Neglecting to include one vitamin in your diet can cause loss of muscles, weakening of reflexes. Doctor says: ‘The nervous system…’

Vitamins are the current rage. It is fashionable for health and lifestyle enthusiasts to have bottles of vitamins stored away in shelves. Taking to X, internal medicine specialist Dr Priyam Bordoloi gushed about the several virtues of vitamin E, a much neglected nutrient. Calling it one of the “most misunderstood vitamin”, Dr Bordoloi explained how it worked as one of the most powerful antioxidants.

According to Dr Bordoloi, vitamin E primarily helps defend the body's cells against oxidative damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals. It acts like a protective barrier around cell membranes, helping preserve their structure and preventing them from deteriorating under constant oxidative stress.

The doctor also clarified that most people do not need to worry about vitamin E deficiency. In otherwise healthy individuals, a genuine deficiency is exceptionally uncommon. Cases are generally limited to people suffering from serious conditions that interfere with the body's ability to absorb dietary fats, including chronic pancreatitis and cystic fibrosis, where fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin E cannot be absorbed efficiently.


For the vast majority of people, meeting the body's vitamin E requirements is straightforward through a balanced diet. Everyday foods such as nuts, seeds, spinach and other leafy green vegetables naturally provide sufficient amounts of the nutrient, making supplementation unnecessary in most circumstances. Dr Bordoloi stressed that unless a person has an underlying medical condition affecting fat absorption or has been specifically advised by a healthcare professional, a healthy, varied diet is usually enough to maintain adequate vitamin E levels and support the body's natural antioxidant defences.

He also explained what happens when there is a deficiency of vitamin E. The nervous system takes a huge hit and the patient may lose muscular function. “Patients develop spinocerebellar ataxia (clumsiness), muscle weakness, and a loss of reflexes closely mimicking a B12 deficiency,” he wrote.