Vitamin E helps maintain healthy skin and eyes. It helps strengthen your immune system, the body's natural defence against illness and infection.
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, do not take too much as this could be harmful. Taking 540mg (800 IU) or less a day of vitamin E supplements is unlikely to cause any harm.
Good sources of vitamin E
Vitamin E is a group of compounds found in a wide variety of foods.
Good sources include:
- plant oils – such as rapeseed (vegetable oil), sunflower, soya, corn and olive oil
- nuts and seeds
- wheatgerm – found in cereals and cereal product
How much vitamin E you 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.
Your body stores any vitamin E your body does not need immediately for future use. So you do not need it in your diet every day.
Content supplied by the NHS and adapted for Ireland by the HSE
