Medicine interactions with Vitamin E

Vitamin E is important for the overall wellbeing of the human body. However, when taking Vitamin E supplements, you should be cautious about combining it with other supplements or medications.

Always consult your healthcare expert before using it along with supplements or medications that you are currently taking. Keep in mind the following:

Before taking vitamin E with other medications that are changed by the liver, consult your healthcare provider. Medications that are changed by the liver should not be taken with vitamin E. Vitamin E may increase how quickly these medications are broken down by the liver and decrease their effectiveness. Some of these medications include:

Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet drugs) interact negatively with vitamin E because vitamin E slows blood clotting as well. Taking the two together may increase your chances of bruising and bleeding. Several medications that slow blood clotting and should not be taken with vitamin E are:

Warfarin (Coumadin), which is used to slow blood clotting, should also not be taken with vitamin E, as it may increase the risk of bruising and bleeding. Consult your healthcare expert about the safety of vitamin E with warfarin drugs and be sure to have your blood checked regularly. Keep in mind as well that your warfarin doses may need to be changed.

Vitamin E, beta-carotene, vitamin C, and selenium taken together with cholesterol lowering medications (Statins), may decrease the effectiveness of these medications. Medications used for lowering cholesterol that should not be taken with vitamin E include:

Because vitamin E is an antioxidant, it may decrease the effectiveness of medications used for treating certain cancers. However, not enough is known about the severity of the side effects.

Large amounts of vitamin E along with cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune) might increase how much cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune) the body absorbs as well as increase the effects and side effects of cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune). Taking vitamin E along with beta-carotene, vitamin C, and selenium might decrease the beneficial effects of niacin, which can increase good cholesterol. Additionally, taking vitamin E along with other vitamins may decrease good cholesterol.