vitamin E deficiency
Last reviewed 01/2018
Deficiency of vitamin E is rare in humans. It may cause the oxidation of unsaturated fats resulting in abnormal structure and function of mitochondria, lysosomes, and plasma membranes.
Clinically, deficiency is manifest as:
- haemolytic anaemia and only partly
- spinocerebellar degeneration, only partly reversible
- peripheral neuropathy
Vitamin E deficiency also has an immunosuppressive effect, and results in muscular dystrophy in monkeys and sterility in rats.