Vitamins, minerals and supplements - Vitamin E

Vitamin E has several important functions. For example, it helps maintain cell structure by protecting cell membranes.

Good sources of vitamin E

Vitamin E is found in a wide variety of foods. The richest sources are plant oils such as soya, corn and olive oil.

Other good sources include:

  • nuts and seeds
  • wheat germ, found in cereals and cereal products

How much vitamin E do I need?

The amount of vitamin E you need is:

  • 4mg a day for men
  • 3mg a day for women

You should be able to get all the vitamin E you need from your daily diet.

Any vitamin E your body does not need immediately is stored for future use, so you do not need it in your diet every day.

What happens if I take too much vitamin E?

There is not enough evidence to know what the effects might be of taking high doses of vitamin E supplements each day.

What does the Department of Health advise?

You should be able to get the amount of vitamin E you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. If you take vitamin E supplements, do not take too much.

Taking 540mg or less a day of vitamin E supplements is unlikely to cause any harm.

© Crown Copyright 2009