Evidence Level
Moderate
Vitamin E is the skin's most important lipid-phase antioxidant. Eberlein-König et al. (1998) demonstrated that combined oral vitamins C and E significantly reduced the sunburn response in a controlled human study. Thiele et al. (2001) published foundational research showing that UV radiation depletes vitamin E from the stratum corneum, establishing the rationale for supplementation. The VERIS research summary concluded that vitamin E protects against UV-induced immunosuppression and DNA damage. However, a controversial meta-analysis by Miller et al. (2005) suggested that high-dose vitamin E (>400 IU/day) might slightly increase all-cause mortality, leading most experts to recommend moderate doses of 200-400 IU daily rather than mega-doses.