What Will Happen if I Take Vitamin E Daily?

December 23, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the National Institutes of Health, most healthy Americans get enough vitamin E from their diet and do not require supplementation. While daily supplementation may offer some benefits for specific groups, taking high doses of vitamin E daily can lead to serious health complications, such as an increased risk of bleeding.

Quick Summary

Taking vitamin E daily can offer antioxidant and immune support, but supplements, particularly high doses, carry risks like bleeding and interactions with medications. A balanced diet is generally sufficient for most healthy adults, making daily supplementation unnecessary unless a deficiency is confirmed by a healthcare professional.

Key Points

Bleeding Risk: High daily amounts of vitamin E can increase the risk of bleeding, especially for individuals on blood-thinning medications.
Prostate Cancer Link: Some studies, like the SELECT trial, have linked high-amount vitamin E supplements to an increased risk of prostate cancer in men.
Dietary Intake vs. Supplements: Vitamin E from food is highly beneficial and safe, whereas high-amount supplements are the source of most toxicity concerns.
Toxicity Symptoms: Signs of vitamin E toxicity from excessive supplementation can include nausea, fatigue, headache, and blurred vision.
Consult a Professional: It is crucial to speak with a healthcare provider before taking daily vitamin E supplements, as they are often unnecessary and can be harmful at high amounts.
Rare Deficiency: Vitamin E deficiency is rare in healthy people and is typically only seen in those with fat malabsorption conditions.

The Double-Edged Sword of Daily Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a crucial fat-soluble antioxidant that protects cells from damage by harmful free radicals. It also plays a vital role in immune function, gene expression, and cellular signaling. While getting enough vitamin E from foods like nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils is important, the practice of taking daily vitamin E supplements is a complex issue with both potential benefits and significant risks that depend heavily on the amount taken and individual health status.

Potential Benefits of Daily Vitamin E

In appropriate amounts, vitamin E can provide several positive effects on health, especially for those with specific conditions or dietary limitations.

Powerful Antioxidant Protection: As an antioxidant, vitamin E neutralizes free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can cause oxidative stress and cellular damage. This protection is fundamental for maintaining overall cellular health.
Immune System Support: It helps support the immune system, enabling the body to fight off invading bacteria and viruses more effectively.
Skin Health: Vitamin E is a popular ingredient in many skincare products and may help protect the skin from damage caused by UV rays and pollution. Some studies suggest it could benefit certain skin disorders like eczema and psoriasis, though more research is needed.
Improved Liver Health: Research indicates that vitamin E supplements may improve some aspects of health for individuals with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by reducing liver enzymes and improving liver fat content.
Managing Menstrual Pain: Some studies have shown that daily vitamin E supplementation can relieve menstrual pain in women, with even better effects when combined with omega-3 fatty acids.

The Significant Risks of High-Dose Daily Vitamin E

For most people, high-dose supplementation offers no additional health benefits and can be actively harmful. The body can store excess fat-soluble vitamins, leading to a toxic buildup over time.

Increased Bleeding Risk: This is the most serious risk. High amounts of vitamin E can act as a blood thinner by interfering with vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting. This elevates the risk of severe bleeding events, including hemorrhagic stroke. The risk is particularly high for individuals already taking anticoagulant medications like warfarin.
Higher Risk of Prostate Cancer: The Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT) shockingly found that men who took a significant amount of synthetic vitamin E daily for several years had a higher risk of developing prostate cancer.
Potential for Increased Mortality: Some meta-analyses have even suggested a higher risk of death from any cause in trials where individuals took a substantial amount of vitamin E daily.
Digestive Issues: Common side effects of excessive intake include nausea, diarrhea, and stomach cramps.
Neurological Symptoms: High intake can also lead to fatigue, muscle weakness, headaches, and blurred vision.

Comparing Daily Dietary Intake vs. Supplementation


Feature	Vitamin E from a Balanced Diet	Daily Vitamin E Supplements (High Dose)
Source	Naturally occurring in plant-based oils, nuts, seeds, and green vegetables.	Isolated, concentrated amounts, often synthetic (dl-alpha-tocopherol).
Amount	The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is generally considered sufficient for most adults. This is naturally balanced with other nutrients.	Can easily provide amounts far exceeding the RDA and often the tolerable upper limit.
Toxicity Risk	Extremely low to non-existent; the body naturally regulates intake from food.	High risk of toxicity and adverse effects, especially bleeding complications.
Overall Safety	Considered very safe and effective for meeting daily requirements.	High-amount supplements are associated with serious health risks.
Absorption	Better absorbed by the body due to the presence of dietary fats and other nutrients.	Absorption can vary, and extremely high amounts may not be used efficiently by the body, accumulating instead.

Conclusion: A Consult-First Approach

While vitamin E is an essential nutrient, taking it daily through supplements, especially at high amounts, is not a decision to be made lightly. For most healthy adults, a varied diet rich in nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, and leafy greens is sufficient to meet their needs and provide the benefits of this antioxidant without the risks associated with excessive intake. The potential for serious side effects, such as increased bleeding and a higher risk of prostate cancer, particularly in high-risk individuals, makes high-amount daily supplementation a questionable practice. Always consult a healthcare provider before beginning any daily supplement regimen to determine if it is necessary and safe for your specific health profile. They can assess your diet, medical history, and existing medications to provide personalized guidance and monitor your intake to avoid potential harm.

Authoritative Reference

The Office of Dietary Supplements, a division of the National Institutes of Health, provides comprehensive, evidence-based fact sheets on dietary supplements like vitamin E, outlining recommendations, safety, and interactions. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE-Consumer/

Frequently Asked Questions

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin E for most adults is generally considered sufficient for health. The tolerable upper intake level (UL) for adults indicates a maximum daily amount from supplements.

Yes, most healthy individuals can obtain sufficient vitamin E by eating a balanced diet rich in nuts (like almonds), seeds (sunflower seeds), vegetable oils (sunflower, safflower, wheat germ), and green leafy vegetables (spinach).

Yes, taking high amounts can cause adverse side effects, including nausea, fatigue, muscle weakness, headaches, and a significantly increased risk of bleeding.

Individuals with bleeding disorders, those taking blood-thinning medications (anticoagulants), and people with a history of heart attack, stroke, or prostate cancer should avoid high-amount vitamin E supplements.

High amounts of vitamin E can interfere with anticoagulant drugs like warfarin, certain chemotherapy agents, and cholesterol-lowering medicines like statins and niacin.

While vitamin E is used in skincare for its antioxidant properties, the benefits of high-amount oral supplementation for skin health are not well-supported and are outweighed by the serious risks of toxicity.

For mild vitamin E toxicity, stopping the supplement is typically enough to resolve symptoms like stomach upset. In cases of severe complications, such as bleeding, medical intervention may be necessary.