Wheat germ oil: plenty of vitamin E, very little research

The one trial built around wheat germ oil tested a modified version of it. Researchers gave 46 adults in Germany who were low in vitamin D 10 g a day of oil exposed to UVB light, which created 23.7 micrograms of vitamin D in it. After 6 weeks their blood vitamin D2 rose, yet total vitamin D status did not improve, and plain oil contains none of that vitamin D. We found no human trial of ordinary wheat germ oil on any health outcome. What the oil does have is vitamin E. USDA lists 149.4 mg per 3.5 oz (100 g), from a single older reference record, alongside 18.8 g of saturated fat. A tablespoon weighs 14 g in US survey data, which comes to about 21 mg of vitamin E by calculation from that USDA figure.

The numbers, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

As people eat it, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

How much is actually in it

• Laboratory measurements in the same trial found the tocopherols and acid value of wheat germ oil did not change over the 6-week study, with or without UV treatment. — commercial wheat germ oil samples analyzed at start and end of a 6-week trial Evidence D source
  Alpha-tocopherol about 150 mg/100 g at both time points, no time or treatment difference
• USDA lists wheat germ oil at 149.4 mg of vitamin E per 3.5 oz (100 g), with 18.8 g of saturated fat. — USDA reference record, Oil, wheat germ Evidence E source
  Vitamin E 149.4 mg, fat 100 g, saturated fat 18.8 g per 3.5 oz (100 g)

What a real portion looks like

• In US survey data a tablespoon of wheat germ oil weighs 14 g, which by the USDA figure carries about 21 mg of vitamin E. — US survey food item, Wheat germ oil Evidence E source
  1 tablespoon 14 g, 1 cup 224 g

What your body absorbs

• In a 6-week trial in 46 adults low in vitamin D, 10 g a day of UV-treated wheat germ oil with 23.7 micrograms of vitamin D raised blood D2 but did not raise total vitamin D status. — 46 healthy adults in Germany, mean 25(OH)D 34.9 nmol/L, February to April (n = 46) Evidence B source
  25(OH)D2 up, 25(OH)D3 down, total 25(OH)D lower than no-oil control at 6 weeks

What it does to your health

• In a pilot trial in 61 people with Sjogren's syndrome, an omega-3 supplement did no better than wheat germ oil for saliva production. — 61 patients with Sjogren's syndrome, 23 on wheat germ oil, 38 on omega-3 (n = 61) Evidence B source
  No significant difference in unstimulated (p = 0.38) or stimulated (p = 0.346) saliva

Safety, limits and interactions

• NIH notes that large doses of vitamin E taken with warfarin or other blood thinners can raise bleeding risk, probably above 400 IU a day. — people on anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs Evidence E source
  Bleeding risk; threshold probably above 400 IU/day
• NIH says research has not found any adverse effects from consuming vitamin E in food. — adults Evidence E source
  No adverse effects found from vitamin E in food

What people believe that the data does not support

• The EU rejected the claim that wheat germ oil increases potency. — EU food labeling Evidence E source
  Non-authorized claim
• The EU rejected the claim that wheat germ oil slows aging. — EU food labeling Evidence E source
  Non-authorized claim

Who this works differently for

• In 46 hemodialysis patients over 4 months, fish oil plus 300 mg of wheat germ oil a day did not change homocysteine or nutrition markers compared with placebo. — 46 hemodialysis patients, 4 months, 3000 mg fish oil plus 300 mg WGO daily (n = 46) Evidence B source
  No significant change in homocysteine or nutritional indices (p > 0.05)
• In the same 4-month design in 46 hemodialysis patients, fish oil plus wheat germ oil raised serum calcium but changed no other bone or inflammation marker. — 46 maintenance hemodialysis patients, 4 months (n = 46) Evidence B source
  Serum Ca rise vs placebo p = 0.0418; other markers p > 0.05

The bottom line

The other trials used wheat germ oil as a partner or a comparator, so they cannot say what the oil does alone. In 46 people on hemodialysis, 3,000 mg of fish oil plus 300 mg of wheat germ oil a day for 4 months changed neither homocysteine nor nutrition markers against placebo, and that dose of wheat germ oil carried only 0.765 mg of vitamin E. In the same design, serum calcium rose against placebo (p = 0.0418) while no other bone or inflammation marker moved, with no effect size in the abstract. In a pilot trial in 61 people with Sjogren's syndrome, an omega-3 supplement did no better than wheat germ oil for saliva, and with no placebo arm the oil's own effect is unknown. Lab checks of one commercial oil inside the UV trial found its tocopherols and acid value unchanged over 6 weeks. The EU has authorized none of the 10 health claims submitted for wheat germ oil, including that it increases potency and that it slows aging. The caution runs through vitamin E. NIH says research has found no adverse effects from vitamin E in food. It also says large supplemental doses taken with warfarin or other blood thinners can raise bleeding risk, probably above 400 IU a day, and that threshold is about supplements. If you take a blood thinner and want to use wheat germ oil as a supplement, ask whoever prescribed it. We have no card on pregnancy, children or allergy for this oil.

Sources

1. wgoil-r6-02 · laboratory analysis
   To elucidate, whether the UVB-exposure was accompanied by an increased oxidation of the fatty acids in WGO, the acid value and the concentrations of α-, β-, γ- and δ-tocopherol were analyzed at baseline and at the end of the study period. However, no obvious time- and treatment-dependent differences were observed (Table 1).
   Eur J Nutr, 2022 · checked 2026-10-03
2. wgoil-r6-06 · dataset
   USDA SR Legacy FDC 171014 Oil, wheat germ: Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 149.4 mg per 100 g · Total lipid (fat) 100 g · Fatty acids, total saturated 18.8 g
   USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy, FDC 171014, Oil, wheat germ · checked 2026-10-03
3. wgoil-r6-07 · dataset
   FNDDS Wheat germ oil (fdc 2710194): 1 tablespoon 14 g · 1 cup 224 g · Quantity not specified 14 g
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, fdc 2710194, Wheat germ oil · checked 2026-10-03
4. wgoil-r6-01 · RCT
   Ultimately, 46 healthy males and females with low mean 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels (34.9 ± 10.6 nmol/L) were randomized into three groups ... CONCLUSION: UVB-exposed WGO containing 23.7 µg vitamin D can increase 25(OH)D2 levels but do no improve total serum levels of 25(OH)D of vitamin D-insufficient subjects.
   Eur J Nutr, 2022 · checked 2026-10-03
5. wgoil-r6-05 · RCT (pilot)
   61 patients with Sjögren's received either wheat germ oil (n = 23) or n-3 supplement (TheraTears Nutrition®) (n = 38) in a prospective, randomized, double-masked trial. ... The differences between the n-3 group and wheat germ oil group were not statistically significant for either unstimulated (US) or stimulated (SS) salivary secretion (p= 0.38 and p= 0.346, respectively)
   Spec Care Dentist, 2010 · checked 2026-10-03
6. wgoil-r6-08 · agency fact sheet
   Vitamin E can inhibit platelet aggregation and antagonize vitamin K-dependent clotting factors. As a result, taking large doses with anticoagulant or antiplatelet medications, such as warfarin (Coumadin), can increase the risk of bleeding, especially in conjunction with low vitamin K intake. The amounts of supplemental vitamin E needed to produce clinically significant effects are unknown but probably exceed 400 IU/day [61].
   NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin E Fact Sheet for Health Professionals · checked 2026-10-03
7. wgoil-r6-09 · agency fact sheet
   Research has not found any adverse effects from consuming vitamin E in food [6].
   NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin E Fact Sheet for Health Professionals · checked 2026-10-03
8. wgoil-r6-10 · regulatory decision
   POL-HC-8163 Wheat germ oil Increases potency Non-authorised
   EU Register on nutrition and health claims, claim POL-HC-8163, snapshot 2026-09-21 · checked 2026-10-03
9. wgoil-r6-11 · regulatory decision
   POL-HC-8166 Wheat germ oil Retards the ageing processes Non-authorised
   EU Register on nutrition and health claims, claim POL-HC-8166, snapshot 2026-09-21 · checked 2026-10-03
10. wgoil-r6-03 · RCT
    Forty-six hemodialysis patients were randomly assigned to two equally-sized groups; a supplemented group who received 3000 mg/day of fish oil [1053 mg omega-3 fatty acids] plus 300 mg/day of wheat germ oil [0.765 mg vitamin E], and a matched placebo group who received placebo capsules for 4 months. ... At the end of the study, there were no significant changes in homocysteine levels and in the nutritional indices neither in the supplemented nor in the placebo-control groups (p > 0.05).
    Int J Vitam Nutr Res, 2021 · checked 2026-10-03
11. wgoil-r6-04 · RCT
    This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involved 46 HD patients who were randomly assigned into two groups to receive daily 3000 mg of FO [1053 mg omega-3 fatty acids (ω-3 FAs)] plus 300 mg of WGO [0.765 mg vitamin E] or placebo for 4 months. ... The mean serum Ca levels increased significantly in the supplemented group at the end of study (p = 0.0016), and this increment was also significant as compared to placebo group (p = 0.0418).
    Int Urol Nephrol, 2017 · checked 2026-10-03