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Vitamin E for Sports & Fitness
Vitamin E
Why Do Athletes Use It?*
Some athletes say that vitamin E helps boost immunity and ease muscle cramps.
What Do the Advocates Say?*
Vitamin E is important to athletes because it is an antioxidant and may help to prevent some of the oxidative damage that may occur from exercise. This oxidative damage, caused by free radicals, may interfere with the cells’ ability to function normally and is believed to play a role in many different health conditions, including the aging process, cancer, and heart disease.
Vitamin E promotes a healthy immune system and may help to prevent the dip in immune function that may occur right after exercise. Vitamin E may also help to ease muscle cramps.
*Athletes and fitness advocates may claim benefits for this supplement based on their personal or professional experience. These are individual opinions and testimonials that may or may not be supported by controlled clinical studies or published scientific articles.
Also indexed as:
- fitness,
- physical fitness,
- vitamin E
About this treatment
Vitamin E
How Much Is Usually Taken by Athletes?
Most controlled studies show that vitamin E does not benefit exercise performance, except possibly at high altitudes. A controlled study of mountain climbers at high altitude found that 400 IU per day of vitamin E improved anaerobic threshold, a physiological measure of aerobic endurance. More research is needed to determine whether this improvement might affect actual performance of athletic activities at high altitudes.
Strenuous exercise increases production of harmful substances called free radicals, which can damage muscle tissue and result in inflammation and muscle soreness. Antioxidants such as vitamin E might reduce this damage by neutralizing free radicals before they can damage the body. While some research has reported that vitamin E supplementation in the amount of 800 to 1200 IU per day reduces biochemical measures of free radical activity and muscle damage caused by strenuous exercise, several studies have not found such benefit, and no research has investigated the effect of vitamin E on performance-related measures of strenuous exercise recovery.
Side Effects
Vitamin E toxicity is very rare and supplements are widely considered to be safe. The National Academy of Sciences has established the daily tolerable upper intake level for adults to be 1,000 mg of vitamin E, which is equivalent to 1,500 IU of natural vitamin E or 1,100 IU of synthetic vitamin E.
In a double-blind study of healthy elderly people, supplementation with 200 IU of vitamin E per day for 15 months had no effect in the incidence of respiratory infections, but increased the severity of those infections that did occur. For elderly individuals, the risks and benefits of taking this vitamin should be assessed with the help of a doctor or nutritionist.
In contrast to trials suggesting vitamin E improves glucose tolerance in people with diabetes, one trial reported that 600 IU per day of vitamin E led to impairment in glucose tolerance in obese people with diabetes. The reason for the discrepancy between reports is not known.
In a double-blind study of people with established heart disease or diabetes, participants who took 400 IU of vitamin E per day for an average of 4.5 years developed heart failure significantly more often than did those taking a placebo. Hospitalizations for heart failure occurred in 5.8% of those in the vitamin E group, compared with 4.2% of those in the placebo group, a 38.1% increase. Considering that some other studies have shown a beneficial effect of vitamin E against heart disease, the results of this study are difficult to interpret. Nevertheless, individuals with heart disease or diabetes should consult their doctor before taking vitamin E.
A review of 19 clinical trials of vitamin E supplementation concluded that long-term use of large amounts of vitamin E (400 IU per day or more) was associated with a small (4%) but statistically significant increase in risk of death. Long-term use of less than 400 IU per day was associated with a small and statistically nonsignificant reduction in death rates. This research has been criticized because many of the studies on which it was based used a combination of nutritional supplements, not just vitamin E. For example, the adverse effects reported in some of the studies may have been due to the use of large amounts of zinc or synthetic beta-carotene, and may have had nothing to do with vitamin E. It is also possible that long-term use of large amounts of pure alpha-tocopherol may lead to a deficiency of gamma-tocopherol, with potential negative consequences. For that reason, some doctors recommend that people who need to take large amounts of vitamin E take at least part of it in the form of mixed tocopherols.
Interactions with Supplements, Foods, & Other Compounds
Patients on kidney dialysis who are given injections of iron frequently experience “oxidative stress.” This is because iron is a pro-oxidant, meaning that it interacts with oxygen molecules in ways that may damage tissues. These adverse effects of iron therapy may be counteracted by supplementation with vitamin E.
A diet high in unsaturated fat increases vitamin E requirements. Vitamin E and selenium work together to protect fat-soluble parts of the body.
Interactions with Medicines
Certain medicines interact with this supplement.
 | Some medicines may increase the need for this supplement. |
|---|---|
 | Some medicines interact with this supplement, so they should not be taken together. |
 | Some interactions between this supplement and certain medicines require more explanation. Click the link to see details. |
Note: The following list only includes the generic or class name of a medicine. To find a specific brand name, use the Medicines Index.
Last Review: 05-11-2011
Copyright © 2011 Aisle7. All rights reserved. www.Aisle7.net
Learn more about Aisle7, the company.
The information presented in Aisle7 is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over the counter medication is also available. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires June 2011.
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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