Vitamin E (tocopherol) - do not get carried away - Signs of deficiency

Symptoms of deficiency

Vitamin E - a fat soluble vitamin present in four different forms: alpha, beta, gamma and delta tocopherols and tocotrienols. With food we consume a sufficient amount of tocopherol, so deficiency of this substance is rare. However, failure may occur during lean diets upon receipt of contraceptive pills, during menopause, and in the case of chlorinated water consumption.

Tocopherols and tocotrienols are potent antioxidants necessary to preserve youth and health. The most abundant natural sources of vitamin E are vegetable oils, avocados, nuts, seeds. These products must be included in the diet because the body can not produce vitamin E.

In most cases a deficiency of vitamin E is caused by congenital disorders due to which the body can not properly absorb fats, which usually contains tocopherols and tocotrienols. Deficiency of vitamin E, which is caused by poor diet - a very rare occurrence, but it does occur, most often - the inhabitants of developing countries.

Here are four of the most common signs of vitamin E deficiency:

• Anemia

Anaemia - a disorder in which reduced red blood cell count in the blood. A component of red blood cells, or erythrocytes - hemoglobin is responsible for transporting oxygen to the body tissues. Without sufficient oxygen supply can not be a normal cell development.

Deficiency of vitamin E is often observed in children with low birth weight. It can lead to hemolytic anemia, which causes destruction of red blood cells. To prevent the development of serious complications associated with this disorder, children need to take supplements with vitamin E.

• Dystaxia

Vitamin E is an antioxidant Antioxidants: the truth about the notorious benefits Therefore its deficiency results in significant oxidative stress How to beat stress? Create an oasis   and as a result, damage to cells and tissues. This in turn may cause irregularities in different parts of the body. In particular, vitamin E deficiency affects the central nervous system. People with this problem are observed weak reflexes, poor coordination, disruption of the vestibular apparatus. This increases the likelihood of injury, and reduces quality of life.

• Muscular weakness

Another sign of a deficiency of vitamin E is myopathy - a disorder in which muscle fibers are weakened and do not function normally. In experiments conducted in guinea pigs, vitamin E and selenium led to life-threatening myopathy, and the activation of lipid peroxidation.

• Blurred vision

So, to avoid many health problems, try to consume adequate amounts of vitamin E - it's easy, you only need to follow the usual balanced diet. You can also take vitamin E supplements, but do not abuse them - the excess of this substance is also facing various complications.

Symptoms of vitamin E deficiency:

• metabolic disease Metabolism: The basis of life of all living things ;
• nerve and muscle disorders;
• shortening of the life of red blood cells;
• inflammatory bowel disease;
• weakening of visual acuity;
• infertility;
• anemia;
• dry skin;
• brittle nails.

Symptoms of vitamin E deficiency in infants:

• retinopathy of prematurity (an eye disease) in premature infants;
• weight loss and stunted growth;
• poor appetite;
• problems of physical and mental development

Symptoms of vitamin E deficiency in children:

• Chronic liver disease and gastric tract, causing neurological disorders;
• spinal cerebellar ataxia, (lack of coordination) with the loss of stretch reflex;
• ataxia, trunk and extremities;
• disorientation;
• ophthalmoplegia (paralysis of the muscles of the eye);
• muscle weakness;
• ptosis (drooping of the upper eyelid);
• dysarthria (disorder of articulation);
• stunted growth

Symptoms of vitamin E deficiency in adults:

• hemolytic anemia of moderate severity;
• non-specific neurological disorders;
• genital disorders (infertility);
• pigmentation of the skin;
• cataracts;
• neurological damage;
• muscle function abnormalities, liver, bone marrow and brain
• Diseases caused by lack of vitamin E

Intermittent claudication

In typical cases, the intermittent claudication is usually found in older men: there is pain and cramps in the calves when walking. The pain is worse, and the person begins to stumble and limp. Such pain - a consequence of the accumulation of metabolites in the blood, and the required number of muscle deprived of oxygen. This is not a disease, but a serious signal that in the arteries of the legs there is something wrong. It is estimated that in 99 cases out of 100 it is premature peripheral vascular sclerosis.

Painful cramps in the legs

Severe cramps in the legs - a phenomenon quite often. Due to the sudden pain people jump out of bed at night, trying to step on the foot, pound the muscles change position, suffer and wait for the pain to pass. Sometimes years pass, and convulsions are repeated every night. Most of these phenomena occur with women after fifty years. This is related to sexual activity of the gonads, that lack of vitamin E to produce hormones. And cramps in my legs started to treat vitamin E. Patients treated at 300-400 ME a day a week to feel an improvement, with the disappeared and other types of muscle spasms. Painful cramping possible not only with a deficiency of Vitamin E, and magnesium deficiency in an organism, vitamin B12, the nerve strain, and also in case of lack of oxygen.

Other ailments

Vitamin E has been effective in treating various complications associated with menopause. At precisely selected individual dose tocopherol literally saved the patients from various complications (pain, hot flashes, even hysteria). Usually enough it was from 300 to 600 ME per day; there were cases when administered more than 1,000 ME, and sometimes lacked even ten times smaller dose. But there are people with hypersensitivity to vitamin E. Thus, A. Yu recommends that people with diabetes who suffer from heart disease and hypertension Hypertension - dangerous consequences , To start with small doses, gradually increasing them as needed in accordance with the requirements of a specialist.

Best of all vitamin E is absorbed when it is not to drink on an empty stomach one hour or half an hour before meals. In the stomach at the same time it should be a little fat, which tocopherol (vitamin E) is dissolved, otherwise he does not learn. Very good beginning to eat fruits and nuts, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds, rich in vegetable oils, and thirty minutes to take a pill of vitamin E. The optimum dose necessary for cells so that they are not subjected to deformation and destruction of 400-600 international units ( IU) per day. However, in special cases, even this amount may be insufficient.