Have you heard about free radicals? I asked my kid if she knew what they were and she thought they were people protesting. No, I told her, free radicals are molecules that make humans age faster in a bad way. They cause oxidative stress that breaks down healthy cells in the body. But antioxidants like vitamin E neutralize them and stop them from harming us.
Vitamin E calms inflammation throughout the body and prevents premature aging. It helps the body heal from conditions like osteoarthritis, diabetes, heart disease, and skin problems (1).
You can get vitamin E from food like roasted almonds and sunflower seeds, spinach, broccoli, mangoes, and tomatoes. But sometimes chronic illnesses like cystic fibrosis and Crohn’s disease make it hard for the body to absorb enough vitamin E from food. Also, there may be a time when an extra boost of vitamin E can help your body overcome a short-term issue. That’s why we reviewed the best vitamin E supplement brands.
We want you to find the best vitamin E supplement for your needs. There are many vitamin E brands out there, so let’s talk about how to choose the safest with the best value for the money.
Contents
- 1 How to choose a safe and effective vitamin E supplement brand
- 2 Who should not take vitamin E supplements?
- 3 Best Vitamin E Supplement Brands in 2024
- 3.1 Solgar Vitamin E 268 MG (400 IU) Mixed (d-Alpha Tocopherol & Mixed Tocopherols), 100 Softgels
- 3.2 NOW Supplements, Natural Vitamin E-Oil Liquid
- 3.3 Jarrow Formulas Famil-E – 60 Softgels – Contains All Eight Members of The Vitamin E Family
- 3.4 Garden of Life Vitamin E – Vitamin Code Raw Vitamin E Supplement with Vitamins A, D & K Plus Selenium, Fruit, Veggies & Probiotics, 125mg
- 4 Conclusion
How to choose a safe and effective vitamin E supplement brand
Keep in mind that the FDA doesn’t regulate dietary supplements as strictly as they do food. Therefore, it’s smart to look at all the information before selecting a supplement.
First, does the supplement have the appropriate dose of vitamin E? The recommended dietary allowance for adults is 15 mg per day, or 19 mg if you’re a nursing mother. If it’s listed in IU (International Units), there are conversion tools available online. Exceeding recommended amount for a short time might be okay (talk to your doctor), but remember you’re also eating food that contains vitamin E. Too much vitamin E can build up in the body and cause excessive bleeding or worse.
Second, are you happy with the format of the supplement whether it’s a softgel, chewable, tablet, capsule, or liquid? If you have to swallow it, is the size okay? Also, some people prefer liquid softgels because they puncture them and use the vitamin E-rich oil to treat scars.
Third, does the brand use a third-party laboratory to do quality and purity testing? It’s like having a second set of eyes that aren’t biased. Do you have access to the analysis reports? (Some of these organizations are NSF International and USP with sterling reputations).
Fourth, does the supplement include any allergens like gluten or soy? How many fillers does it include?
Lastly, how many doses are in the bottle? Will you need more than one package?
Who should not take vitamin E supplements?
If you are already taking an anticoagulant or blood thinner medication, vitamin E may amplify the effect. It may also interact with niacin, simvastatin, and some chemotherapy and radiotherapy drugs. Please talk to your doctor before taking a vitamin E supplement.
Now, here are our in-depth reviews of the best brands of vitamin E supplements. A sample product is included with each review.
The best vitamin E supplement brands | Why we love them |
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Solgar Vitamin E 268 MG (400 IU) Mixed (d-Alpha Tocopherol & Mixed Tocopherols) |
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NOW Supplements Natural Vitamin E-Oil |
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Jarrow Formulas Famil-E - 60 Softgels - Contains All Eight Members of The Vitamin E Family |
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Garden of Life Vitamin E – Vitamin Code Raw Vitamin E Supplement with Vitamins A, D & K Plus Selenium, Fruit, Veggies & Probiotics, 125mg |
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Best Vitamin E Supplement Brands in 2024
Solgar Vitamin E 268 MG (400 IU) Mixed (d-Alpha Tocopherol & Mixed Tocopherols), 100 Softgels
Have you heard about using the best vitamin E for skin care? These softgels are filled with vitamin E oil that can be taken internally or used externally. What are the benefits?
For one, vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that combats free radicals. It guards against cellular breakdown both inside and on the surface of the body. It helps support the immune system and keep the skin moisturized and strong. (You can also do like my mom and squeeze the oil out of the gelatin capsule to rub it into old scars and make them fade away faster. However, there are less expensive vitamin E oils that can do the same thing).
Take one softgel daily for good health. It’s made with vegetable glycerin, gelatin, and safflower oil for maximum absorption. The d-Alpha tocopherol inside is bioavailable, easy for the body to use. (It’s natural, unlike dl-Alpha-tocopherol, which is synthetic).
Why should you choose the Solgar brand of vitamin E supplement? Let’s count the ways.
To begin with, they’ve been making nutritional supplements for over seven decades. They manufacture them in small batches in the USA from ingredients sourced worldwide. Their facility uses USP (pharmaceutical-grade) water filtration and HEPA air filtration to keep products pure.
The brand always avoids artificial ingredients, unnecessary fillers, colors, and binders whenever possible. Moreover, its products are non-GMO, and free of gluten, dairy, and animal ingredients. They’re typically certified Halal and Kosher, too.
This vitamin E supplement is a good example of their high standards. There are no yeast, sugar, or sodium in it. It’s even packaged in 50% recycled and fully recyclable amber glass.
Pros:
- Easy to swallow softgels with bioavailable vitamin E
- Oil-based for quick absorption
- No gluten, dairy, flavorings, or unnecessary fillers
- Brand has seven decades of experience making nutritional supplements
- Supplements are manufactured in small batches under controlled conditions in the USA
- Packaged in recycled and recyclable glass
Cons:
- The brand is known for its Gold Standard so its supplements tend to be a little pricier than the competition
NOW Supplements, Natural Vitamin E-Oil Liquid
Some of us hate swallowing pills, which is when a liquid vitamin E supplement comes in handy. If you take the full dose of eight drops, this one offers 253 IU of d-Alpha tocopheryl. That’s the natural, bioavailable version of vitamin E that the body can use.
Notice that I said if you take the full serving of eight drops. The fact that it’s liquid means you can easily take less if you’re worried about overdosing on vitamin E.
What does it taste like? Not much of anything at all – the ingredients include vitamin E, non-GMO soy, and organic extra virgin oil. You won’t even notice a few drops in a smoothie or your coffee. But if you prefer softgels, the brand makes those, too.
In any case, the supplements are free of artificial colors and flavors, gluten, wheat, milk, fish, eggs, tree nuts, and shellfish. They are also certified non-GMO, vegan, and Kosher.
Here’s more information about why we recommend NOW Supplements. No, we don’t get paid for promoting them. We just respect this American family-owned company.
NOW has been in business since 1968. It carries a wide variety of certifications including GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices), plus it does extensive testing throughout the manufacturing process. On the downside, it relies on its own scientists, equipment, and laboratories instead of contracting with outside laboratories).
The brand is careful to avoid microbial contamination and pesticide residues, starting with the raw ingredients they receive. (These folks actually scan deliveries with a black light to search for contaminants). It doesn’t include artificial ingredients in the finished products, either.
NOW Also tests the bioavailability of its supplements on human volunteers to make sure the body can process them properly.
Finally, if you visit the brand’s website, you can see extensive detailed information about their facilities, their process, their employees, and their standards.
Pros:
- Liquid vitamin E supplement made with bioavailable and natural d-Alpha tocopheryl
- Straightforward control of dosing with drops
- Made with vitamin E, organic extra virgin olive oil, and non-GMO soy
- Free of gluten, artificial flavoring, dyes, dairy, fish, eggs, and other allergens
- From an American brand that performs extensive in-house testing and carries a full range of certifications
Cons:
- Brand does not contract with third-party laboratories although it carries many essential and nonessential certifications for quality, purity, and safety
Jarrow Formulas Famil-E – 60 Softgels – Contains All Eight Members of The Vitamin E Family
Someone asked where to find the best vitamin E tocotrienols. This led us to a unique supplement produced by this brand. It features all four forms of tocotrienol and four forms of tocopherol from vegetable oils and plant seeds. However, it’s not vegan.
The mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols include d-alpha,d-beta,d-gelta, and-gamma. These are in a base of soybean oil, palm oil, and polyoxyl castor oil. The softgel itself is made of BSE-free bovine gelatin, glycerin, purified water, and annatto for coloring.
Reviewers say there are two cons. One is that the softgels will stick together if it’s hot and humid weather. And two, it appears that the soybean oil may not be non-GMO.
On the upside, Jarrow Formulas has been making supplements since 1977. It uses in-house laboratories to test raw ingredients as well as the final products. Furthermore, it uses cGMP-certified facilities to make the supplements. (That stands for Current Good Manufacturing Practices which cover everything from manufacturing to labeling, storage, and distribution).
Jarrow Formulas also abides by Proposition 65, the California law that requires labeling about potential toxins like lead. It formulates the nutritional supplements to stay well below the lead limit.
Pros:
- Unique blend of all four tocopherols and all four tocotrienols
- Packaged in softgels that are easy to swallow
- Brand performs extensive in-house testing
- Supplement is manufactured under cGMP standards
Cons:
- Softgels may stick together in hot weather and be difficult to separate
- The brand may use soybean oil that’s not non-GMO
- Coating includes bovine gelatin
Garden of Life Vitamin E – Vitamin Code Raw Vitamin E Supplement with Vitamins A, D & K Plus Selenium, Fruit, Veggies & Probiotics, 125mg
What about a natural vitamin E supplement? This one features raw food ingredients with an enzyme and probiotic blend to help you absorb it.
There are twenty-three certified organic vegetables and fruits inside. Take a look at the list of ingredients – it’s going to make you hungry. Of course, it ensures that the supplement includes other vitamins and antioxidants beyond vitamin E. (If you already take nutritional supplements, double-check that you won’t exceed the recommended dietary allowance if you take this one as well).
The formula is certified non-GMO and Kosher with no gluten or unnecessary fillers. The oily part is sunflower oil, not palm or soybean.
The Garden of Life brand carries third-party certifications from the NSF, the USDA, the Non-GMO Project, and Vegan.Org, plus they are a certified B-Corp.
Pros:
- Raw food blend of fruits and vegetables with vitamin E, other vitamins, and digestive enzymes and probiotics
- Certified non-GMO, vegan, and free of soybean and palm oils
- No unnecessary fillers or gluten, certified kosher
Cons:
- Not as much information was available about testing as there was about certifications
Conclusion
The best vitamin E supplement brands are the ones that take extra steps to ensure purity and quality. We hope our reviews helped you discover the right vitamin E supplement for your needs today.
We encourage you to talk with your doctor about supplementing your diet. If you’re getting the results you desire, we’d love to hear the good news. Feel free to leave us a comment below.
Source:
1. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE-HealthProfessional/ by the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), updated March 26, 2021, accessed August 27, 2021
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