RECOMMENDATIONS

What is the Recommended Dietary Allowance for vitamin E for adults?
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is the average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97-98%) healthy individuals in each life-stage and gender group. The 2000 RDAs for vitamin E for adults, in milligrams (mg) and International Units (IUs) are:

Table
Vitamin E recommendations

No accurate limit is known for any damaging effect of high vitamin E intake.
Doses up to 200-600 mg tocopherol pr. day seems not to give toxic effects. However, high doses can give sickness and diarrhea.

The RDA for vitamin E is based on the α-tocopherol form because it is the most active, or usable, form. Unlike other vitamins, the form of α-tocopherol made in the laboratory and found in supplements is not identical to the natural form, and is not quite as active as the natural form.

Who may need extra vitamin E to prevent a deficiency?
Individuals who cannot absorb fat may require a vitamin E supplement because some dietary fat is needed for the absorption of vitamin E from the gastrointestinal tract. Anyone diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, individuals who have had part or all of their stomach removed, and individuals with malabsorptive problems such as Crohn’s disease may not absorb fat and should discuss the need for supplemental vitamin E with their physician. People who cannot absorb fat often pass greasy stools or have chronic diarrhea.
Very low birth weight infants may be deficient in vitamin E. These infants are usually under the care of a neonatologist, a pediatrician specializing in the care of newborns, who evaluates and treats the exact nutritional needs of premature infants.
Abetalipoproteinemia is a rare inherited disorder of fat metabolism that results in poor absorption of dietary fat and vitamin E. The vitamin E deficiency associated with this disease causes problems such as poor transmission of nerve impulses, muscle weakness, and degeneration of the retina that can cause blindness. Individuals with abetalipoproteinemia may be prescribed special vitamin E supplements by a physician to treat this disorder.