Vitamin a vs Vitamin E for skin & hair
Short answer: For skin & hair, more users report improvement with Vitamin a — 88% of 8 reports, versus 80% of 5 for Vitamin E.
Vitamin a has 533 meta-analyses and 1,109 randomized trials on PubMed; Vitamin E has 680 and 1,761.
Based on 112 reports about Vitamin a and 212 about Vitamin E. Not medical advice.
| Vitamin a Supplement | Vitamin E Supplement | |
|---|---|---|
| Users say it helped | 44%helped18 reports · few reports | 47%helped36 reports · medium confidence |
| Verdict | Mixed | Mixed |
| Research | AResearch: Strong | AResearch: Strong |
| Meta-analyses / RCTs | 533 / 1,109 | 680 / 1,761 |
| Mainly used for | ||
| Skin & hair % reporting improvement | 88% (8) | 80% (5) |
| Hormones % reporting improvement | — | 90% (10) |
| Common side effects | overdose, carcinogenic at, cancer risk, increased neurofilament | carcinogenic at, cancer risk, diarrhea, dizziness |
| Typical dose reported | 900 mcg / with breakfast | 400 mg |
Raw milk consumption was not associated with cancer (two studies) or lactose intolerance (one study). Overall, these findings should be interpreted with caution given the poor quality of reported methodology in many of the included studies.
J Food Prot, 2011 ↗“Vitamin A. Reduces acne, lowers inflammation, and in my case alleviates depression, anxiety and brain fog.”
This study suggests the potential ability of vitamin C and E in alleviating pain symptoms experienced by individuals with endometriosis.
PLoS One, 2024 ↗“Vitamin E is the most effective supplement I've taken for anxiety, depression, lethargy, and anhedonia...even more effective than the SSRI.”
Related comparisons
Percentages come from first-hand user reports and are not clinical outcomes. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. How we rate