In 30 seconds
- Vitamin E is a group of 8 fat-soluble compounds. Only one, alpha-tocopherol, meets human requirements.
- EFSA sets an adequate intake of 13 mg a day for men and 11 mg for women. The reference value used on labels is 12 mg.
- The EU authorises this claim: “Vitamin E contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.”
- The safe upper limit set in Europe is 300 mg a day, 25 times the reference value.
Vitamin E is the antioxidant of fats: it protects the membranes of your cells and also the most delicate oils, such as fish oil. It has an authorised claim in the EU, and with a varied diet deficiency is rare. This is what the studies say, including in athletes.
What vitamin E is
It is not a single substance but a group of 8 fat-soluble compounds: four tocopherols and four tocotrienols. Of all of them, only alpha-tocopherol is recognised as able to meet human requirements 1.
Its main function is antioxidant: it stops the formation of reactive oxygen species when fats oxidise 1.
What the regulations recognise
The EU has authorised this health claim 2:
- Vitamin E contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.
A varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important.
It can only be used on foods that are at least a source of vitamin E. In the EU, that means providing at least 15% of the reference value, which is 12 mg 3.
How much you need
Vitamin E a day
How much you need and where to find it
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) sets an adequate intake of 13 mg a day for men and 11 mg for women. It calculated this from the intakes of healthy EU populations with no signs of deficiency 4.
It is found mainly in vegetable oils, nuts and seeds 1:
| Food and amount | Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) |
|---|---|
| Wheat germ oil, 1 tablespoon | 20.3 mg |
| Roasted sunflower seeds, 28 g | 7.4 mg |
| Roasted almonds, 28 g | 6.8 mg |
| Sunflower oil, 1 tablespoon | 5.6 mg |
| Roasted hazelnuts, 28 g | 4.3 mg |
| Peanut butter, 2 tablespoons | 2.9 mg |
| Cooked spinach, half a cup | 1.9 mg |
| Medium kiwi, 1 fruit | 1.1 mg |
Source: US NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Portions of 28 g are equivalent to one ounce.
Clear deficiency is rare. It appears mainly in very premature babies and in people who have trouble absorbing fat, such as those with Crohn's disease or cystic fibrosis 1.
Level of evidence by outcome
| Outcome | Evidence | What the data show |
|---|---|---|
| Protection of cells from oxidative stress | High | Authorised EU health claim. |
| Protection of fish oil from oxidation | High | Tocopherols are used to stabilise oils rich in omega-3. |
| Markers of muscle damage after exercise | Low | Less creatine kinase immediately after exercise in 17 trials; no effect at 24 and 48 hours. Another meta-analysis found no protection. |
| Muscle soreness | No clear effect | With high-dose antioxidants, a very small reduction in 50 trials. |
| Megadoses and training adaptations | Low | With 235 mg of vitamin E and 1,000 mg of vitamin C, fewer muscle adaptation signals. |
The rating is our own, based on the number of studies, their quality and the consistency of the results.
The key studies
| Study | Type | Sample | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| EFSA, 2015 | Reference values | EFSA Nutrition Panel | Adequate intake of alpha-tocopherol: 13 mg a day for men and 11 mg for women, based on intakes in healthy EU populations. 4 |
| Scientific Committee on Food, 2003 | Risk assessment | European Commission | Tolerable upper intake level of 300 mg a day for adults, based on its effect on blood clotting. 5 |
| Kim et al., 2022 | Meta-analysis | 17 trials, adults aged 18 to 40 | 300-1,318 IU a day: less creatine kinase and LDH immediately after exercise, especially with 500 IU or less; no effect at 24 and 48 hours. 6 |
| Stepanyan et al., 2014 | Meta-analysis | 6 studies selected from 20 | No significant protection against lipid peroxidation or exercise-induced muscle damage. 7 |
| Ranchordas et al., 2017 | Cochrane review | 50 trials, 1,089 people | High-dose antioxidants: slightly less muscle soreness, well below a noticeable difference. 8 |
| Paulsen et al., 2014 | Randomised trial | 54 men and women, 11 weeks | 235 mg of vitamin E and 1,000 mg of vitamin C a day: the same VO2max as with placebo, but without the rise in mitochondrial proteins. 9 |
| Suárez-Jiménez et al., 2016 | Review | Fish and seafood oils | The fatty acids in marine oils oxidise easily; tocopherols are added to the oil to protect it. 10 |
Vitamin E and exercise
Intense exercise increases oxidative stress, which is why vitamin E has been studied in athletes.
The most recent meta-analysis, by Kim and colleagues, pooled 17 trials with adults aged 18 to 40 6:
- Immediately after exercise: creatine kinase and LDH, two markers of muscle damage, went down.
- At 24 and 48 hours: no differences.
- By dose: the effect on creatine kinase was seen with 500 IU or less, and it was greater in athletes.
The authors conclude that vitamin E may reduce some markers of muscle damage, and call for more trials 6. An earlier meta-analysis, with 6 studies, found no significant protection against muscle damage or the peroxidation of fats 7.
And muscle soreness? The Cochrane review on antioxidants, with 50 trials and 1,089 people, found very small reductions, below what you would notice in practice 8. If you want to know what helps with muscle soreness, see muscle soreness and muscle damage.
An important detail: the trials used 300 to 1,318 IU a day 6. Depending on the form of vitamin E, that is from about 135 to about 880 mg, far above the reference value 1.
Megadoses and training adaptations
In Paulsen's trial, 54 men and women did endurance training for 11 weeks. Half took 235 mg of vitamin E and 1,000 mg of vitamin C a day 9.
VO2max and performance improved equally in both groups. But the markers of new mitochondria in the muscle rose only with placebo. The authors advise caution with high doses if you do endurance training 9. We go into more detail in vitamin C and exercise.
Safety
From the reference value to the European maximum
Safety: the dose matters
- Maximum in Europe: the Scientific Committee on Food set the tolerable upper intake level for adults at 300 mg a day, based on its effect on blood clotting 5.
- Very high doses: the large trials used 400 IU or more (180-268 mg a day), 15 to 22 times the reference value, with no clear benefits 1. More is not better: what matters is not to go above the European maximum of 300 mg a day.
- Anticoagulants: in large doses it can increase the risk of bleeding with warfarin and other anticoagulants, probably above 400 IU a day 1. If you take them, check with your doctor.
Why it contains vitamin E
Vitamin E protects the oil from oxygen
Why our omega-3 contains vitamin E
EPA and DHA are highly unsaturated fats, which makes them very sensitive to oxidation. Tocopherols are added directly to fish oil to protect it 10. It is one of the keys to a good omega-3, along with freshness: we explain it in how to choose a good omega-3.
Our Anchovy Omega-3 provides 40 mg of vitamin E in 3 softgels, 333% of the reference value and less than one-seventh of the European maximum. Vitamin E contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress 2.
It comes with 900 mg of EPA and DHA, from anchovy oil. EPA and DHA contribute to the normal function of the heart. The effect is obtained with 250 mg a day 2.
Frequently asked questions
What does vitamin E do?
It is a fat-soluble antioxidant, with this authorised claim in the EU: “Vitamin E contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.”
How much vitamin E do you need a day?
EFSA considers 13 mg a day adequate for men and 11 mg for women. The reference value you see on labels is 12 mg.
Which foods are highest in vitamin E?
Vegetable oils, nuts and seeds. One tablespoon of wheat germ oil provides about 20 mg, and a 28 g handful of roasted almonds about 7 mg.
Is it dangerous to take a lot of vitamin E?
The safe upper limit set in Europe is 300 mg a day, 25 times the reference value. At very high doses it can increase the risk of bleeding if you take anticoagulants, so in that case check with your doctor.
Sources
- Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health. Vitamin E: fact sheet for health professionals. Updated 26 March 2021. View publication
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods. View publication
- Commission Directive 2008/100/EC amending Council Directive 90/496/EEC on nutrition labelling for foodstuffs as regards recommended daily allowances, energy conversion factors and definitions. View publication
- EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA). Scientific opinion on dietary reference values for vitamin E as α-tocopherol. EFSA Journal. 2015;13(7):4149. View publication
- Scientific Committee on Food. Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Food on the tolerable upper intake level of vitamin E. European Commission; 2003. SCF/CS/NUT/UPPLEV/31 Final. View publication
- Kim M, Eo H, Lim JG, Lim H, Lim Y. Can low-dose of dietary vitamin E supplementation reduce exercise-induced muscle damage and oxidative stress? A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutrients. 2022;14(8):1599. View publication
- Stepanyan V, Crowe M, Nagaraja H, Bowden B. Effects of vitamin E supplementation on exercise-induced oxidative stress: a meta-analysis. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2014;39(9):1029-1037. View publication
- Ranchordas MK, Rogerson D, Soltani H, Costello JT. Antioxidants for preventing and reducing muscle soreness after exercise. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017;(12):CD009789. View publication
- Paulsen G, Cumming KT, Holden G, et al. Vitamin C and E supplementation hampers cellular adaptation to endurance training in humans: a double-blind, randomised, controlled trial. J Physiol. 2014;592(8):1887-1901. View publication
- Suárez-Jiménez GM, López-Saiz CM, Ramírez-Guerra HE, Ezquerra-Brauer JM, Ruiz-Cruz S, Torres-Arreola W. Role of endogenous and exogenous tocopherols in the lipid stability of marine oil systems: a review. Int J Mol Sci. 2016;17(12):1968. View publication
Information based on published studies. It does not replace the advice of a doctor or registered dietitian. The results describe what was measured in each study, not the properties of any specific product.
