Vitamin E deficiency
| Vitamin E deficiency | |
|---|---|
| Classification and external resources | |
| ICD-10 | E56.0 |
| ICD-9 | 269.1 |
| DiseasesDB | 13950 |
| eMedicine | article/126187 |
| MeSH | D014811 |
Vitamin E deficiency causes neurological problems due to poor nerve conduction.
Presentation
Signs of vitamin E deficiency include neuromuscular problems such as spinocerebellar ataxia and myopathies.[1] Other neurological signs may include dysarthria, absence of deep tendon reflexes, loss of vibratory sensation and proprioception, and positive Babinski sign.[1]
Deficiency can also cause anemia due to oxidative damage to red blood cells,[1] retinopathy[2][3][4] and impairment of the immune response.[2][3][4]
There is also some laboratory evidence that vitamin E deficiency can cause male infertility.[1]
Causes
Vitamin E deficiency is rare and is almost never caused by a poor diet.[1] Instead, there are three specific situations when a vitamin E deficiency is likely to occur. It is seen in persons who cannot absorb dietary fat, has been found in premature, very low birth weight infants (birth weights less than 1500 grams, or 3.5 pounds), and is seen in individuals with rare disorders of fat metabolism.[5]
Very low birth weight infants may be deficient in vitamin E. A neonatologist, a pediatrician specializing in the care of newborns, typically evaluates the nutritional needs of premature infants.
Abetalipoproteinemia is a rare inherited disorder of fat metabolism that results in poor absorption of dietary fat and vitamin E.[6] The vitamin E deficiency associated with this disease causes problems such as poor transmission of nerve impulses, muscle weakness, and degeneration of the retina that can cause blindness. Individuals with abetalipoproteinemia may be prescribed special vitamin E supplements by a physician to treat this disorder. In addition, there is a rare genetic condition termed isolated vitamin E deficiency or ataxia with isolated with vitamin E deficiency, caused by mutations in the gene for the tocopherol transfer protein.[7] These individuals have an extremely poor capacity to absorb vitamin E and develop neurological complications that are reversed by high doses of vitamin E.
Treatment
Individuals who cannot absorb fat may require a vitamin E supplement because some dietary fat is needed for the absorption of vitamin E from the gastrointestinal tract. Anyone diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, individuals who have had part or all of their stomach removed, and individuals with malabsorptive problems such as Crohn's disease, liver disease or pancreatic insufficiency may not absorb fat and should discuss the need for supplemental vitamin E with their physician. People who cannot absorb fat often pass greasy stools or have chronic diarrhea and bloating.
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Brigelius-Flohé R, Traber MG (July 1999). "Vitamin E: function and metabolism". FASEB J. 13 (10): 1145–55. PMID 10385606.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Office of Dietary Supplements. "Vitamin E Professional Fact Sheet". National Institutes of Health. Retrieved 14 August 2010.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Institute of Medicine. Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes: Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium, and Carotenoids. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2000.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Kowdley KV, Mason JB, Meydani SN, Cornwall S, Grand RJ (June 1992). "Vitamin E deficiency and impaired cellular immunity related to intestinal fat malabsorption". Gastroenterology 102 (6): 2139–42. PMID 1587435.
- ↑ Traber MG, Sies H (1996). "Vitamin E in humans: demand and delivery". Annu. Rev. Nutr. 16: 321–47. doi:10.1146/annurev.nu.16.070196.001541. PMID 8839930.
- ↑ Muller DP, Lloyd JK, Wolff OH (1983). "Vitamin E and neurological function: abetalipoproteinaemia and other disorders of fat absorption". Ciba Found. Symp. 101: 106–21. PMID 6557902.
- ↑ Manor D, Morley S (2007). "The alpha-tocopherol transfer protein". Vitam. Horm. 76: 45–65. doi:10.1016/S0083-6729(07)76003-X. PMID 17628171.
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