Do Vitamin E Supplements Prevent Heart Disease?

What is Vitamin E?

Healthy adults need about 15 milligrams (mg) or 22 International Units (IU) of natural vitamin E per day. The maximum recommended daily amount of vitamin E is 1500 IU (The natural form of vitamin E is called alpha-tocopherol (a-tocopherol)).

What are Vitamin E Supplements?

Vitamin E supplements are sold as capsules. Capsule doses usually range from 200 IU to 1000 IU. The supplements come in both natural (a-tocopherol) and artificial (alpha-tocopheryl acetate) forms. Multivitamins usually have between 15 IU to 75 IU in each vitamin tablet.

Will Taking a Vitamin E Supplement Prevent Heart Disease?

Early studies found a link between vitamin E intake from foods and supplements and a lower rate of heart disease. However, these studies did not account for other factors that may have contributed to these lower rates, such as a diet high in fruits and vegetables and an active lifestyle.

More recent research suggests that taking vitamin E supplements does not protect against heart disease. The studies warn that there may even be an increased risk of health problems among people who already have heart disease or who have heart disease risk factors and/or stroke risk factors. The heart health risks and benefits of taking vitamin E supplements at lower doses and by healthy people is unclear and continues to be studied.

The Bottom Line

Experts recommend that you try to get your daily requirement of vitamin E from the foods you eat. Some of the top vitamin E food sources include vegetable oils, nuts, seeds and green leafy vegetables. Here are some examples:

• Wheat germ oil 1 tbsp 30 IU
• Sunflower seeds, dry roasted 1 ounce 11 IU
• Almonds, dry roasted 1 ounce 11 IU
• Sunflower oil 1 tbsp 8 IU
• Soy beverage 1 cup 5 IU
• Tomato sauce, canned 1/2 cup 4 IU
• Canola oil 1 Tbsp 4 IU
• Olive oil 1 Tbsp 3 IU
• Spinach, cooked 1/2 cup 3 IU
• Broccoli, cooked 1/2 cup 2 IU

Always consult a health care professional if you have questions regarding your own health and taking vitamin E supplements.

References

Yusuf, S., Dagenais, G. et al. Vitamin E Supplementation and cardiovascular events in high-risk patients. The Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation Study Investigators. New England Journal of Medicine. 2000 Jan 20;342(3):154-60.

Lonn E, Bosch J, Yusaf S, et al. Effects of Long-term Vitamin E Supplementation on Cardiovascular Events and Cancer. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2005 Mar 16: 293: 1138-1347

Miller, E., Pastor-Barriuso, R. et al. Meta-Analysis: High-Dosage Vitamin E Supplementation May Increase All-Cause Mortality. 2005 Jan 4: 142 (1): 37-46.

Adapted from an article by Alberta Health Services. This FAQ originally appeared on the Canadian Health Network Web site and has been edited for publication by the Public Health Agency of Canada.