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