Does Your Doctor Recommend Vitamin E Supplements?

Vitamin E supplements got a lot of attention for a while, but the buzz seems to have died down. What do the most recent studies say about the benefits of vitamin E?

What is vitamin E reputed to do for you? Vitamin E is credited with healthy nervous system and muscle support. It also prevents oxidation, a little-discussed but quite destructive chemical reaction related to having too little vitamin E. Much of the earlier excitement about vitamin E was related to the idea that it worked as an antioxidant, therefore preventing cancer, but these claims appear not to be true. On the contrary, megadoses of vitamin E can be detrimental.

How should you get your vitamin E? You can get plenty of vitamin E from eggs, fruit, leafy greens, nuts, meat, several different types of oils, and whole grains. Most people get plenty of vitamin E from their daily diets, but vegans (who do not eat meat or eggs) may need to look for ways to boost vitamin E intake.

How much is enough vitamin E? Current medical experts say you only need 22 IU (International Units) of Vitamin E a day, with the upper limit being 400 IU. This is a deviation from the past suggestions to take megadoses, which are suspected to result in serious health problems.

Are vitamin E supplements good for you? You should only take vitamin E supplements if your doctor has recommended them for a specific condition, such as altitude sickness, anemia, malnutrition, or angina. Instead aim for a vitamin E rich diet and take a daily multivitamin that provides a base level dosage of vitamin E. If you’re looking for a use for those vitamin E oil capsules, topical applications of vitamin E have been proven to help promote faster healing and soothe eczema. It seems most advisable to consume your daily amount of vitamin E through your diet and supplement using a respected multivitamin instead of trying megadose supplements.