The whole family
Mixed tocopherols
Includes the different kinds of vitamin E found in food, not just one.
Good for: Everyday use
What variations of vitamin E exist?
A fat-soluble antioxidant that helps protect cell membranes from damage. It has a mild blood-thinning effect, which matters if you take other blood thinners. It comes in 4 forms, and they aren't all the same. Here's how they differ.
For education only. What's right for you depends on your health and your medications, so check with your provider before you start or switch. Book a consult
Our top pick
Every form, in plain words
The whole family
Mixed tocopherols
Includes the different kinds of vitamin E found in food, not just one.
Good for: Everyday use
The single natural one
Natural d-alpha-tocopherol
The kind your body uses best, but large amounts of it alone can lower the other kinds.
The cousin compounds
Tocotrienols
A related family of vitamin E. Research looks promising but is still early.
Usually skip
- The lab-made one (Synthetic dl-alpha-tocopherol)Only about half of it is the kind your body uses.
Spotting a good one on the shelf
Look for
- Look for 'Mixed tocopherols' on the label (the whole family)
Watch out for
- 'dl-alpha-tocopherol' on the label, which means the lab-made form
- High-dose vitamin E taken for a long time without a clear reason. Some studies link this to more harm than good.
Check with your provider first if…
- You take a blood thinner or a drug that keeps platelets from clumping (warfarin, apixaban, clopidogrel, aspirin), since vitamin E can raise bleeding risk
- You have a bleeding or clotting disorder, low vitamin K, or a history of stroke
- You have surgery or dental work coming up. Your care team may ask you to stop beforehand.
- You're in cancer treatment. Check with your oncology team first.
In Dr. Lesher's store
4 products in Dr. Lesher's dispensary have vitamin E. Here's which form, where the label says.
Check with your provider before taking any of these, especially if you're pregnant or take medications.
MegaFood
Baby & Me 2™
Has natural d-alpha-tocopherol (the single natural one)
9 IU per serving
MegaFood
Baby & Me 2™ Postnatal Multi
Has natural d-alpha-tocopherol (the single natural one)
8.55 IU per serving
DaVinci Labs
Estro Benefits
Has natural d-alpha-tocopherol (the single natural one)
25 IU per serving
Wellex
Papillex
Has natural d-alpha-tocopherol (the single natural one)
18 IU per serving
Ready to find the root cause?
Dr. Lesher is a Naturopathic Doctor who focuses on autoimmune and chronic conditions in women. Since 2020, she's helped hundreds of patients stop managing symptoms and start healing.