ConsumerLab: Most Vitamin E Products Meet Label Claims

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.Eleven of 13 different brands of vitamin E met label claims for natural or synthetic vitamin E in a recent product review of vitamin E supplements, creams and oils by ConsumerLab.com. Among these, the least expensive were those with synthetic vitamin E, which cost as little as 2 cents per 400 IU (International Units) of vitamin E. Natural vitamin E supplements cost a bit more, starting at around 8 or 9 cents per 400 IU. However, tens or hundreds of milligrams of other vitamin E antioxidant compound, such as gamma-tocopherol, products cost more, starting around 20 to 30 cents per 400 IU. Products with additional ingredients or topical creams or oils also cost more to get the same amount of vitamin E.

Vitamin E supplements are fairly popular in the United States. In a 2011 survey of supplement users, ConsumerLab.com found 21.7 percent of respondents were taking vitamin E supplements.

Brands covered in the new report are Carlson E-Gems, CVS pharmacy Vitamin E 400 IU, Derma-e Vitamin E 12,000 IU Crème, Finest Natural (Walgreen) Vitamin E 1,000 IU d-alpha, Garden of Life RAW Vitamin Code Raw Vitamin E, GNC Natural E 400, Jason Vitamin E 5,000 i.u. Pure Natural Skin Oil, Kirkland (Costco) Signature Vitamin E 400 I.U., Life Extension Pure Natural Vitamin E 400 IU, Maxi-Health Circu-E 400 Natural Vitamin E, Nature Made Vitamin E 400 I.U., Nature's Bounty 100 percent Natural E-400 IU, NOW Advanced Gamma E Complex, Nutrition Now Vitamin E Gummy Vitamins, Puritan's Pride Premium Natural E-400 IU Mixed Tocopherols, Shaklee Vita-E Complex, Simply Right (Sams Club) Wellness & Nutrition Vitamin E, Solgar Natural Vitamin E 400 IU, Spring Valley (Walmart) E 400 I.U., Trader Joe's 100 percent Natural Vitamin E, UNIQUE E, Vitamin World 100 percent Natural E-400 IU and Weil Vitamin E Complex.