Diseases You Can Get From Vitamin E Deficiency

While severe vitamin E deficiency is uncommon, it can lead to serious health problems, particularly affecting the nervous system. Because vitamin E is an important antioxidant, its absence can cause cellular damage throughout the body, manifesting as a range of potentially irreversible disorders.

Quick Summary

Vitamin E deficiency can cause neurological disorders like ataxia, muscle weakness, and peripheral neuropathy. It can also lead to hemolytic anemia, vision problems, and a weakened immune system, especially in at-risk groups like premature infants.

Key Points

• Neurological Disorders: Severe vitamin E deficiency can cause neurological diseases like ataxia, which affects coordination, and peripheral neuropathy, which causes numbness and tingling.

• Hemolytic Anemia: A deficiency can lead to the destruction of red blood cells, causing a blood disorder known as hemolytic anemia, particularly in preterm infants.

• Vision Problems: As an antioxidant protecting fatty acids, a lack of vitamin E can damage the retina, resulting in retinopathy and potential blindness in severe cases.

• Underlying Causes: In developed countries, deficiency is typically caused by fat malabsorption disorders (e.g., cystic fibrosis, Crohn's disease) or rare genetic conditions, not a poor diet.

• Treatment: Treatment involves correcting the underlying condition and taking oral vitamin E supplements, which can halt the progression of damage but may not reverse existing neurological symptoms.

• Antioxidant Function: As a key antioxidant, vitamin E protects cell membranes from oxidative stress; its absence leaves cells, especially nerve and blood cells, vulnerable to damage.

What is Vitamin E Deficiency?

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin crucial for protecting the body's cells from oxidative stress, a process that can cause cellular damage. A deficiency occurs when the body does not get or absorb enough of this vital nutrient. True dietary deficiency is rare in healthy individuals; instead, the condition most often stems from underlying medical disorders that hinder fat absorption. Vitamin E is stored in fatty tissue, so adult reserves can protect against deficiency for years, but premature infants and those with chronic malabsorption issues are at significant risk.

Neurological Diseases and Vitamin E Deficiency

The most pronounced consequences of a severe, prolonged vitamin E deficiency involve the central and peripheral nervous systems. A lack of this potent antioxidant leads to nerve damage because the fatty membranes of nerve cells become vulnerable to oxidative stress. This can result in a range of debilitating neurological conditions.

Ataxia and Coordination Problems

Ataxia is a neurological sign that indicates issues with a person's balance, coordination, and speech. Vitamin E deficiency is a known cause of spinocerebellar ataxia, a condition where the nerve fibers of the spinal cord and cerebellum are damaged. This impairs the ability of nerves to transmit signals, leading to difficulties with walking and general coordination. A rare inherited disorder called Ataxia with Vitamin E Deficiency (AVED) specifically disrupts the transport of vitamin E in the body, requiring lifelong, high-dose supplementation.

Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy is the medical term for damage to nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. With insufficient vitamin E, patients can experience numbness, tingling, and nerve pain in the extremities. The damage occurs because the protective fatty sheaths of neurons break down, disrupting nerve signals. Early signs often include a loss of deep tendon reflexes, which progresses to sensory loss over time.

Muscle Weakness (Myopathy)

Vitamin E deficiency can lead to skeletal myopathy, or muscle weakness. The oxidative damage affects muscle tissue, causing it to weaken over time. This contributes to the overall neuromuscular problems and coordination difficulties seen in deficient individuals. Profound muscle weakness is a late-stage symptom of untreated, prolonged deficiency.

Other Conditions Caused by Vitamin E Deficiency

Beyond neurological issues, a lack of vitamin E can trigger several other serious health problems.

Hemolytic Anemia

In preterm infants and children with malabsorption issues, vitamin E deficiency can cause hemolytic anemia. This blood disorder is characterized by the destruction of red blood cells, as their membranes become susceptible to oxidative damage without the protective effects of vitamin E. This can be a serious and life-threatening condition in vulnerable populations.

Vision and Eye Problems

The retina of the eye has a high concentration of fatty acids, making it particularly vulnerable to oxidative damage. A severe and prolonged vitamin E deficiency can lead to retinal degeneration, or retinopathy, which can cause significant vision deterioration and even blindness. Other eye problems may include limited upward gaze and abnormal blood vessel growth.

Compromised Immune Function

Some research suggests that a vitamin E deficiency can impair the immune response. This may make an individual more susceptible to infections and other illnesses. Older adults and those with compromised health may be particularly at risk for weakened immunity due to inadequate vitamin E levels.

Causes of Vitamin E Deficiency

In affluent countries, vitamin E deficiency is most often a consequence of an underlying condition rather than poor diet. These conditions affect the body's ability to absorb fat, which is necessary for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins like E.

• Genetic Disorders: Rare genetic conditions, such as abetalipoproteinemia and Ataxia with Vitamin E Deficiency (AVED), can severely impair the absorption and transport of vitamin E.
• Fat Malabsorption Syndromes: Chronic diseases that interfere with fat absorption are a major cause. This includes cystic fibrosis, Crohn's disease, chronic pancreatitis, and certain liver disorders.
• Premature Infants: Very low birth weight, premature infants are particularly susceptible to deficiency because very little vitamin E crosses the placenta during fetal development.
• Extremely Low-Fat Diets: While rare, a diet with very little fat can lead to insufficient vitamin E intake, as vegetable oils are a primary source.

Comparison of Major Deficiency-Related Diseases

Disease	Primary System Affected	Key Symptoms	Risk Factors	Outlook (with treatment)
Ataxia	Neurological (Cerebellum)	Impaired coordination, difficulty walking, speech issues	Chronic malabsorption, genetic disorders	Progression can be halted with supplementation, but existing damage may be irreversible
Peripheral Neuropathy	Neurological (Peripheral Nerves)	Numbness, tingling, nerve pain, loss of reflexes	Chronic malabsorption, genetic disorders	Some symptoms can improve with supplementation; severe damage can be permanent
Hemolytic Anemia	Hematological (Blood)	Red blood cell destruction	Premature birth, fat malabsorption in children	Corrected with vitamin E supplementation
Retinopathy	Ocular (Eyes)	Vision deterioration, abnormal blood vessels, blindness	Prolonged, severe deficiency	Can halt progression, but vision loss may be permanent

Conclusion

While a severe vitamin E deficiency is rare, the diseases and health complications it can cause, particularly neurological damage, are significant and often irreversible if not treated early. The deficiency is most commonly linked to fat malabsorption disorders rather than diet alone, affecting individuals with conditions like cystic fibrosis, Crohn's disease, and certain genetic mutations. Premature infants are also at increased risk and require careful monitoring. Treatment involves addressing the underlying cause and providing vitamin E supplementation, which can prevent further progression of symptoms. By understanding the profound impact of this antioxidant, individuals can work with healthcare providers to prevent and manage this serious condition effectively. For more information on dietary sources of vitamin E, consult resources like the National Institutes of Health.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary cause of vitamin E deficiency in most adults?

In most adults, the primary cause is not a poor diet but an underlying medical condition that prevents the proper absorption of fat, which is necessary for vitamin E absorption.

Can vitamin E deficiency cause permanent nerve damage?

Yes, if left untreated for a prolonged period, severe vitamin E deficiency can lead to irreversible nerve damage. While supplementation can stop further progression, existing neurological damage may not be fully reversible.

Is vitamin E deficiency dangerous for newborns?

Yes, premature, low birth weight infants are particularly vulnerable to vitamin E deficiency and are at risk for hemolytic anemia, as well as neurological and eye problems.

What are the early signs of a vitamin E deficiency?

Early neurological signs include a loss of deep tendon reflexes, followed by coordination problems (ataxia), loss of sensation, and muscle weakness.

What is the connection between vitamin E and eye health?

Vitamin E protects the fatty acids in the retina from oxidative damage. A severe deficiency can damage the retina, potentially leading to retinopathy, vision loss, or even blindness.

Can taking a supplement reverse a vitamin E deficiency?

Yes, taking vitamin E supplements is the primary treatment and can correct the deficiency. The dosage will depend on the underlying cause and severity of the deficiency.

What foods are high in vitamin E?

Good dietary sources of vitamin E include nuts (like almonds and hazelnuts), seeds (like sunflower seeds), vegetable oils (especially wheat germ oil), and leafy green vegetables.