Vitamin E

Vitamin E deficiency exists in people with severe obesity disorders, in premature babies, and in babies born with low body weight. Symptoms of vitamin E deficiency are hemolytic anemia and muscle weakness with creatinuria, loss of sensation in the hands and feet, problems with walking and movement control, vision problems.

Lack of vitamin E in healthy people is a very rare phenomenon, mostly it is caused by various diseases that have as a result the impaired absorption of vitamin E. Diseases that can lead to impaired absorption of this vitamin are diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, such as: Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, pancreatitis, hepatitis.

Vitamin E deficiency is associated with many neurological disorders, but the mechanism of action of vitamin E in neurodegenerative diseases is not fully understood. It is believed that one of the mechanisms of action is the protective effect of vitamin E against oxidative stress, because vitamin E is considered a strong antioxidant. Many studies have concluded that there is a significant relationship between the level of vitamin E in the body and suffering from neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, stroke and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Vitamin E excess: Symptoms of vitamin E hypervitaminosis are: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fatigue. If you do not respond in time, an excessive concentration of vitamin E in the body can increase the risk of bleeding, including bleeding in the brain (hemorrhagic stroke).

Thyroid hormones affect the growth, development and metabolism of an organism. On the other hand, elevated levels of thyroid hormones in the circulation (hyperthyroidism) are associated with changes in the entire organism (loss of body weight, accelerated metabolism, elevated body temperature, tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, muscle weakness, bone loss, as well as hepatobiliary complications). In recent decades, increasing interest has been directed towards the use of antioxidants as therapeutic agents in various diseases and pathophysiological disorders that are mediated by oxidative stress. Since disorders of the thyroid gland are associated with oxidative stress, vitamin E is an indispensable part of the therapy in the pathophysiology of the thyroid gland, because it is believed that strong antioxidants such as tocopherol can alleviate the symptoms of the disease, but also reduce the possibility of complications. In order to protect mitochondria from attacks by free radicals, they are equipped with an efficient antioxidant system. As a very important part of the system of protection against oxidative stress is vitamin E, which is soluble in fats and has a great potential to neutralize free radicals, thus protecting the cell membrane from excessive damage. This conclusion came from a large number of clinical studies that indicate that vitamin E supplementation is important in hyperthyroidism, but also in other thyroid diseases.

The importance of vitamin E in prostate disease: There are many studies that prove that proper nutrition and supplementation can have a very positive effect on patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. In men who suffer from this disease (a large number of the male population over 40 years old), it is necessary to reduce the intake of red meat, milk, dairy products, as well as foods that contain a high percentage of starch in the diet, because all this increases the risk of complications, while the intake of fruits, vegetables, polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin D is recommended, because it reduces the risk of disease and complications. Regarding supplementation, it is recommended to take in higher concentrations of vitamin E, lycopene, selenium and carotene, because higher concentrations of these micronutrients protect the body from benign prostatic hyperplasia.

There are studies whose aim was to evaluate the concentration of antioxidants (vitamins E, A, C) in the blood plasma of elderly men and the role of these vitamins in the development of benign prostatic hyperplasia. It was concluded that the concentration of these antioxidants decreases with age and that the use of vitamins E, A and C as a preventive measure in men over 40 is quite justified. Also, this can be a form of prophylactic activities during standard, pharmacological treatment (alpha-blockers, 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors or some phytotherapeutic drugs). It is considered that the inclusion of vitamin complexes is necessary even after the operative treatment, because in this way the process of postoperative rehabilitation is accelerated.