplements can be associated with higher risks for bleeding, especially in patients taking oral anticoagulants or antiplatelet medications.

·        When vitamin E levels are supplemented at levels greater than 300 mg daily, prescription medication interactions can occur. These common medications include aspirin, warfarin, cyclosporine, and tamoxifen [8].

References

1.     https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK564373/

2.     https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23183290/

3.     https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25469382/

4.      https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23505319/

5.       https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-e/art-20364144

6.        https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-e/

7.      https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-e/#:~:text=Vitamin%20E%20is%20a%20fat,%E2%80%9D%E2%80%94that%20can%20damage%20cells.  

8.     Podszun M, Frank J. Vitamin E-drug interactions: molecular basis and clinical relevance. Nutr Res Rev. 2014 Dec;27(2):215-31. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25225959/