According to some studies, more than 30 million Americans use vitamin E supplements. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that acts as an antioxidant. Antioxidants protect the body from free radicals, which are by-products of metabolism. Left unchecked, free radicals can cause damage to the body and potentially contribute to both cancer and cardiovascular disease.

You can consume vitamin E through a variety of foods. Vegetable oils, leafy vegetables and some cereals are common sources of vitamin E. If your diet does not include these items, you may want to consider taking vitamin E supplements so that you can maintain a healthy level of the vitamin without changing your diet.

Using Vitamin E Supplements to Complement Your Diet

There are two main categories of vitamin E: tocopherols and tocotrienols. The only form of vitamin E that the body can use is alpha-tocopherol. When purchasing vitamin E supplements, you will be able to choose between synthetic and natural supplements. Though the body is capable of using either, it more efficiently uses natural vitamin E supplements.

Because there is a lack of definitive evidence as the to efficacy, no scientific organizations have yet to endorse taking vitamin E supplements. Many studies have yielded mixed results regarding the effectiveness of vitamin E. If you want to play it safe, however, and use vitamin E supplements, be sure that you tell your physician in order to avoid any potential interactions with drugs. Also, do not take more than 1000 milligrams per day, as that can lead to bleeding disorders in patients taking medications that thin the blood.