Vitamin EVitamins and minerals
Vitamin E helps maintain healthy skin and eyes, and strengthen the body's natural defence against illness and infection (the immune system).
Good sources of vitamin E
Vitamin E is found in a wide variety of foods.
Good sources include:
- plant oils – such as soya, corn and olive oil
- nuts and seeds
- wheatgerm – 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 diet.
Any vitamin E your body doesn't need immediately is stored for future use, so you don't need it in your diet every day.
What happens if I take too much vitamin E?
There isn't 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 and Social Care 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, don't take too much as this could be harmful.
Taking 540mg or less a day of vitamin E supplements is unlikely to cause any harm.