Written by Luc Geeraert and the CAM-Cancer Consortium.
Updated August 2, 2011

Vitamin E

Abstract and key points

  • Vitamin E is a generic term encompassing different chemical compounds, each having a different metabolism and biological activity.
  • Vitamin E compounds are fat-soluble antioxidants and some of them have additional presumed anticancer properties.
  • As an adjunct to conventional anticancer therapy, vitamin E might reduce its side effects (i.e. oral mucositis and peripheral neurotoxicity).
  • The non-clinical evidence for a significant anticancer effect of alpha-tocopherol is scarce, while the in vitro results with gamma-tocopherol, tocotrienols, and α-tocopherol succinate are more promising.
  • No clinical trials describing the use of vitamin E monotherapy as an anticancer treatment have been published.
  • Vitamin E is considered to have a very low toxicity, and is generally well-tolerated.

Vitamin E is a generic term encompassing natural (alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-tocopherol, and alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-tocotrienol) and synthetic (all-rac-alpha-tocopherol) forms, and the esters thereof. The role of some forms of vitamin E in cancer prevention and therapy has been proposed.

Although numerous clinical studies have been performed, a role for vitamin E in cancer prevention has not been convincingly established.

No clinical trials describing the use of vitamin E monotherapy as an anticancer treatment have been published. The available peer-reviewed clinical literature describes the use of alpha-tocopherol and all-rac-alpha-tocopherol as components of multivitamin regimens or mixtures of micronutrients, in combination with non-cancer drugs, or as adjuncts to conventional chemotherapy or radiation. Topical vitamin E (several forms of alpha-tocopherol) might prevent oral mucositis induced by chemotherapy or radiotherapy. All-rac-alpha-tocopherol acetate may decrease the incidence and severity of peripheral neurotoxicity induced by chemotherapy.

Limited or no evidence for a significant anticancer effect of alpha-tocopherol in in vitro and animal studies has been found, while in vitro results with gamma-tocopherol, tocotrienols, and alpha-tocopherol succinate are more promising.

Vitamin E is considered to have a very low toxicity, and is generally well-tolerated. However, special consideration should be given when high doses of alpha-tocopherol are administered to individuals taking anticoagulant therapy (e.g., warfarin) and to those with vitamin-K-related clotting disorders. Little information is available on the adverse events of other forms of vitamin E.

Citation

Luc Geeraert, CAM-Cancer Consortium. Vitamin E [online document]. http://www.cam-cancer.org/CAM-Summaries/Dietary-approaches/Vitamin-E. August 2, 2011.

Document history

Summary first published in August 2011, authored by Luc Geeraert.

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