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How Do I Choose the Best Vitamin E Pills?

Elle Jay
Elle Jay

Vitamin E is an important antioxidant that helps maintain healthy eyes, liver, and skin. Foods such as nuts, vegetable oils, broccoli, and leafy greens provide some vitamin E, but taking vitamin E pills may be a good idea if you cannot eat your daily dose of this valuable nutrient. Options to consider when choosing the best vitamin E pills include seeking professional advice, researching online, and shopping around to compare the different vitamin E products.

Ask your doctor or nutritionist for advice about taking vitamin E pills. The recommended daily dose of vitamin E typically ranges from 15 to 22 international units (IU) per day, although most people take roughly 400 to 800 IU daily. Each person’s needs are unique, and a professional can provide helpful advice on a healthy daily dosage. Nutrition experts know which brands offer the best quality, and they can help you figure out how much vitamin E you need.

Pharmacists and health-food clerks often have valuable information about the different  vitamin E supplements.
Pharmacists and health-food clerks often have valuable information about the different vitamin E supplements.

Your personal preferences can help determine which vitamin E pills you choose. Vitamin E products vary widely, so knowing what you want is important when shopping for supplements. You can get your vitamin E from a multivitamin, which provides roughly 20 to 30 IU per dose. Choosing a supplement that contains only vitamin E can increase your daily dosage to 1,000 IU, depending on the specific product.

Broccoli and leafy greens contain vitamin E, but a supplement may be necessary.
Broccoli and leafy greens contain vitamin E, but a supplement may be necessary.

Browsing the shelves at your local health-food source or drugstore can give you a good idea of the differences between vitamin E products. Have an idea of what daily dose you want before heading out to buy anything and read the labels carefully to get the proper IU for your needs. While checking the label, beware of any ingredients that seem unneeded or are synthetic. Vitamin E supplements should be as natural as possible in order to provide maximum health benefits.

Some Vitamin E capsules are quite large.
Some Vitamin E capsules are quite large.

Online research allows you to explore a variety of brands to find the best vitamin E pills for you. Look for a reputable company that specializes in producing natural supplements that contain no chemicals or unnecessary fillers. Studies have shown that synthetic vitamin E is not as effective as the natural form, and some believe it may be potentially dangerous. Many vitamin E pills contain mostly alpha tocopherol but little of the other seven compounds that make up this nutrient. Choose a supplement that contains natural forms of all eight parts of vitamin E.

Vitamin E is found naturally in many foods, such as sunflower oil.
Vitamin E is found naturally in many foods, such as sunflower oil.

Vitamin E pills typically come in capsule form, with the vitamin E oil inside an outer casing that dissolves when swallowed. Some vitamin E capsules can be quite large, and this might not work for you if you have trouble swallowing pills. Look for products with a picture on the container so you can compare pill sizes. Pharmacists and health-food store clerks often have valuable information about the different supplements, so ask for their advice if you have questions.

Discussion Comments

bluedolphin

@ZipLine-- I agree with you. That's a very important point.

The other issue with vitamin E supplements is that most of them only contain one form of vitamin E -- alpha tocopherol. But the other forms are equally important.

ZipLine

@literally45-- Is your vitamin E supplement synthetic or natural?

For some reason, no one seems to ask this question. People are worried more about the brand and whether the tablet or capsule is easy to swallow. But the most important question is whether the vitamin E is synthetic or natural. Synthetic vitamin E is not healthy. There are not many studies done on it and some doctors believe that it can even be toxic. Only natural vitamin E is beneficial as a supplement.

literally45

I take vitamin E capsules. Each capsule is 400 IU. I usually take one when I'm taking an Omega 3 capsule. I read somewhere that Omega 3 is absorbed better when taken with vitamin E.

I didn't know anything about vitamin E when I went to buy them. I asked the pharmacist for a recommendation and this was what he recommended.

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    • Pharmacists and health-food clerks often have valuable information about the different  vitamin E supplements.
      By: diego cervo
      Pharmacists and health-food clerks often have valuable information about the different vitamin E supplements.
    • Broccoli and leafy greens contain vitamin E, but a supplement may be necessary.
      By: Joshua Resnick
      Broccoli and leafy greens contain vitamin E, but a supplement may be necessary.
    • Some Vitamin E capsules are quite large.
      By: Nomad_Soul
      Some Vitamin E capsules are quite large.
    • Vitamin E is found naturally in many foods, such as sunflower oil.
      By: Serhiy Shullye
      Vitamin E is found naturally in many foods, such as sunflower oil.
    • Vitamin E supplements should be as natural as possible in order to provide maximum health benefits.
      By: charles taylor
      Vitamin E supplements should be as natural as possible in order to provide maximum health benefits.
    • Consuming too much vitamin E from supplements can be harmful.
      By: naihei
      Consuming too much vitamin E from supplements can be harmful.