Formulating with Vitamin E: Is Vitamin E Water Soluble?

Vitamin E, one of the four major fat-soluble vitamins, is essential for the proper functioning of the human body’s internal organs. This versatile vitamin is crucial in maintaining multiple processes within the body. Naturally found in foods such as seeds, nuts, and vegetables, vitamin E is rarely deficient in individuals. 

Yet, given its complexity, vitamin E must be administered thoughtfully, with a balanced nutritional approach, to avoid potentially harmful interactions. As we delve deeper, we’ll explore the various forms and solubility of vitamin E, which are crucial for effective formulation and product development.

What Is Vitamin E? 

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin composed of eight compounds: four tocopherols and four tocotrienols. Its primary function is to act as an antioxidant in the body.

Naturally occurring vitamin E differs chemically from the vitamin E found in supplements. According to the World Health Organization, the recommended daily allowance for adults is 15 mg, while it's recommended that pregnant and lactating mothers take slightly more, 19 mg.

What Are the Benefits of Taking Vitamin E?

Several studies highlight the potential benefits of taking vitamin E supplements, which include:

• Improving antioxidant performance 

• Reducing risk factors around heart disease

• Bolstering the immune system against bacteria

As vitamin E deficiency is rare, the studies cited here are experimental, and the reported effects may not apply to all situations. 

What Is the Best Form of Vitamin E to Take? 

Vitamin E is not just a simple, fat-soluble vitamin — it comprises eight different fat-soluble compounds divided into two major groups: tocopherols and tocotrienols.

Tocopherols and tocotrienols have distinct chemical structures. Before the early 2000s, they were thought to be the same. However, as researchers began to understand the differences between these compounds, they noticed that each had unique effects on the body, even though both are forms of vitamin E.

For example, alpha-tocopherol is the form of vitamin E that has been researched more extensively than other vitamin E compounds. Alpha-tocopherol also receives preferential treatment from the liver's transfer protein, while the other compounds of vitamin E are metabolized and excreted.

As research continues, tocotrienols are demonstrating intriguing possibilities, including being more effective antioxidants. Some studies suggest that tocotrienols could potentially be 40 to 50 times more powerful than alpha-tocopherol as antioxidants.

Is Vitamin E Water Soluble? 

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means it dissolves in fats and oils rather than water. Like other fat-soluble vitamins, it is most effectively absorbed through its presence in naturally occurring foods.

But because vitamin E is most commonly found in high-fat foods, this can be challenging for some individuals to digest. However, advances in developing water-soluble forms are promising. These solubilized forms of vitamin E offer an additional advantage: they behave similarly to regular fat-soluble vitamins during absorption in the digestive system.  They can also be incorporated into functional beverages, energy drinks and vitamin shots.

Spoke Sciences is at the forefront of these developments with ISOCaps VIT 100, a water-solubilized version of vitamin E that can be incorporated into the water phase of virtually any beverage. One milliliter of ISOCaps VIT 100 provides 20.5 mg of vitamin E, alongside 100 percent of the recommended daily intake (RDA) for A, B, and C.

Readily Absorb Vitamin E with VIT100

Spoke Sciences is developing a portfolio of platform technologies and ingredient solutions to address the formulation challenges of many of the most popular fat-soluble ingredients. We are helping brands deliver wellness products to overcome the limitations of naturally insoluble and poorly bioavailable materials.

Contact us to learn more about formulating with Spoke Sciences’ IsoCaps VIT 100 and deliver a functional product that encourages consumers to choose your product over your competitor’s.