When browsing the skin care aisle at the drugstore, you may have noticed that vitamin E is included in many products. When applied topically, vitamin E can helps protect your skin from UV damage. However, you also need vitamin E in your diet because it important to human development and moving. The vitamin includes eight compounds, but only one is used by the human body – alpha-tocopherol.

The pros and cons of vitamin E have been debated for years. So, what do you need to know? We did the research. Here are the benefits and drawbacks.

What is vitamin E?

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble nutrient found in many foods and is important to the human body in a variety of ways. Vitamin E, in the form of alpha-tocopherol, is a powerful antioxidant which works as a free radical fighting machine.

While it is possible to meet the daily needs of vitamin E through food, oral and topical supplements are also available. However, supplements should be used carefully, according to the directions and after consulting a doctor.

Add vitamin E to your diet

Nuts, seeds and vegetable oils top the list best sourcesbut vitamin E is found in many foods. Here are some excellent and versatile food options to increase your vitamin E.

• Asparagus
• avocados
• Cooked or raw spinach
• Dry roasted sunflower seeds
• Dry roasted almonds
• Dry roasted hazelnuts
• Kiwi
• Mango
• Peanut butter
• Pumpkin
• Red bell pepper
• tomato

Benefits of vitamin E

It has been pointed out that Vitamin E provides many benefits to the human body. Some of these are inconclusive about showing true benefit in scientific studies. Here are some benefits of vitamin E with the science behind them.

1. Lowers blood pressure

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Some studies Supplementing with vitamin E has been shown to help lower blood pressure, although the results are not favorable for those with severe high blood pressure.

Although results are mixed on the relationship between vitamin E supplementation and cardiovascular disease, a study that followed 40,000 healthy women for 10 years found that those who supplemented with vitamin E had 24% less lower risk of dying from a heart event. The results are not as positive for those at high risk or who have heart disease.

2. Fight free radicals

Vitamin E is known fight free radicals and protect cells from their damage; less free radicals can mean some good things for the human body.

Cellular damage is caused by free radicals increases the risk of various health issues such as cardiovascular disease, inflammatory disease, cataracts and cancer. Antioxidants that fight free radicals, such as vitamin E, also fight chronic conditions.

A bonus? Vitamin E’s contribution to free radical reduction also reduces skin damage from UV exposure. Less damage to the skin means a more youthful glow, and who doesn’t want that?

Its anti-inflammatory effects also help reduce the symptoms of chronic inflammatory skin conditions such as dermatitis.

3. Improves PMS symptoms

Around 80% to 90% of women experience some degree of premenstrual syndrome during their childbearing years. For some, PMS is painful and interferes with daily life. Vitamin E can bring some relief if you are one of the 80% to 90%.

Studies have shown that supplementing vitamin E with vitamin D may be an effective way to reduce PMS symptoms such as cramping, anxiety and cravings.

Disadvantages of vitamin E supplements

As with any supplement, vitamin E should be used according to the instructions and with caution.

Avoid too much of a good thing

Being fat-soluble is not bad. But too much of a good thing can quickly become bad. Fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin E dissolve in fat, unlike water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C. That means vitamin E can be stored in your body’s fat tissues and liver for up to six months.

Since most of our vitamin E needs are met through food, high doses of vitamin E are rarely needed and can cause serious health conditions.

You may experience side effects

When taken in small doses, vitamin E rarely causes any negative side effects. However, this is not the case for everyone. Here are some side effects to watch out for:

• Blurred vision
• Diarrhea
• tiredness
• Headache
• nausea
• Rash
• Abdominal pain
• discouragement

It can cause or worsen some health conditions

Before adding or supplementing your diet with vitamin E, consider the following health conditions that vitamin E may cause or worsen.

• Cancer of the prostate: Although further research is limited, a pilot study of 35,533 healthy men concluded that dietary supplementation with vitamin E caused a significant increase in prostate cancer.
• Heart disease: Although no research suggests that vitamin E causes heart disease, some research suggests that vitamin E may worsen the condition and increase the risk of death by heart attack or stroke.
• Bleeding: High doses of vitamin E have been shown to cause bleeding and increases the risk of hemorrhagic stroke.
• Diabetes: Current information supports discouraging people with diabetes from supplementing with vitamin E.

May interact with some medications

If you are taking any prescription medications or supplements, check with your medical provider before supplementing with vitamin E. Vitamin E may suppressing the effectiveness of certain drugs or supplements such as vitamin K, statins, niacin, blood thinners, anti-platelet drugs or even chemotherapy drugs.

Can vitamin E be taken daily?

For adults, the recommended daily amount of vitamin E is 15 mg. It only takes a small amount of the right foods to reach 15 mg. For example, there are 7.4 mg of vitamin E in one ounce of sunflower seeds and 7.3 mg per one ounce of almonds. Either of these will get you around 49% of your daily need for vitamin E.

Since vitamin E is easily absorbed in food, and in this case, even worse, supplementation is not always necessary. However, if you do not get the recommended daily amount through food, you should limit your supplement to 15 mg or less per day to achieve the full benefits of vitamin E.

If you are taking any supplements or medications, be sure to consult your medical provider before taking vitamin E.