Vitamin E Poisoning

Posted by Pharmacist Dinh Thi My Hanh - Faculty of Pharmacy - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital.

Vitamin E poisoning is when excessive amounts of this vitamin accumulate in the body and cause health complications, especially if the user has an illness or is taking certain medications. Therefore, it is advisable to use nutrients from food to boost this vitamin intake and discuss with your doctor before taking a supplement.

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble nutrient found in many foods. In the body, vitamin E acts similarly as an antioxidant, protecting cells from free radical damage. Free radicals are compounds that are formed when our bodies convert food into energy.
The body also needs vitamin E to strengthen the immune system to fight against invading bacteria and viruses. It helps to widen the blood vessels and keep the blood from clotting inside. In addition, cells use vitamin E to interact with each other and perform many other important functions.
However, like other vitamins, too much vitamin E can lead to health complications. In this case, it is known as vitamin E overdose or vitamin E poisoning.

Vitamin E poisoning is when excessive amounts of vitamin E accumulate in the body and cause health complications.
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin E for adults is 15 mg/day. Vitamins are often found in the following foods:
Oils such as soybean, safflower, wheat germ... Sunflower seeds, peanut butter, peanuts... Kiwi, mango, tomato. Spinach and broccoli. Because vitamin E is fat-soluble, it can build up in your body, especially if you're getting too much through supplements or your daily diet. For vitamin E, the upper limit (UL) or amount that most people can consume daily through foods and supplements without complications is 1,000 mg/day.

Many people take vitamin E supplements with the desire to improve the immune system, reduce the risk of cancer or enhance the beauty of the skin, nails and hair thanks to its antioxidant and anti-aging effects. However, you may not need a vitamin E supplement, as it is very rare to experience health problems due to vitamin E deficiency.
However, people on a low-fat diet or have digestive disorders and Fat absorption, such as cystic fibrosis or Crohn's disease, may put you at risk for vitamin E deficiency.
It is best to use nutrients from food instead and to discuss with your doctor before supplement, as too much vitamin E can cause serious problems, especially if the user has certain medical conditions or is taking certain medications.

Similar to vitamin A or other vitamin toxicity, high doses of vitamin E supplements (providing more than 300 mg per day) may increase the risk of bleeding in people taking anticoagulants or anticoagulants. platelets (such as warfarin). This is because vitamin E interferes with blood clotting, the natural defense mechanism against bleeding after an injury. It has also been linked to an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke or stroke caused by bleeding in the brain.
Taking antioxidant supplements during chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancer may alter the effectiveness of these treatments.
If there is any concern about potential interactions between vitamin E and medications, you should consult your doctor or pharmacist before use.

Although vitamin E is an essential nutrient, you can still overdose, especially when taking supplements. Vitamin E toxicity can cause serious complications like blood thinning and can increase the risk of stroke and death from any cause.
Treatment for mild vitamin E poisoning is to stop taking vitamin E supplements, but more serious complications may require medical intervention.
The best way to prevent vitamin E toxicity is to keep your daily vitamin E intake below the UL 1,000 mg per day. Overdose is highly unlikely if you only eat foods rich in vitamin E.
Also, be sure to store these medications/supplements in a safe place, out of the reach of children. Because vitamin E is fat-soluble, it increases the risk of toxicity and complications for children.

Vitamin E from natural sources is often listed as "d-alpha-tocopherol" on food packaging and side labels. Synthetic (laboratory-made) vitamin E is often listed as "dl-alpha-tocopherol". The natural form is slightly more biologically active.
1 mg vitamin E = 1 mg d-alpha-tocopherol (natural vitamin E) = 2 mg dl-alpha-tocopherol (synthetic vitamin E).
Some food and supplement labels often list vitamin E in International Units (IU). So, 1 IU of natural vitamin E is equivalent to 0.67 mg. 1 IU of synthetic vitamin E is equivalent to 0.45 mg.
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin E by age is as follows:
0 to 6 months of age: 4 milligrams (mg) or 6 IU/day 7 to 12 months of age: 5 mg or 7.5 IU/day 1-3 years old: 6 mg or 9 IU/day 4-8 years old: 7 mg or 10.4 IU/day 9-13 years old: 11 mg or 16.4 IU/day 14 years and older: 15 mg or 22.4 IU/day Lactating women: 19 mg or 28.4 IU/day In summary, vitamin E is an essential nutrient the body needs to strengthen the immune system. However, taking high-dose vitamin E supplements may increase the risk of bleeding in people who are taking anticoagulants or antiplatelet drugs. Therefore, you need to supplement with vitamin E in appropriate doses.

References: ods.od.nih.gov, healthline.com, webmd.com