Vitamin E Deficiency: Symptoms, Treatment Options

Concerned about fatigue or muscle weakness? This article covers vitamin E deficiency symptoms, like vision problems, potential causes such as Crohn’s, and treatment options, including diet changes.

Have you noticed that some days you’re just…off? Maybe a bit more tired, or your muscles are acting up? Could it be a vitamin E deficiency? It’s something we, here at Vitalo360, have been looking into. We’ll be diving into the signs, causes, and, most importantly, what you can do about it. Let’s get started.

• Symptoms of Vitamin E Deficiency
• Causes and Risk Factors for Vitamin E Deficiency
• Treatment for Vitamin E Deficiency
• Dietary Modification
• Nutritional Supplements
• Recommended Dosages of Vitamin E

Symptoms of Vitamin E Deficiency

Vitamin E is a pretty important antioxidant, think of it as your body’s bodyguard, helping to protect cells from damage. It’s usually found in various foods and drinks, making a deficiency less common, um, especially if you’re eating a balanced diet. That said, when it *does* happen, here are some symptoms to watch out for:

• Muscle weakness, or coordination and walking difficulties.
• Pain or numbness in the limbs.
• Vision problems.
• A general feeling of sickness and weakness.

Keep in mind that taking extremely high doses of vitamin E supplements can, ironically, increase your risk of bleeding.

Causes and Risk Factors for Vitamin E Deficiency

Certain health problems can lead to vitamin E deficiency, because some conditions affect the body’s ability to absorb fats. After all, it’s a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning it needs fat to be properly absorbed. Vitamin E’s deficiency is often linked to impaired fat absorption, so conditions like:

• Chronic pancreatitis.
• Biliary atresia.
• Cystic fibrosis.
• Abetalipoproteinemia.
• Crohn’s disease.
• Short bowel syndrome.

In rare cases, vitamin E deficiency can be caused by a rare genetic condition called ataxia, which affects a person’s ability to control their movements. But, it’s pretty uncommon.

Vitamin E deficiency can also be influenced by genetic factors affecting alpha-tocopherol transfer protein, which is crucial for incorporating vitamin E into lipoproteins. Certain variations in the gene responsible for this protein may increase susceptibility to deficiency, especially if dietary intake is also low.

Treatment for Vitamin E Deficiency

First off, always check with your doctor to get the right diagnosis and treatment. Don’t just self-diagnose based on what you read online! With that in mind, here are some general approaches:

• Taking supplements that meet your needs of vitamin E can cause many health problems.
• Sourcing your vitamin E from natural sources might cause some health complications.

Depending on the cause, treatment can involve:

1. Dietary Modification

Increasing your vitamin E intake through food sources, for instance:

• Nuts and seeds, such as: almonds, sunflower seeds, and sunflower seed butter.
• Whole grains.
• Vegetable oils, especially sunflower and wheat germ oil.
• Green vegetables.
• Fish.
• Fortified breakfast cereals.
• Kiwi.
• Mango.

2. Nutritional Supplements

While adjusting your diet is often the preferred way to address deficiencies, it’s important to be careful when considering supplements for overcoming the lack of any nutritional element. It’s key to be cautious when supplementing to treat vitamin E deficiency, and here’s why:

• Some vitamin E supplements on the market haven’t been verified by third-party organizations, such as:
  • Possible high concentrations of undeclared ingredients.
  • Lack of specified type of vitamin E, if a person is suffering from vitamin E deficiency, the supplement that contains only one type of vitamin E won’t be effective.
• Vitamin E supplements can affect the way certain medications work, such as:
  • Chemotherapy drugs.
  • Radiation treatments.
  • Niacin.
  • Blood thinners.
  • Antiplatelet drugs.
• Concentrated vitamin E supplements may interfere with your body’s chemistry.

Recommended Dosages of Vitamin E

Recommended dosages of vitamin E vary from one person to another, depending on the health condition and life stage:

• Teenagers and adults (14 years and older): 15 milligram of vitamin E daily.
• Children under 14 years:
  • Between 1-3 years: 6 milligram daily.
  • Between 4-8 years: 7 milligram daily.
  • Between 9-13 years: 11 milligram daily.
• Breastfeeding women: 12 milligram daily.

It is important to meet your needs, in order to avoid vitamin E deficiency, through consuming sufficient amounts of certain foods along your daily diet, for example:

• A handful of sunflower seeds.
• Two tablespoons of peanut butter.
• Half a cup of spinach.

Key takeaways

• Vitamin E is crucial for protecting cells, and deficiency can lead to muscle weakness, vision issues, and more.
• Certain health conditions affecting fat absorption, like Crohn’s disease or cystic fibrosis, can increase the risk of deficiency.
• Treatment involves dietary changes and, sometimes, supplements, but consulting a doctor is essential.

FAQ, Myth & Facts

Can I get enough vitamin E just from sunlight?

Nope! Vitamin E is found in foods, not created by your body from sunlight like vitamin D. You gotta eat your nuts and seeds!

Is it okay to take vitamin E supplements without talking to a doctor?

Not a great idea. High doses can interfere with medications and even increase bleeding risk. Always get professional advice.

Is vitamin E deficiency common?

Not really, especially if you’re eating a balanced diet. It’s more likely in people with certain health conditions that affect fat absorption.

I was always feeling so tired and just chalked it up to getting older. But after talking to my doctor, we figured out I had a vitamin E deficiency. A few simple changes to my diet, and I feel like a new person!

My son was having trouble with coordination, and it was really worrying. Turns out, he had a condition that was preventing him from absorbing vitamin E properly. Now, with supplements and a special diet, he’s doing so much better.

I started taking vitamin E supplements because I heard they were good for my skin. But after a while, I started bruising really easily. My doctor told me I was taking too much! It’s a good reminder that more isn’t always better.

So, what’s the bottom line? Vitamin E is essential, but deficiencies aren’t super common. Paying attention to your body, eating a varied diet, and checking in with your doctor are, as we at Vitalo360 always say, key. After all, isn’t feeling good what it’s all about?