When scientists discovered vitamin E in 1922, they didn’t realize they had found what would turn out to be a group of eight closely-related compounds.
The two researchers from the University of California-Berkeley – Herbert Evans and Katherine Bishop – described the new discovery as “fertility factor X” because it resolved infertility issues in their research animals.
Other scientists would go on to isolate vitamin E in 1935, naming the first compound “alpha-tocopherol.” The other seven were identified over the next three decades.
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, along with vitamins A, D, and K. These vitamins dissolve in fat, and your body absorbs and transports them in a way similar to the way it handles fats.
While you need it for healthy fertility, it also plays an integral role in a variety of other physiological processes. This outstanding antioxidant helps protect your body against free radicals to support healthy:
- Vision
- Skin
- Immune function
- Cardiovascular function, including healthy blood
- Cognitive function
- Endocrine function
Your body doesn’t make vitamin E, so you have to get it from your diet. And while vitamin E deficiency is rare, vitamin E is considered a “shortfall nutrient” because people often get less than they need for optimal health.
In fact, studies show that about 90% of Americans get less than the recommended intake.
If you have digestive issues or eat a low-fat diet, you’re more likely to fall short, since your body requires fat and healthy fat digestion to absorb vitamin E.
Those who eat low amounts of foods that contain vitamin E may also want to consider a supplement. If you think supplementing may be a good idea for you, there are a few things you should know first…
Why You Should Steer Clear of Synthetic Vitamin E
If you take synthetic forms of some types of vitamins, you could end up getting minimal benefit, or worse… actually do more harm than good.
Vitamin E is a key example of this.
Unlike natural vitamin E derived from plants, synthetic vitamin E is made from petroleum, making it bad for the environment as well as for your body.
While some studies have suggested that long-term supplementation with vitamin E may increase the risk of certain negative health conditions, many scientists contest these results because the studies were conducted with the synthetic form.
Synthetic vitamin E is labeled “DL-Alpha-Tocopherol,” or any variation starting with DL. Natural vitamin E is labeled “D-Alpha-Tocopherol.”
Unscrupulous companies use the synthetic form because it’s cheaper than the natural form, even though synthetic vitamin E:
- Has only about 12% the potency of naturally-derived vitamin E.
- Has, at most, half the bioavailability of natural vitamin E.
- Is excreted faster than natural vitamin E, allowing less time for your body to absorb and utilize it.
- Contains only one of the eight healthful compounds (alpha-tocopherol) that make up the group of vitamin E compounds.
This last point is one many people haven’t heard about. Many vitamin E supplements – including those from natural sources – only contain alpha-tocopherol.
But vitamin E is a group of chemically-similar compounds, and together they provide a spectrum of health benefits…
You’ve Heard of Tocopherol – Here’s What You Should Know About Tocotrienol
Most people have heard of alpha-tocopherol, the most common form of Vitamin E on supplement shelves. But vitamin E is actually a group of 8 separate, but similar, compounds.
In addition to well-known alpha-tocopherol, Vitamin E also includes beta-, delta- and gamma-tocopherol, as well as a group of compounds called tocotrienols.
These tocotrienols are pretty exciting, and research into their properties and bioactivity has shot up in the past decade.
Studies have found that they are more potent than tocopherols. They have a slightly different molecular structure that allows them to cover more of the surface area of a cell membrane more quickly, making them potentially more effective as antioxidants.*
Just like with tocopherols, tocotrienols are grouped into four categories – alpha, beta, delta and gamma. The difference between them has to do with how the same atoms are arranged in each molecule.
Research has shown that tocotrienols have the potential to…
- Support normal cholesterol levels.*
- Help protect against free radical damage and the normal effects of aging.*
- Promote brain health (in combination with tocopherols).*
- Support healthy normal cell development.*
- Promote healthy blood and cardiovascular function.*
These new findings highlight the importance of making sure you have a good intake of tocotrienols as well as tocopherols.
Fortunately, when you eat a varied diet with plenty of produce and whole grains, you naturally get the full spectrum of vitamin E compounds…
Delicious Ways To Enjoy Vitamin E As Part of Your Daily Diet
A diet centered on whole, unprocessed, nutrient-dense foods – preferably organic – is always your best source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin E.
There are lots of tasty ways to get vitamin E from food. Try including some of these delicious options in your diet to boost your vitamin E intake:
| Food |
Serving Size |
Vitamin E (milligrams) |
| Wheat germ oil |
1 tablespoon |
150% |
| Sunflower seeds |
1 ounce |
49% |
| Almonds |
1 ounce |
49% |
| Hazel nuts |
1 ounce |
28% |
| Avocado (sliced) |
1 whole avocado |
28% |
| Butternut squash (cooked) |
1 cup |
18% |
| Broccoli (cooked) |
1 cup |
15% |
| Olive oil |
1 tablespoon |
13% |
| Spinach (raw) |
1 cup |
5% |
While vitamin E is most abundant in plant foods, you can also get a fair amount from a few animal foods, including abalone (3 oz. – 23%DV), Atlantic salmon (half fillet – 14%) and rainbow trout (one fillet – 13%).
The best approach is to regularly eat a variety of these foods, in order to get a good balance of all eight vitamin E compounds. If you find that challenging, you may want to consider a high-quality vitamin E supplement.
However, it’s important to know what to look for because many “natural” vitamin E products are made from soy…
Why You Should Watch Out For Soy-Based Vitamin E – And Always Avoid It
Soy is a popular source for making “natural” vitamin E supplements, but it carries several health concerns, including the way it’s typically grown.
Most soy grown in the U.S. is genetically engineered. As a result, it is doused with the potent herbicide glyphosate, a known carcinogen wreaking havoc on soil fertility.
But beyond that, whether it’s GMO or organically grown, soy naturally contains several problematic compounds that can potentially have a negative impact on your health, including…
-
Goitrogens – These are found in unfermented soy, whether it's organic or not. These substances can block the synthesis of thyroid hormones and interfere with iodine metabolism.
-
Genistein and Daidzein – These isoflavones are a type of phytoestrogen, a plant compound resembling human estrogen. There's evidence isoflavones may disturb endocrine function and potentially contribute to infertility.
-
Phytic acid – Phytic acid binds to mineral ions, preventing your absorption of certain minerals including calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc.
It’s a good idea to steer clear of soy – especially in the supplements you choose for supporting your health.
Our Natural, Soy-Free Vitamin E Is Protected By Cutting-Edge Capsule Technology
Mindful of the potential risks of soy, we use a source that provides the full spectrum of vitamin E compounds, without the potential health concerns.
Rich in monounsaturated fats, sunflower oil contains more vitamin E than any other vegetable oil except wheat germ. This light golden oil is the source of the d-alpha-tocopherol in our Vitamin E.
We balance the tocopherol with one of the most abundant natural sources of tocotrienols – palm oil, which contains 70% of its vitamin E as tocotrienols.
Not only are sunflower and palm non-GMO, they carry none of the phytoestrogenic and other chemical drawbacks of soy.
Together, sunflower and palm provide a balanced spectrum of tocopherols and tocotrienols for our Vitamin E to support your overall health and vitality.
We protect this carefully sourced and balanced array of nutrients with an exciting and innovative capsule technology that helps ensure you get the full potential benefits of Vitamin E.
How Licaps® Lead the Industry In Protecting Freshness
All vitamins lose potency over time, and exposure to oxygen can speed up that process. So how a vitamin is packaged makes a difference.
We manufacture our Vitamin E in tightly-sealed, nitrogen-filled Licaps® hard shell capsules. These innovative capsules use "Fusion Technology" to seal the capsule without the use of “banding.”
Our manufacturing partner has been a leader in the capsule manufacturing industry for more than a century. Today they manufacture over 50% of all two-piece capsules on the market, with more than 180 billion capsules produced on an annual basis.
This innovative company spent more than 15 years developing the design and manufacturing process for Licaps® in response to consumer safety concerns about “banding” in the late 1980s.
This extraordinary liquid capsule technology provides several advantages over other approaches by:
-
Reducing the potential for oxidation by flushing the liquid formulation with nitrogen during the capsule-filling process, creating a "freshness bubble".
-
Ensuring two-piece capsules are hermetically sealed to effectively form a one-piece capsule, significantly reducing the potential for leakage.
-
Avoiding plasticizers and preservatives in the construction of the thin shell.
-
Enhancing shelf-life through innovative filling and sealing processes.
The bottom line with Licaps® hard capsules is that the contents inside retain freshness while the possibility of leakage is reduced to virtually zero, maximizing the potential benefits you get from our Vitamin E.
Supplement Report Card – How Dr. Mercola’s Vitamin E Compares to Others
Let’s review the things we’ve discussed regarding the important things to consider when you’re looking for a vitamin E supplement.
In this chart, we break it down so you can see how our GMO-free, sunflower-sourced, full spectrum Vitamin E takes the quality of this powerful antioxidant to the next level.
| Standard |
Dr. Mercola’s Vitamin E |
Other formulas |
| Free of synthetics |
Yes – We source our vitamin E from sunflower plants, not petroleum |
Maybe – Many formulas use synthetic vitamin E – dl-alpha-tocopherol – made from petroleum |
| Free of soy |
Yes – We source our formula from sunflowers, not soy |
Probably not – Many “natural” vitamin E products come from soybeans, which are usually GMO |
| Free of GMOs |
Yes – Our products are always GMO-free |
Maybe – Many vitamin E supplements include GMO ingredients in their formulas |
| Includes all eight vitamin E compounds |
Yes – Our formula contains all four tocopherols and all four tocotrienols |
Probably not – Most products only include alpha-tocopherol – often synthetic – and few include tocotrienols |
| Cutting-edge delivery system that preserves nutrient value |
Yes – Innovative Licaps® capsule delivery technology protects our vitamin E from oxygen and moisture |
Very unlikely – Many cheap alternatives cut corners on the delivery system to keep costs low |
Busy modern lifestyles can make it hard to get enough vitamin E in your daily diet.
Fortunately, our Vitamin E makes it easy to ensure you get the full spectrum of these vital nutrient compounds to support your health and vitality.
Consider Making This Part of Your Daily Regimen
Vitamin E plays a key role in supporting health throughout your body. It’s an important nutrient to pay attention to, with nearly 90% of Americans getting less than the amount recommended for optimal health.
Our Vitamin E provides crucial support your body may need for healthy skin, eyes, brain, reproduction, and cardiovascular and immune function.
Formulated with all eight vitamin E compounds, it delivers the full spectrum of potential benefits that this nutrient has to offer.
By sourcing our Vitamin E from sunflower and palm, we avoid the potential risks of both petroleum-based synthetics and GMO soy, so you can enjoy its potential benefits without worry.
We make sure this thoughtfully-formulated supplement is protected from oxygen and moisture with hermetically-sealed Licaps® capsule technology, for optimal nutrient delivery.
Support your overall health and vitality with our sunflower-sourced, full spectrum formulation of this powerful essential nutrient, and order Vitamin E today.