We receive compensation from the providers of the services and products featured on this website. This impacts the offers’ positioning, rating & scoring. Advertising Disclosure

STDWatch
Search...

Vitamin E Deficiency: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

The information provided herein does not constitute an expert or medical advice, nor intended to replace such advice.

Sexual Health
Vitamins

Vitamins are micronutrients which are essential for many processes in the human body. There are different types of vitamins, including vitamin E. Although most people have normal levels of vitamin E, some people can still develop a deficiency of vitamin E due to different causes. Low vitamin E can have different consequences on your health.

Keep reading this article to learn more about vitamin E deficiency causes, symptoms, and treatment.

What is vitamin E?

Vitamin E is a type of vitamin that the human body requires in order to stay healthy. According to the T.H. Chan School of Public Health, vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin.

As their name suggests, fat-soluble vitamins are micronutrients that can dissolve in fat and oils. Fat-soluble vitamins can be stored in certain tissues so your body can use them as needed; however, it’s still important to consume these vitamins regularly so your stores don’t become depleted. Fat-soluble vitamins include:

  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin D
  • Vitamin E
  • Vitamin K

Function of vitamin E in the human body

Vitamin E plays different roles in the human body. One of the main roles of vitamin E is to act as an antioxidant. According to the Mayo Clinic, antioxidants are substances that can help protect your cells against the effects of compounds called free radicals.

Article image

Buy LetsGetChecked At-Home Vitamin E Test Today!

Free radicals are highly reactive and unstable atoms that occur naturally as a result of different metabolic processes. These unstable atoms can cause damage to practically all types of cells in your body, and free radical damage has been linked to many chronic diseases, such as cancer, autoimmune disorders, heart disease, and neurodegenerative diseases, among others.

According to the Office of Dietary Supplements of the National Institutes of Health, other vitamin E functions include:

  • Boosting the immune system so it can fight infections more effectively
  • Widening blood vessels
  • Prevent blood clots from forming
  • Allowing different types of cells to communicate with each other
  • Helping the body use vitamin K correctly

How is vitamin E made?

Your body can’t make its own vitamin E, which is why you have to get it from external sources. Vitamin E can be found in many dietary sources, and it’s also commonly added to a wide range of fortified foods. Most people get enough vitamin E to cover their daily requirements from their diet, as long as they follow a healthy, balanced, and varied diet.

According to MedlinePlus, the main food sources of vitamin E include:

  • Vegetable oils (soybean, sunflower, safflower, corn oils, etcetera)
  • Wheat germ
  • Nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, peanuts, etcetera)
  • Seeds (sunflower, pumpkin seeds, etcetera)
  • Beet greens
  • Spinach
  • Collard greens
  • Broccoli
  • Red bell pepper
  • Asparagus
  • Mango
  • Avocado
  • Fortified juices, cereals, and spreads

A max dose of vitamin E of 1,000 mg or 1,100 IU per day is considered to be safe for most adults. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin E is:

  • Adults and teenagers over the age of 14: 15 mg or 22 international units IU per day 
  • Breastfeeding women:19 mg or 28 IU per day

Get Your LetsGetChecked Discount for Vitamin E Test Today!

Causes of vitamin E deficiency

According to StatPearls, vitamin E deficiency due to an insufficient intake is rare in developed countries. But on average, vitamin E deficiency in developing countries is usually related to an inadequate dietary intake.

Other causes of vitamin E deficiency include:

  • Preterm babies who weigh less than 3.3 lbs or 1500 grams
  • Impaired fat metabolism
  • Malabsorption disorders, such as short-bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease
  • Certain genetic disorders
  • Cystic fibrosis

Vitamin E deficiency symptoms

Although vitamin E deficiency is rare, it can lead to a range of concerning symptoms. Low vitamin E levels can cause your red blood cells to become fragile and your neurons to degenerate.

According to the MSD Manuals, the principal manifestation of low vitamin E is hemolytic anemia, a type of anemia in which your red blood cells are destroyed at a faster pace than your body can replace them. This leads to low hemoglobin levels, and as a consequence, poor tissue oxygenation. According to the Cleveland Clinic, signs of anemia can include:

  • Shortness of breath
  • Dizziness
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Fatigue
  • Pounding or ringing sounds in your ears (tinnitus)
  • Headache
  • Pale or yellowish skin
  • Chest pain

Article image

Low vitamin E can also cause neurological deficits. These signs of vitamin E deficiency can include:

  • Poor muscle control, or ataxia
  • Muscle weakness
  • Difficulty moving the eyes up and/or down
  • Slow reflexes, or hyporeflexia
  • Vision problems

Vitamin E deficiency treatments

Your doctor could recommend taking a vitamin E supplement if you’re showing signs of a deficiency. They could also order certain tests to measure your vitamin E levels accurately. However, it’s important to treat any underlying conditions that don’t allow you to absorb vitamin E correctly.

According to the Merck Manual, taking vitamin E supplements corrects these deficiencies in the majority of cases. You can also increase your dietary intake of vitamin E to improve your levels.

Visit STDWatch.com now to learn more about many other general and sexual health topics, and to find the best providers of at-home STD tests

Buy LetsGetChecked At-Home Vitamin E Test Today!

Sources

Vitamin E - hsph.harvard.edu

Vitamin E - mayoclinic.org

Vitamin E - ods.od.nih.gov

Vitamin E - medlineplus.gov

Vitamin E Deficiency - ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Vitamin E Deficiency - msdmanuals.com

Anemia - my.clevelandclinic.org

Vitamin E Deficiency - merckmanuals.com



Dr. Andrea Pinto Lopez

Dr. Andrea Pinto Lopez

Dec 02, 2022

More from Vitamins

Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D is important for your health, so what happens when you have low vitamin D? Visit STDWatch to learn more about vitamin D deficiency now.
Updated at Jan 16, 2023

Dr. Andrea Pinto Lopez

Health and Wellness
Vitamins
3 min read

How Much Vitamin D Is Too Much?
Vitamin D is essential for humans, but it can also cause side effects. What happens if you take excess vitamin D? STDWatch tells you.
Updated at Apr 24, 2023

Dr. Andrea Pinto Lopez

Health and Wellness
Vitamins
3 min read

Signs of Vitamin B Deficiency
You can have vitamin B deficiency without realising it. Check out STDWatch to find out more about the signs of vitamin B deficiency now.
Updated at Jan 11, 2023

Dr. Andrea Pinto Lopez

Health and Wellness
Vitamins
3 min read

You may also like

10 panel STD tests
Choose the right 10 panel STD tests for you in the most private, safe and affordable way possible
Updated at Sep 16, 2024

Hannah Kingston

Sexual Health
STD Tests
3 min read

Can I have an STD without knowing it?
You can have without knowing it. One of the reasons many people don't know they're infected is that many STDs don't have any symptoms.
Updated at Feb 06, 2023

Tommy Gonzales

Sexual Health
STD Symptoms
3 min read

How Do I Know Which STD Test I Need?
There are many STDs known today, making it sometimes confusing to know which test you should get and when.
Updated at Feb 06, 2023

Tommy Gonzales

Sexual Health
STD Tests
3 min read

Top 3 STD Testing Services
Most Popular
logo

9.9

    • Confidential results in 2-5 days

    • Free & discreet shipping - both ways

    • Uses hospitals labs for max accuracy

    • Medical support available 24/7

    • Consultation for treatment options

    • FSA & HSA cards accepted

    • FDA listed tests