At a glance
Vitamin E is the body's most important fat-soluble free radical scavenger and protects cells from oxidative stress.
In Vykea: D-alpha-tocopherol (80 mg per sachet)
Very high doses can increase the effect of anticoagulant medicines.

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin and the body's most important fat-soluble free radical scavenger. The term covers a whole group of related compounds, of which alpha-tocopherol is the most significant form for humans. Vitamin E contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress. The body cannot produce vitamin E itself and depends on obtaining it from food. In Omnia All-In-One we use D-alpha-tocopherol, the natural form of the vitamin, at 80 mg per sachet. This entry explains the forms, food sources, functions, requirements, laboratory testing, possible signs of deficiency and interactions of vitamin E.

Vitamin E is not a single substance but a collective term for eight naturally occurring compounds. They are divided into two subgroups: the tocopherols and the tocotrienols, each with an alpha, beta, gamma and delta variant. The individual forms differ in their biological activity. Alpha-tocopherol is the form most highly concentrated in the human body and the most active, which is why current reference values refer exclusively to alpha-tocopherol.

An important distinction concerns the natural and the synthetic form. In modern nomenclature, the natural form is called RRR-alpha-tocopherol. It corresponds to what is often labelled as D-alpha-tocopherol on products and ingredient lists. In the rest of this text, the natural form is therefore consistently referred to as D-alpha-tocopherol. The synthetic form (all-rac-alpha-tocopherol, formerly dl-alpha-tocopherol) is a mixture of eight spatially distinct variants, only some of which the body can utilise equally well. The natural form is therefore regarded as more bioavailable. In food supplements, vitamin E is often present as an ester, such as tocopheryl acetate, which is more stable against oxygen and is only split in the gut. Omnia uses D-alpha-tocopherol, the natural form.

For vitamin E, amounts are given partly in milligrams (mg) and partly in International Units (IU). For the natural form, the following applies approximately: 1 mg RRR-alpha-tocopherol corresponds to about 1.49 IU. The 80 mg in Omnia therefore corresponds to around 119 IU. Current reference values are expressed in milligrams of alpha-tocopherol.

Vitamin E comes almost exclusively from plant sources. The richest sources are high-quality vegetable oils such as wheat germ oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, rapeseed oil and corn germ oil. Nuts and seeds, especially almonds, hazelnuts and sunflower seeds, also make a significant contribution. Smaller amounts of vitamin E are found in wholegrain products, green vegetables and avocado.

Because vitamin E is fat-soluble, it is absorbed in the gut together with dietary fats. Absorption is therefore better when it is consumed as part of a meal containing some fat. Vitamin E is sensitive to oxygen, light and prolonged heating. Considerable amounts can be lost during frying and deep-frying and when oils are stored for a long time. At the same time, a high intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids increases the requirement for vitamin E, as these fatty acids need to be protected from oxidation.

Vitamin E is the body's central fat-soluble antioxidant. It is incorporated into the fat-rich components of cell membranes and lipoproteins, where it exerts its effect:

The next section shows which of these functions is authorised as a health claim.

The following health claim is authorised for vitamin E in the EU:

This is the only claim authorised for vitamin E under Regulation (EU) No 432/2012. It applies to vitamin E in general and therefore also to the form used in Omnia, D-alpha-tocopherol. Other effects described in the general literature are not authorised as health claims and are presented here only as a neutral scientific classification.

The following values are estimated values for an adequate intake and are taken from the D-A-CH reference values of the German Nutrition Society (DGE). They are given in milligrams of alpha-tocopherol.

The DGE updated the reference values for vitamin E in 2025 and now bases them uniformly on alpha-tocopherol instead of the tocopherol equivalents used previously. The estimated value for breastfeeding women is higher to compensate for losses via breast milk. Individual requirements increase with the intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids.

The nutrient reference value for labelling (NRV) is 12 mg per day. In its updated assessment of 2024, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) set a tolerable upper intake level of 300 mg alpha-tocopherol per day for adults, including pregnant and breastfeeding women. The critical mechanism for this upper limit is considered to be the effect of very high doses on blood clotting.

In some situations, the requirement for vitamin E is increased or the risk of inadequate supply is greater: with a diet high in polyunsaturated fatty acids, with regular alcohol and nicotine consumption, and with a severely restricted intake of dietary fats.

There is also a higher risk with conditions that impair fat digestion or absorption from the gut, such as chronic inflammatory bowel disease, after bowel surgery, with pancreatic insufficiency, with certain liver and biliary diseases and with the congenital metabolic disease cystic fibrosis (mucoviscidosis). In these cases, too little vitamin E may reach the body despite an adequate dietary intake.

Note: Assessing requirements in such situations should be left to a doctor.

Vitamin E exerts its protective effect where the body stores particularly sensitive fats. Polyunsaturated fatty acids, which include the omega-3 fatty acids, are abundant in cell membranes and react readily with free radicals. As a fat-soluble free radical scavenger, vitamin E is incorporated into precisely these membranes and interrupts the chain reaction of lipid peroxidation. In this way, it preserves the polyunsaturated fatty acids from oxidation before they are damaged. In the specialist literature, vitamin E is regarded as the most important fat-soluble antioxidant, scavenging peroxyl radicals and thereby protecting unsaturated lipids in membranes and lipoproteins.

In doing so, vitamin E works closely with vitamin C. After vitamin E has scavenged a radical, it is itself temporarily present in a reactive form (tocopheroxyl radical). Vitamin C can reduce this form back to active vitamin E at the boundary between fat and water, making it available for renewed use. The two nutrients complement each other because vitamin E acts in the fat-rich membrane and vitamin C in the aqueous environment.

This interplay also explains a common observation with food supplements: tocopherols are often added to omega-3 supplements to preserve the polyunsaturated fatty acids they contain from oxidation. These are general relationships from nutritional science and not a promise of effect for any individual product.

You can find more about the partner nutrients mentioned in the Vitamin C and Omega-3 entries.

Vitamin E does not act in isolation in the body, but as part of a network of antioxidants. After vitamin E has scavenged a free radical, it is itself temporarily present in a reactive form. Other nutrients can then return it to its active state: vitamin C directly regenerates spent vitamin E, and Coenzyme Q10, glutathione and the trace element selenium are also involved in this interplay. For this reason, the specialist literature often considers the antioxidant effect of vitamin E together with the supply of these accompanying substances. These relationships are a classification based on metabolic physiology and not a promise of effect beyond the scope of the authorised claims.

Vitamin E status is determined by a doctor from a blood sample. Alpha-tocopherol is usually measured in serum or plasma, taken after fasting and protected from light (approximate reference ranges about 9 to 18 mg/l). Because vitamin E is transported in the blood bound to lipoproteins, the measured value also depends on blood lipid levels. For a more precise assessment, the value is therefore often expressed relative to blood lipids (cholesterol).

Very low values suggest inadequate supply; very high values usually suggest a high intake from supplements.

Note: Interpreting the measured values and any supplementation should be left to a doctor.

Vitamin E deficiency is rare with a normal diet and develops only slowly, as the body stores larger amounts in fatty tissue. When a deficiency does occur, it is usually the result of impaired fat absorption or a rare inherited metabolic disorder, not of low intake alone.

Because vitamin E mainly protects cell membranes, a pronounced, longer-lasting deficiency affects various tissues. Increased susceptibility of red blood cells to premature breakdown (haemolysis) has been described, as well as neurological symptoms and impaired muscle function with severe and persistent deficiency. Such signs are not conclusive and can have many causes.

Note: Investigation and diagnosis should be left to a doctor.

The most important interaction concerns blood clotting. Very high doses of vitamin E can increase the effect of anticoagulant medicines and increase the tendency to bleed. This applies to vitamin K antagonists (for example phenprocoumon or warfarin) as well as to antiplatelet drugs such as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). This effect is also the reason why EFSA based the tolerable upper intake level on blood clotting.

Note: If you take blood-thinning or anticoagulant medicines, or have an operation coming up, be sure to check with a doctor before taking higher-dose vitamin E.

Very high doses of vitamin E can also impair the utilisation of vitamins A and K, which are likewise fat-soluble. Conversely, some nutrients support the action of vitamin E: selenium complements its antioxidant protective effect, and vitamin C regenerates spent vitamin E (see the section on the antioxidant network).

Vitamin E is contained in Omnia All-In-One:

The amount stated refers to alpha-tocopherol. 80 mg corresponds to around 119 IU of natural vitamin E. The % of NRV is based on the labelling value of 12 mg. The amount stated is well below the tolerable upper intake level of 300 mg alpha-tocopherol per day set by EFSA for adults. Because vitamin E is fat-soluble, we recommend taking it with a meal to support absorption. One daily dose corresponds to one sachet. If you take anticoagulant medicines, please read the section on interactions.

Food supplements are not a substitute for a balanced, varied diet and a healthy lifestyle.

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