Vitamin E is a vitamin that dissolves in fat. It is found in many foods including vegetable oils, cereals, meat, poultry, eggs, and fruits.
Vitamin E is an important vitamin required for the proper function of many organs in the body. It is also an antioxidant. Vitamin E that occurs naturally in foods (RRR-alpha-tocopherol) is different from man-made vitamin E that is in supplements (all-rac-alpha-tocopherol).
Vitamin E is used for treating vitamin E deficiency, which is rare, but can occur in people with certain genetic disorders and in very low-weight premature infants. Vitamin E is also used for many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support many of these other uses.
Effective for
An inherited condition that affects motor control (ataxia with vitamin E deficiency or AVED). Taking vitamin E by mouth is effective for treating vitamin E deficiency due to this genetic movement disorder.
Vitamin E deficiency. Taking vitamin E by mouth is effective for preventing and treating vitamin E deficiency.
Possibly Effective for
Alzheimer disease. Taking vitamin E supplements by mouth doesn't seem to prevent Alzheimer disease from developing. But in people who already have Alzheimer disease, taking vitamin E along with some anti-Alzheimer medicines might slow down memory loss.
A blood disorder that reduces levels of protein in the blood called hemoglobin (beta-thalassemia). Taking vitamin E by mouth seems to benefit children with this blood disorder.
Menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea). Taking vitamin E by mouth for 2 days before bleeding and for 3 days after bleeding starts seems to decrease pain and reduce menstrual blood loss.
An inherited disorder that causes red blood cells to break down in response to stress (G6PD deficiency). Taking vitamin E by mouth, alone or together with selenium, might benefit people with this condition.
Bleeding within the skull (intracranial hemorrhage). Taking vitamin E by mouth seems to reduce the risk of bleeding in the skull in premature infants.
Bleeding into or around the fluid-filled areas (ventricles) of the brain (intraventricular hemorrhage). Giving vitamin E by mouth to premature infants can reduce the risk for bleeding into the brain. But giving high doses of vitamin E might increase the risk for a serious blood infection (sepsis) in these infants.
Reduced benefit of nitrate therapy that happens when nitrates are used all day (nitrate tolerance). Taking vitamin E by mouth daily can help prevent nitrate tolerance.
Swelling (inflammation) and build up of fat in the liver in people who drink little or no alcohol (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH). Taking vitamin E by mouth daily seems to improve inflammation and liver markers of this form of liver disease in adults and children