IO Genix Vitamin E 400 IU

What is IO Genix Vitamin E 400 IU?

IO Genix Vitamin E 400 IU is a vitamin E in softgel capsules. One softgel provides 400 IU of vitamin E as DL-alpha-tocopheryl acetate, equal to 274.7 mg using the conversion adopted by the manufacturer, and 2,289% of the nutrient reference value. The box holds 60 softgels for a net weight of 36 g, which is two months at one capsule a day.

Vitamin E is not a single molecule but a family of eight related compounds, four tocopherols and four tocotrienols. Alpha-tocopherol is the one the body retains and transports as a priority, and it is also the only one covered by the European nutrient reference value. It is therefore the form found in very nearly every supplement.

The softgel format is not an aesthetic choice: vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, it keeps poorly as a powder and oxidises in air. The soft capsule shields it from light and oxygen until the moment it is opened. The rest of the Spanish range can be browsed in our IO Genix section, and the full category in our vitamin E section.

What does one softgel of Vitamin E 400 IU contain?

This is a high dose, and it deserves to be said plainly rather than presented as an advantage. The upper safe limit set at European level for alpha-tocopherol in adults is 300 mg a day. At 274.7 mg, this softgel sits just below it. That is not a problem in itself — a limit is there so as not to be crossed, not so as never to be approached — but it has two practical consequences. The first: never take two capsules a day. The second: if you already take a multivitamin containing vitamin E, add the two together before stacking them.

Only one claim is authorised in Europe for this vitamin, and it is a simple one: vitamin E contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress. That is all, and it is already the essence of what can honestly be said about it. Elsewhere you will read promises about skin, hair, fertility or the heart: not one of them has been validated at European level for vitamin E.

A point of vocabulary that is worth money when you are comparing two bottles. The letters “DL” in front of alpha-tocopherol denote the form obtained by synthesis, also called all-rac. The naturally sourced form is written “D” alone, or RRR-alpha-tocopherol. They are not equivalent weight for weight: the body retains the natural form better, and that is why the two can only be compared in international units, never in milligrams. So hold on to the figure in IU when you compare two vitamin E products.

Food supplies vitamin E through vegetable oils — sunflower, rapeseed, wheat germ — nuts and seeds, avocado and green leafy vegetables. A diet already rich in these foods covers requirements without difficulty; this supplement makes sense when that is not the case.

Ingredients list

DL-alpha-tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E). Capsule shell: GELATINE and glycerine.

May contain traces of NUTS, PEANUT, EGGS, MILK, SULPHITES, FISH and SOYA.

How do you take Vitamin E 400 IU?

Dose: 1 softgel. Liquid: a glass of water. Timing: during a meal that contains fat. Frequency: one serving a day, never two. Duration: one box covers two months; the manufacturer sets no maximum course length.

Taking it with a meal is the instruction that does most to change what this product returns, and it is also the one the manufacturer states least clearly. Vitamin E is only absorbed in the presence of dietary fat: taken on an empty stomach with a glass of water, part of the dose will simply not be taken up. A normal meal containing a drizzle of oil, a piece of cheese or a handful of almonds is amply sufficient.

The time of day matters little — lunch or dinner do the job equally well. What counts is regularity: fat-soluble vitamins are stored, their level in the body builds over several weeks, and a steady daily serving is worth more than an irregular one at double the dose.

Do not open the capsule and do not pierce it: the oil it contains oxidises rapidly on contact with air, which degrades precisely the molecule you are trying to supply. If the softgels are hard to swallow, thirty minutes in the fridge firms them slightly and helps them go down.

It is taken at the same meal as an omega 3 or a vitamin D, which call for the same fatty carrier. A vitamin C usefully complements it: the two nutrients work on different compartments of the cell, one in the fats, the other in the water.

Who is Vitamin E 400 IU for, and who is it not for?

The manufacturer restricts it to people over 18. It is intended for an adult whose diet supplies little in the way of vegetable oils, nuts and seeds, or who wants a targeted antioxidant intake.

Two situations call for medical advice before the box is opened. The first: if you are taking anticoagulant or antiplatelet treatment. At high doses, vitamin E is known to interfere with these treatments, and 274.7 mg is a high dose. The second: if surgery is scheduled. In both cases the question is one for your doctor, not for a supplement retailer, and the answer cannot be guessed.

The capsule shell is made of gelatine: the product is suitable neither for vegetarians nor for vegans. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should seek medical advice, as with any high-dose vitamin intake. Anyone with allergies should take account of the traces mentioned above.

What not to expect from it. You will feel nothing when you take it, and that is normal: vitamin E has no perceptible effect. It does not improve sporting performance, it does not make hair grow back and it does not smooth the skin — none of those promises is authorised, and for good reasons. It does not replace a diet that includes vegetable oils and nuts. And at this dose, “more” is not “better”: the European threshold of 300 mg a day exists precisely because generosity is not a virtue with this particular vitamin.

Vitamin E or coenzyme Q10?

The two sit in the same part of the shelf and are sold on the same word, “antioxidant”. They do not, however, do the same job.

Vitamin E lodges in cell membranes, where fats are exposed to oxidation. That is its ground, and it is what its single claim recognises. It is inexpensive, very stable in capsule form, and it has a clear regulatory framework behind it — which is rare in this aisle.

Coenzyme Q10 sits elsewhere: it is a molecule the body makes itself and which acts in the mitochondria, the energy factories of the cell. No claim is authorised for it in Europe, which is a considerable difference. It is also markedly more expensive. Our coenzyme Q10 section sets out this logic in detail.

When is coenzyme Q10 the better choice? When you are looking for that molecule specifically, generally on the advice of a healthcare professional, and budget is not the main criterion. For a simple, regular and clearly regulated antioxidant intake, vitamin E remains the most direct choice. And if you would rather have a plant extract, our curcumin section answers a third logic again.

Frequently asked questions

How many milligrams is 400 IU?

274.7 mg according to the conversion given by the manufacturer. Above all, remember that natural and synthetic forms of vitamin E are not compared in milligrams but in international units: it is the figure in IU that has to be set side by side when you compare two products.

Is this dose too high?

It is high without being excessive. The upper safe limit set at European level for alpha-tocopherol in adults is 300 mg a day, and this softgel supplies 274.7. One capsule a day, never two, and check that your multivitamin is not already supplying some.

Should it be taken with a meal?

Yes, and that is the most useful instruction on this page. Vitamin E is only absorbed in the presence of dietary fat. Taken on an empty stomach with a plain glass of water, part of the dose is lost. A meal containing a drizzle of oil or a few almonds is enough.

DL-alpha-tocopherol or D-alpha-tocopherol?

The “DL” denotes the synthetic form, “D” alone the naturally sourced one. The body retains the latter better, which explains why the two are compared in international units and not in milligrams. This product uses the synthetic form, the most widespread and the most stable.

Are these capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No. The capsule shell is made of gelatine, which is of animal origin. The glycerine that goes with it poses no problem, but the gelatine does. There is no plant-based version of this product.

Can it be taken with an anticoagulant?

Not without medical advice. At high doses, vitamin E can interfere with anticoagulant and antiplatelet treatments, and 274.7 mg is a high dose. The same caution applies before scheduled surgery. Put the question to your doctor or your pharmacist.

How long does one box last?

60 softgels at one a day: two months exactly, for a net weight of 36 g. The manufacturer sets no maximum course length, but at this dose level it is sensible to take stock with a healthcare professional if you are considering prolonged use over several years.

Where can you buy IO Genix Vitamin E 400 IU?

The box of 60 softgels can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product we sell while always asking two questions: are you taking an anticoagulant, and are you already taking a multivitamin. Those two answers decide the advice far more than anything else. The full range can be browsed in our sports nutrition selection, and broader intakes in our multivitamins.