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What’s the difference between all the vitamin E products that are available?

Vitamin E—a compound that may reduce heart attack risk among people with heart disease—comes in several forms. Some products contain natural vitamin E from plant sources while others contain man-made vitamin E.

To find out which form of vitamin E a product contains, read the "Supplement Facts" portion of its label. Natural vitamin E is also called d-alpha tocopherol. Man-made vitamin E is referred to as d,l-alpha tocopherol.

Good sources of natural vitamin E include drugstore.com and Nature's Bounty Softgels. Products that are good sources of man-made vitamin E include Nature Made Vitamin E Softgels.

Natural vitamin E products are usually more expensive than products containing man-made vitamin E.

Talk to your doctor before taking vitamin E supplements if you are taking blood thinners such as warfarin (Coumadin).

Sources:
Acuff, R.V., S.S. Thedford. "Relative Bioavailability of RRR and All rac-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate in Humans: Studies Using Deuterated Compounds," American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 60 (1994).
Traber MG. “Utilization of Vitamin E”, Biofactors 10 (1999).
Drug Facts and Comparisons. Facts & Comparisons, 2007.
Medline Plus. Medline, 2007.

This answer prepared 6/2/2000.
This information updated 1/9/2007.