What is Vitamin E?

Tocopherol, or vitamin E, is a fat-soluble vitamin in eight forms that is an important antioxidant.

As a food additive, tocopherol is labeled with these E numbers: E307 E308 and E309.

Uses of Vitamin E

Vitamin E for Scars
Topical use of Vitamin E is often claimed by manufacturers of skin creams and lotions to play a role in encouraging skin healing and reducing scarring after injuries such as burns, but it likely has no cosmetic effect on scars, and may even worsen appearance.

Vitamin E and heart disease
Preliminary research has led to a widely held belief that vitamin E may help prevent or delay coronary heart disease, but larger controlled studies have not shown any benefit. Researchers are fairly certain that Vitamin E helps moderate the effects of so called 'bad cholesterol' and so may help prevent or delay coronary heart disease.

Vitamin E also may help prevent the formation of blood clots, which could lead to a heart attack. Observational studies have associated lower rates of heart disease with higher vitamin E intake.

Vitamin E and cancer
Antioxidants such as vitamin E help protect against the damaging effects of free radicals, which may contribute to the development of chronic diseases such as cancer. Vitamin E also may block the formation of carcinogens in the stomach from nitrites consumed in the diet. It also may protect against the development of cancers by enhancing immune function. To date, human trials and surveys that have tried to associate vitamin E with incidence of cancer remain generally inconclusive.

Vitamin E and cataracts
A cataract is a condition of clouding of the tissue of the lens of the eye. They increase the risk of disability and blindness in aging adults. Antioxidants are being studied to determine whether they can help prevent or delay cataract growth. Observational studies have found that lens clarity, which is used to diagnose cataracts, was better in regular users of vitamin E supplements and in persons with higher blood levels of vitamin E.

A study of middle aged male smokers, however, did not demonstrate any effect from vitamin E supplements on the incidence of cataract formation. The effects of smoking, a major risk factor for developing cataracts, may have overridden any potential benefit from the vitamin E, but the conflicting results also indicate a need for further studies before researchers can confidently recommend extra vitamin E for the prevention of cataracts.

Vitamin E and Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease is a wasting disease of the brain. An observational trial conducted by The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health found that when vitamin E is taken daily in large doses (400-1000IU) in combination with vitamin C (500-1000mg) the onset of Alzheimer's was reduced between 64 and 78%.

Vitamin E and Parkinson's disease
In May 2005, The Lancet Neurology published a study suggesting that vitamin E may help protect against Parkinson's disease. Individuals with moderate to high intakes of dietary vitamin E were found to have a lower risk of Parkinson's. No conclusion was drawn about whether supplemental vitamin E has the same effect, however.