What is the recommended daily dose of Vitamin E (Vitamin E) for adults?

Recommended Daily Dose of Vitamin E for Adults

The recommended daily dose of vitamin E for adults is 15 mg of α-tocopherol per day, as established by current dietary guidelines. 1, 2

Understanding Vitamin E Requirements

Basic Recommendations

• Estimated Average Requirement (EAR): 12 mg α-tocopherol/day
• Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): 15 mg α-tocopherol/day
• European recommendations: ESPEN recommends 15 mg/day for adults, while EFSA suggests 13 mg/day for men and 11 mg/day for women 1

Form of Vitamin E

• Only α-tocopherol contributes to meeting vitamin E requirements
• Other naturally occurring forms (β, γ, and δ-tocopherol and tocotrienols) do not count toward requirements 1

Unit Conversion

• 1 IU natural vitamin E (d-α-tocopherol) = 0.67 mg
• 1 IU synthetic vitamin E (dl-α-tocopherol) = 0.45 mg 2

Special Considerations

Age-Related Considerations

• Standard recommendations apply to all adults age ≥14 years
• Some evidence suggests older adults (>65 years) may benefit from higher intakes
• Intakes as high as 200 mg/day may be needed for optimal immune function in older people 1

Pregnancy and Lactation

• Pregnancy: 15 mg/day
• Lactation: 19 mg/day 1

Relationship to Fat Intake

• Vitamin E requirements depend on polyunsaturated fatty acid intake
• Recommendation: 0.5 mg RRR-α-tocopherol for every gram of diene fatty acids 1
• Absorption is enhanced when vitamin E supplements are consumed with fat 1

Safety Parameters

Upper Limits

• Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL): 1000 mg (approximately 1500 IU) of supplemental α-tocopherol 2
• High-dose supplementation (≥400 IU/day) may increase all-cause mortality risk and should be avoided 3
• Doses between 60-800 IU/day for periods of 30 days to 4 months showed no adverse effects in healthy older adults 2

Potential Risks

• High-dose vitamin E may increase bleeding risk by affecting prothrombin
• Patients on anticoagulants should use vitamin E supplements only under medical supervision 2

Clinical Implications

Deficiency Risk

• Over 60% of adults in the US have vitamin E intakes below the EAR (<12 mg/day) 1
• Overt vitamin E deficiency is rare but can occur in severe malnutrition or fat malabsorption disorders 1

Parenteral Nutrition

• Recommendations for vitamin E in adult parenteral solutions: 9-10 mg/day 1
• For very low birth weight infants: 2.8 IU/kg body weight (1-2 mg/day) 4

Practical Guidance

• Focus on meeting the RDA of 15 mg (22.4 IU) through diet or standard multivitamin
• Avoid high-dose supplementation (≥400 IU) due to potential increased mortality risk
• Safe and effective supplementation should remain below 150 IU/day based on dose-response analysis 3

The evidence clearly supports maintaining the standard recommendation of 15 mg α-tocopherol daily for adults, while recognizing that older adults may benefit from slightly higher intakes for immune function.