Asked by: Richard Moore, Liverpool
Vitamin E. Adults only need 15mg a day and you’d get that from three tablespoons of sunflower or rapeseed oil, as well as lots of other common foods. The only people who normally suffer from vitamin E deficiency are those with another disorder, such as cystic fibrosis, that interferes with its absorption.
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects your nerves and retinas from damage caused by free radicals. But even people born with a genetic disorder that prevents them from using vitamin E don’t develop symptoms for at least the first four years. Although the disorder can cause blindness and muscle weakness, it isn’t normally fatal.
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