Vitamin E: Natural Vs. Synthetic

Vitamin E acts as antioxidants in our bodies to protect cells from harmful factors. Vitamin E deficiency is very rare and if it occurs, physicians tend to prescribe the natural way of obtaining it, which is through foods that are rich in vitamin E. There are also synthetic vitamin E in the form of supplements, yet it does come with its own set of complications. Scientists have not found effects of overdosing vitamin E through food and considers it to be nearly impossible to do so.

Though, studies do show that an overdose of vitamin E is more likely to happen through consumption of vitamin E supplements. Thus, it is arguable that naturally consuming vitamin E is safer than taking supplements. Synthetic Vitamin E is named as “dl-alpha-tocopherol. ” Vitamin E in it’s natural and raw form is too strong for us to consume, so it is synthetically made into pills with smaller doses that are safe for us to consume. Though, vitamin E is a complex group of fat-soluble vitamins, so its hard to synthetically produce into one man made vitamin pill; thus, we would not be getting the required amount of vitamin E through supplements. Studies show that you can better consume more vitamin E through your diet rather than through supplements. Your body absorbs vitamin E better through food, as it is also able to control the amount of vitamin E needed for the body. “Studies show vitamin E from food absorb 200-1500 times better than those from synthetically derived supplements” (“Why you need plant-based vitamin E,” 2018). NIH reports that consuming too much vitamin in the form of supplements can cause serious side effects such as: increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke. For a pregnant woman, taking vitamin E supplements are harmful to the fetus.

Vitamin E supplements also interfere with proper healing if a person has undergone surgery. Vitamin E supplements can also increase risk of death for those with a history of heart attack. “The American Heart Association recommends obtaining antioxidants, including vitamin E, by eating a well-balanced diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains rather than from supplements until more is known about the risks and benefits of taking supplements” (“Vitamin E,” 2018). “The federal government’s 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans notes that “Nutritional needs should be met primarily from foods. Foods in nutrient-dense forms contain essential vitamins and minerals and dietary fiber and other naturally occurring substances that may have positive health effects” (“Vitamin E,” 2018). Overall, natural is the best and safest way to go when consuming vitamins.