Health benefits of vitamin E

Vitamin E is known for its antioxidant properties and for protecting the body's organs and cells from damage. Scientific research and case studies suggest that vitamin E is likely effective in treating the following conditions as well:

  • Vitamin E deficiency
  • Bladder cancer: Studies show that individuals who have taken 200 IU of vitamin E by mouth for more than 10 years have a lower risk of death from bladder cancer.
  • Painful menstruation: Taking Vitamin E supplements for 2 days before and 3 days after your period will help to decrease pain severity and duration of the period, as well as reduce menstrual blood loss.
  • Premenstrual syndrome (PMS): Taking vitamin E by mouth daily helps reduce the anxiety, craving, and depression that is associated with PMS.
  • Alzheimer's disease: While vitamin E does not entirely prevent mild memory problems to full-blown Alzheimer's disease, it does help to slow down the worsening of memory loss in people with moderately severe Alzheimer's disease.
  • Macular degeneration: Taking vitamin E by mouth along with vitamin C, beta-carotene and zinc may help slow down advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Zinc must be taken along with vitamin E in order for it to have any effect. However, there is not enough information known about the positive effects of vitamin E on advanced macular disease.
  • Chemotherapy-related nerve damage: Taking vitamin E both before and after treatment may help reduce the risk of nerve damage.
  • Rheumatoid arthritis (RA): Vitamin E taken along with standard RA treatment will help reduce pain. It does not, however, reduce swelling and inflammation.
  • Liver disease (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis): Taking vitamin E 400 to 1200 IU daily by mouth may help improve symptoms of liver disease in children after 4 to 24 months of treatment.
  • Ischemic stroke: Research suggests that taking vitamin E may help to slightly decrease the risk of stroke caused by a blood clot.
  • Male infertility
  • Dementia
  • Parkinson's disease
  • High blood pressure during pregnancy
  • Decreasing the risk of eye disease, retrolental fibroplasia, in new-borns
  • Decreasing the risk of brain and heart bleeding in premature babies
  • Kidney problems in children
  • Uveitis
  • Sunburn
  • Helping heal the eyes after surgery
  • Improving physical performance and strength for the elderly
  • Helping heart medications, nitrates, work better