Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a group of eight fat-soluble compounds, including four tocopherols and four tocotrienols, found naturally in nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils. Alpha-tocopherol is the form most actively retained by the body and is the primary focus of supplementation research. It is best known for its role as a lipid-soluble antioxidant that protects cell membranes from free radical damage.
Expert Evidence
14 references from 2 experts
“Supplementing with vitamin E is a bad idea. There's no net benefit of supplementation with vitamin E for the prevention of cardiovascular disease or cancer, and in the SELECT trial, vitamin E supplements appeared to increase the risk of prostate cancer.”
The Only Three Supplements I Take
8:5312 references in 12 episodes from 2022–2026
Brad Stanfield strongly recommends against supplementing with vitamin E, citing Cochrane reviews showing increased mortality, elevated prostate cancer risk, and interference with exercise benefits. He does not take it personally, notes no benefits for cardiovascular disease or cancer prevention, and emphasizes that deficiency is rare since vitamin E is abundant in food.
Cautions
Vitamin E supplements may increase death rates according to Cochrane meta-analyses, raise prostate cancer risk (SELECT trial), and blunt the positive effects of exercise by disrupting oxidant-antioxidant balance.
“If one chooses to supplement with vitamin E, it's important to make sure the supplement has both alpha and gamma tocopherols present, and it would be important to not megadose and make sure you stick to levels that are around the RDA which is 22.4 IU a day.”
Do Antioxidants Cause Cancer?
13:082 references in 2 episodes from 2014
Rhonda Patrick views vitamin E as beneficial for cardiovascular health, citing research showing that supplementation with vitamins C and E reduced atherosclerotic lesions while increasing plasma vitamin E levels by 90%. She advises choosing supplements containing both alpha and gamma tocopherols and staying near the RDA of 22.4 IU/day rather than megadosing. No evidence of personal use or cautions beyond avoiding high doses are discussed.
Side Effects
- Increased bleeding risk at high doses
- Nausea and digestive discomfort
- Fatigue and muscle weakness
- Possible increased all-cause mortality above 400 IU/day