Vitamin E deficiency has been observed in individuals with severe malnutrition and conditions that result in poor absorption of fat from food (e.g., children with cystic fibrosis)

 

Symptoms

Severe vitamin E deficiency results mainly in neurological symptoms, including impaired balance and coordination (‘ataxia’), injury to the sensory nerves (‘peripheral neuropathy’), muscle weakness (‘myopathy’), and damage to the retina of the eye (‘pigmented retinopathy’).

 

The developing nervous system appears to be especially vulnerable to vitamin E deficiency: children who have severe vitamin E deficiency from birth and are not treated with vitamin E rapidly develop neurological symptoms.

 

In contrast, symptomatic vitamin E deficiency in healthy adult individuals who consume diets low in vitamin E has never been reported (3, 70).