Vitamin E supplements and high blood pressure in pregnant women
What it found
In 3587 pregnant women who conceived through fertility treatment, vitamin E supplements above 100 mg a day were linked to higher rates of pregnancy-related high blood pressure.
Vitamin E from food showed no such link.
What they found
Studies in people
Supplements over 100 mg
Women taking more than 100 mg of vitamin E a day from supplements had a higher chance of developing high blood pressure during pregnancy. The risk rose further when supplements were taken for more than two months or totalled over 12,000 mg.
Vitamin E from food
Getting vitamin E from regular food was not linked to any change in the risk of pregnancy high blood pressure. The average amount eaten from food was 37.4 mg a day.
Already eating enough
Women who already ate plenty of vitamin E from food faced a higher risk of high blood pressure if they also took supplements. This happened even at supplement doses of 100 mg a day or less.
Blood markers matched
Blood tests from 1103 women showed that certain breakdown products of the alpha form of vitamin E were higher in those who developed high blood pressure. Supplements mostly contain this alpha form, while food contains a mix.
What the authors conclude
- They advise pregnant women to be careful with vitamin E supplements, especially if they already get enough from their diet.
- The authors say taking more than 100 mg a day from supplements in early pregnancy may raise the chance of developing high blood pressure.
How it was done
High blood pressure during pregnancy is a leading cause of illness for mothers and babies worldwide. Scientists disagree on whether vitamin E supplements help or harm pregnant women, so the authors wanted to look at this closely.
They followed 3587 women in China who became pregnant through fertility treatments. The women filled out questionnaires about their diet and supplement use in early pregnancy. Blood samples were taken from 1103 of them, and doctors checked medical records for high blood pressure later in pregnancy.
What it can’t tell you
- This study followed women over time, so it can show a link but cannot prove the supplements directly caused the high blood pressure.
- All participants used fertility treatments, so the findings might not apply to women who conceive naturally.
- Women reported their own supplement use, which means the exact amounts could be slightly off.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- None.
- Authors work at
- Southeast University, China; Nanjing Medical University, China; The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, China
The paper
- Title
- Vitamin E supplementation and increased risk of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia in women undergoing assisted reproductive technologies
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Yang X, Dou Y, Hu L, et al (2025). Vitamin E supplementation and increased risk of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia in women undergoing assisted reproductive technologies. Chinese medical journal. doi:10.1097/CM9.0000000000003766Free full textPubMed 40789663DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error