Oral Alpha-Tocopherol / Vitamin E Supplement
Vitamin E is the main fat-soluble antioxidant in skin, but taking it by mouth has a weaker record than its topical reputation suggests. On its own, oral vitamin E showed no sun protection: in a six-month randomised trial, 400 IU a day did not change sunburn response and barely moved skin levels. Paired with vitamin C the picture changes, and small trials found the combination modestly reduced sunburn, which fits the two vitamins recycling each other. High doses carry real risk: in the large SELECT trial, 400 IU a day modestly raised prostate-cancer risk in healthy men. A food-first nutrient, not a skin supplement to take alone.
The adult requirement is 15mg a day, easily met from nuts, seeds and plant oils. If you supplement for skin, the only supported approach is alongside vitamin C, and long-term doses of 400 IU a day or more are best avoided. Vitamin E can thin the blood, so check with a clinician if you take anticoagulants or have surgery planned. For skin, topical vitamin E in a C + E serum has the stronger evidence.
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