Tolerance and safety of vitamin E: a toxicological position report

Free Radic Biol Med. 1992;13(1):55-74. doi: 10.1016/0891-5849(92)90166-e.

Abstract

From numerous publications on the "prophylactic" and "therapeutic" use of vitamin E, it may be concluded that the toxicity of vitamin E is very low. It has been demonstrated in animal experiments that vitamin E has neither mutagenic, teratogenic nor carcinogenic properties. Based on studies in humans, a daily dosage of 100-300 mg vitamin E can be considered harmless from a toxicological point of view. Using double-blind studies involving a large number of subjects, it has been demonstrated that large oral doses of up to 3,200 USP-Units/day led to no consistent adverse effects. From a large body of published data, dosage ranges have been deduced which can be characterized as safe for human subjects even where their use extends over a long period of time. It should, however, be noted that oral intake of high levels of vitamin E can exacerbate the blood coagulation defect of vitamin K deficiency caused by malabsorption or anticoagulant therapy. High levels of vitamin E intake are, therefore, contraindicated in these subjects.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Drug Tolerance
  • Free Radicals
  • Humans
  • Safety
  • Vitamin E / administration & dosage
  • Vitamin E / adverse effects*
  • Vitamin E / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Free Radicals
  • Vitamin E