Excess Intake of Vitamin E does not Cause Health Risk: Study

Experts from Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University suggest that excess levels of vitamin E in one's diet or from supplements should not be a concern.

"Taking too much vitamin E is not the real concern. A much more important issue is that more than 90 percent of people in the U.S. have inadequate levels of vitamin E in their diet," Maret Traber, an internationally recognized expert on this micronutrient, and professor in the OSU College of Public Health and Human Sciences, said in a press statement.

There are several biological functions tied to vitamin E. Of these, the antioxidant function is most important. It plays a crucial role in the proper functioning of nerves, muscles and many organs. Apart from this, it is an anticoagulant that prevents the clotting of blood. A common form of vitamin E in North America is 'gamma - tocopherol'.  Vitamin E is found in sunflower oil, wheat germ oil and safflower oil.

Researchers explain how this vitamin is metabolized. They noticed that two systems work in order to control the levels of vitamin E in the body. Apart from this, it emits the excessive levels of vitamin E.  Excess intake of this vitamin is not harmful, as it only doubles the tissue levels of vitamin E.

On combining with vitamin K, vitamin E can cause increase in bleeding, but as such it does not show any health risk. This vitamin does not accumulate in the liver like vitamin A and vitamin D.

The researchers state that one should have a daily multivitamin that has the full RDA of vitamin E, together with a healthy and balanced diet.