Vitamin E Deficiency

Vitamin E is essential for the integrity of cellular membranes and deficiency of it results in membrane lipid peroxidation, dysfunction and cell death. Nutritional vitamin E deficiency is rare in humans, but rare genetic defects lead to tissue deficiency despite normal intestinal absorption.

Keywords: vitamin E; deficiency; neuropathy; fat malabsorption; tocopherol transport protein

 References
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 Further Reading
    Arita M, Sato Y, Miyato A et al. (1995) Human alpha-tocopherol transfer protein: cDNA cloning, expression and chromosomal localization. Journal of Biochemistry 306: 437–443.
    Fernandez-Zamorano A, Arnalich F, Codoceo R et al. (1988) Hemolytic anaemia and susceptibility to hydrogen-peroxide hemolysis in children with vitamin E-deficiency and chronic liver disease. Journal of Medicine 18: 317–334.
    Kaempf DE and Linderkamp O (1998) Do healthy premature infants fed breast milk need vitamin E supplementation: alpha- and gamma-tocopherol levels in blood components and buccal mucosal cells. Pediatrics Research 44: 54–59.
    book Meydani SN and Hayek M (1992) "Vitamin E and immune response". Chandra RK Proceedings of International Conference on Nutrition and Immunity, pp. 105–128. St John's, Newfoundland: ARTS Biomedical Publishers and Distributors
    Peters SA and Kelly FJ (1996) Vitamin E supplementation in cystic fibrosis. Journal of Pediatrics Gastroenterology and Nutrition 22: 341–345.
    Muller DP (1992) Vitamin E therapy in retinopathy of prematurity. Eye 6: 221–225.
    Traber MG, Sokol RJ, Ringel SP, Neville HE, Thellman CA and Kayden HJ (1987) Lack of tocopherol in peripheral nerves of vitamin E-deficient patients with peripheral neuropathy. New England Journal of Medicine 317: 262–265.
    Sokol RJ, Butler-Simon N, Conner C et al. (1993) Multicenter trial of d-alpha-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate for treatment of vitamin E deficiency in children with chronic cholestasis. Gastroenterology 104: 1727–1735.
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Meydani, Mohsen, Koga, Takuro, and Ali, Samina(Jan 2003) Vitamin E Deficiency. In: eLS. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester. http://www.els.net [doi: 10.1038/npg.els.0002109]