Recommended Daily Vitamin E Intake
For healthy adults, consume 15 mg of alpha-tocopherol per day, which meets the RDA established by current dietary reference intakes. 1
Standard Recommendations by Population
General Adult Population (Ages 14+ years)
- RDA: 15 mg alpha-tocopherol daily for both men and women 1
- EAR (Estimated Average Requirement): 12 mg alpha-tocopherol daily 1
- European recommendations (EFSA) suggest slightly different amounts: 13 mg/day for men and 11 mg/day for women 1
Special Populations
- Pregnancy: 15 mg alpha-tocopherol daily 1
- Lactation: 19 mg alpha-tocopherol daily 1
- Older adults (>65 years): While the official RDA remains 15 mg, intakes as high as 200 mg/day may be needed for optimal immune function in this age group 1
Adjustments Based on Dietary Fat Intake
Your vitamin E requirement increases with polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) consumption. 1
- Consume 0.5 mg alpha-tocopherol for every gram of diene fatty acids (PUFAs) in your diet 1
- For a diet containing 18 g linolenic acid (24 mg diene equivalents), this translates to approximately 12 mg alpha-tocopherol daily 1
- Higher ratios of 0.6-0.8 mg alpha-tocopherol per gram PUFA may be more appropriate, especially with highly unsaturated fats like EPA and DHA 2
Clinical Nutrition Settings
Enteral Nutrition
- Provide at least 15 mg alpha-tocopherol per day with 1500 kcal (Grade A recommendation, 100% consensus) 1
Parenteral Nutrition
- Provide at least 9 mg alpha-tocopherol per day (Grade B recommendation, 97% consensus) 1
- This lower dose accounts for direct intravenous delivery bypassing intestinal absorption 1
Upper Safety Limit
The tolerable upper intake level (UL) is 1000 mg (2325 μmol) daily for adults. 1
- Doses up to 3200 IU per day have shown no consistent adverse effects in studies 1
- Vitamin E supplements are generally safe across a broad range of intakes, with doses up to 1600 IU (1073 mg) appearing safe for most adults 3
Important Caveats
Bleeding Risk
Avoid high-dose vitamin E supplementation (≥1000 IU or 670 mg daily) if you take anticoagulants like warfarin or have vitamin K deficiency. 1
- Vitamin E at these doses can decrease gamma-carboxylation of prothrombin, increasing bleeding risk 1
- Medical supervision is required for supplementation in these patients 1
Form Matters
Only alpha-tocopherol counts toward meeting vitamin E requirements. 1
- Beta, gamma, and delta-tocopherol forms do not convert to alpha-tocopherol in humans and therefore don't contribute to meeting requirements 1
- Supplements should specify alpha-tocopherol content 1
- Natural d-alpha-tocopherol: 1 IU = 0.67 mg 1
- Synthetic dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate: 1 IU = 1 mg 1
Enhanced Absorption
Take vitamin E supplements with fat-containing meals to enhance absorption. 1
- Absorption is inhibited by disorders causing impaired bile secretion 1
Population Considerations
Over 60% of U.S. adults consume less than the EAR (<12 mg/day) from diet alone. 1