Vitamin E
Fat-soluble vitaminsYour intake
What each level of vitamin e does
Approximate dose-response bands. Individual response varies — these are starting points, not prescriptions.
- Severely lowYOU ARE HERE0 mg – 4.95 mg
Well below target. Risk of deficiency symptoms tied to antioxidant.
- Insufficient4.95 mg – 15 mg
Below the recommended daily target. Long-term adequacy not assured.
- Adequate15 mg – 22.5 mg
Daily target met. Standard nutritional support for antioxidant.
- Therapeutic22.5 mg – 30 mg
Common for specific health goals. Check the evidence for your situation before sustaining this level.
- High30 mg – 1000 mg
Approaching the tolerable upper limit. Monitor and consider clinical guidance.
- Over upper limit1000 mg – +
Above the tolerable upper limit. Risk of adverse effects — back off or consult a clinician.
Overview
Lipid-soluble antioxidant that protects polyunsaturated fatty acids in cell membranes and lipoproteins from peroxidation. Eight natural vitamers (alpha/beta/gamma/delta tocopherol and tocotrienol); alpha-tocopherol is preferentially retained by the hepatic alpha-tocopherol transfer protein.
Functions
- ●Chain-breaking antioxidant in lipid membranes
- ●Protects LDL particles from oxidative modification
- ●Modulates platelet aggregation and smooth muscle proliferation
- ●Required for normal neurological function
Mechanism
Donates a hydrogen atom from its chromanol ring to neutralise lipid peroxyl radicals, terminating chain reactions in PUFA-rich membranes. The resulting tocopheroxyl radical is recycled by vitamin C and glutathione. Hepatic alpha-tocopherol transfer protein (alpha-TTP) selects alpha-tocopherol for VLDL incorporation; other vitamers are largely excreted.
Benefits
- ●Prevents hemolytic anemia in premature infants and AVED (rare genetic alpha-TTP defect)
- ●Possible modest reduction in age-related macular degeneration progression with mixed antioxidants (AREDS)
- ●Whole-food vitamin E intake associates with lower coronary risk; high-dose supplements do not replicate this
- ●Topical alpha-tocopherol has limited evidence for scar improvement
Deficiency
Frank deficiency is rare in healthy adults — fat malabsorption or genetic alpha-TTP defects are the usual cause. Marginal status is more common but symptomatic deficiency is unusual.
- ●Peripheral neuropathy and ataxia
- ●Skeletal myopathy
- ●Retinopathy
- ●Hemolytic anemia (especially in premature infants)
- ●Cystic fibrosis, cholestatic liver disease, abetalipoproteinemia
- ●Premature infants
- ●Genetic alpha-TTP defects (AVED)
Excess
High-dose alpha-tocopherol supplementation (≥400 IU/day) is associated with increased all-cause mortality in meta-analyses and modestly raises hemorrhagic stroke risk by inhibiting platelets.
- ●Increased bleeding tendency (especially with anticoagulants)
- ●Nausea, fatigue, headache at very high doses
- ●Possible increased prostate cancer risk (SELECT trial)
Forms
- d-alpha-tocopherolNatural; the form retained by alpha-TTP; ~2× potency of synthetic
- dl-alpha-tocopherolSynthetic racemic mixture; only the d-isomers are biologically active
- Mixed tocopherolsIncludes gamma/delta; closer to whole-food spectrum
- TocotrienolsDifferent side chain; emerging cholesterol-lowering and skin-protective evidence
Food sources
- Sunflower seeds · 1 oz7 mg
- Almonds · 1 oz7 mg
- Sunflower oil · 1 tbsp5 mg
- Avocado · 1 medium4 mg
- Hazelnuts · 1 oz4 mg
- Cooked spinach · 1 cup4 mg
Supplement forms
Choose d-alpha-tocopherol with mixed tocopherols (gamma especially) over synthetic dl-alpha-tocopherol. Doses at or near the 15 mg RDA are sufficient for most adults — high-dose mono-alpha is the wrong default.
Bioavailability
Absorbed with dietary fat; about 50% of dietary intake is absorbed under normal conditions. High-dose alpha-tocopherol displaces gamma-tocopherol from tissues, which may be metabolically undesirable. Synthetic dl-alpha is roughly half as bioavailable as natural d-alpha (the RDA already accounts for this).
Longevity relevance
High-dose supplementation does not extend lifespan and may shorten it. Achieving adequacy through nuts, seeds, and unrefined oils is consistent with the strongest dietary-pattern evidence (Mediterranean, MIND diets).
Relationships
- Vitamin C · Recycles oxidised tocopheroxyl radical back to active form
- Selenium · Glutathione peroxidase (selenoprotein) regenerates reduced glutathione for vitamin E recycling
- Mixed tocopherols/tocotrienols · Broader membrane coverage than alpha alone
- Warfarin and other anticoagulants · Additive bleeding risk via platelet inhibition and vitamin K interference
- Statins · May blunt cholesterol-lowering effect in some trials
- Chemotherapy · High-dose antioxidants may reduce treatment efficacy; discuss with oncologist
References
About Vitamin E
Lipid-soluble antioxidant; protects membranes from oxidative damage.
- Role
- Antioxidant
- Daily target
- 15 mg (DV)
- Upper limit
- 1000 mg
- Also called
- vitamin e, alpha-tocopherol, alpha tocopherol, d-alpha-tocopherol, mixed tocopherols, tocotrienols
Forms with lower absorption: dl-alpha-tocopherol, synthetic. Prefer better-absorbed forms when supplementing.
The mechanisms and systems this nutrient feeds. Click any to drill into what runs on it.
Top food sources of Vitamin E
Whole foods that contribute meaningfully (≥10% DV per 100 g serving). Click any food to see its full nutrient profile and what else it brings to the table.