Symptoms related to fat-soluble vitamin deficiency do depend on the severity of the deficiency itself; in cases where a mild insufficiency is present, symptoms may be absent or too mild to observe. Profound FSV deficiency typically leads to a plethora of clinical symptoms and can even threaten an individual's life.

Vitamin A

Patients with vitamin A deficiency typically report night blindness and xerophthalmia [1] [2]. Bitot's spots may be visible due to a collection of keratin in the conjunctiva, and the observation of keratomalacia in pediatric patients requires immediate therapeutic intervention as a medical emergency [3]. Children presenting with vitamin A deficiency also display growth delays and may present with an active infection pertaining to the respiratory, gastrointestinal tract or other systems. Patients may also present with infertility and spontaneous abortions without apparent underlying gynecological pathology, dry skin with hyperkeratotic lesions and dry hair [4]. Vitamin A deficiency also results in anemia, in which case the individual may present with weakness, fatigue and, possibly, pallor.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D deficiency is known to cause rickets in children. Pediatric patients affected by rickets present with osphyalgia, pelvic pain or pain the legs, muscle weakness and skeletal deformities, such as:

• Bow knees or knock-knees
• Kyphoscoliosis
• Sternal deformities
• Rachitic rosary appearance of the ribs
• Thickened skull bone
• Craniotabes

Amongst the adult population, vitamin D deficiency is primarily responsible for causing osteomalacia and osteoporosis [1]; patients tend to present with fractures caused by mild forces or even spontaneous fractures as well as muscle hypotonia and persisting pain [5]

Vitamin E

Patients with decreased vitamin E serum levels present with neurological symptoms, such as ataxia, similar to Friedrich's ataxia [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]. Additional symptoms may include muscle hypotonia, a limited visual field or complete loss of vision, cardiac dysrhythmia and dementia.

Vitamin K

The predominant symptom of vitamin K deficiency is hemorrhage which can be observed in any region of the body; petechiae, easy and frequent bruising, hematomas, hematuria or constant bleeding that does not respond to the standard pressure [11]. Infants may also display an incomplete facial, nasal or skeletal development or present with epileptic activity, anemia, vomiting and mucosal bleeding, due to atraumatic intracranial hemorrhaging.

• Fatigue

  Vitamin A deficiency also results in anemia, in which case the individual may present with weakness, fatigue and, possibly, pallor. Vitamin D Vitamin D deficiency is known to cause rickets in children. [symptoma.com]

  Deficiency more often due to poor absorption than low consumption Meat, seafood, eggs, and dairy C (ascorbic acid): Antioxidant 7.1% 31% Scurvy, fatigue, anemia, joint pain, petechia. [mdedge.com]

  The nervous and muscular system may also be affected, causing symptoms such as loss of appetite, irritability, fatigue, insomnia, restlessness, headache and muscle weakness. [food-info.net]

  Signs of a thyroid issue, like weight gain, an inability to lose weight, and fatigue, may be a sign to have your levels of iodine and vitamin A checked. [wwws.fitnessrepublic.com]

  Symptoms of deficiency: digestive upsets, insomnia, headaches, fatigue, sore and swollen tongue (disease is much worse) Symptoms may include itching, skin flushing, and gastrointestinal distress Time-released capsules have caused impaired liver function [iceberglabs.net]

• Malnutrition

  They are more commonly diagnosed in infants and children and can be caused either by conditions interfering with the absorption of fat, chronic conditions, cholestasis or, in adults, malnutrition. [symptoma.com]

  In addition, about 1 in 5 patients suffers from malnutrition, with most of those showing involuntary weight loss and a low BMI. [glutenfreetherapeutics.com]

  These vitamins also play an important role in Protein Energy Malnutrition [PEM]. The level of vitamin A and E decreases in these children and thus supplementation becomes a priority for all the PEM cases. [completewellbeing.com]

  Vitamin E deficiency and associated neurological deficits in children with protein-energy malnutrition. J Trop Pediatr 1998;44:291-5. [ Links ] 8. Kowdley KV. Lipids and lipid-activated vitamins in chronic cholestatic diseases. [scielo.isciii.es]

  In the 1960s, the World Health Organization (WHO) undertook the first global survey of VAD with associated xerophthalmia and complicated measles. [6] In 1973, an international vitamin A board was set up to alleviate global malnutrition. [emedicine.medscape.com]

Vitamin A levels in a symptomatic patient can be directly measured via a high-performance liquid chromatography serum retinol study. A concentration lower than 0.7 mg/L in patients under the age of 12 years is deemed pathologically low [12]. A serum RBP study can also be used to approximately evaluate the adequacy of vitamin A in the serum, but its accuracy is lower [13] [14]. The complete laboratory assessment for a potential vitamin A deficiency also includes an iron panel, biochemical profile, zinc and albumin levels and a complete blood count.

With reference to vitamin K, its suspected deficiency can be diagnosed by measuring des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) in the serum, as it is a protein molecule which is known to be elevated in the absence of vitamin K and can be safely used as a marker of vitamin K deficiency and hemorrhage [15]. Serum phylloquinone can also be measured, although the results are not completely accurate; a concentration lower than 0.15 mcg/L implies a deficiency [16]. Patients with vitamin K deficiency also exhibit an increased serum prothrombin time (PT) and a normal activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) [17].

Furthermore, in order to measure the concentration of Vitamin E, serum alpha-tocopherol levels must be obtained. Individuals with hyperlipidemia are evaluated by calculating the alpha tocopherol to lipid ratio. Lastly, a potential vitamin D deficiency is diagnosed by measuring serum 25(OH)D concentration.

• Vitamin E Decreased

  Megadose supplements of vitamin A and E can pose a risk to vitamin-K status. Vitamin A interferes with absorption of vitamin K, and large doses of vitamin E decrease vitamin K–dependent clotting factors, thus promoting bleeding. [diet.com]

Search: name, specialism, conditions, treatments, tests or services Search: name, specialism, conditions, treatments, tests or services Search: name, specialism, conditions, treatments, tests or services Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust [rbht.nhs.uk]

Treatment with specific vitamin supplements resulted in correction of these vitamin deficiencies. These data suggest that deficiency of a single or multiple fat-soluble vitamins is frequent even in treated patients with pancreatic insufficiency. [annals.org]

Vitamin E treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in children: A pilot study. J Pediatr 2000;136:734–738. PubMed CrossRef Google Scholar 14. Marceau P, Hould FS, Simard S, et al. Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch. [link.springer.com]

Which of the following vitamins should supplement her treatment? Review Topic QID: 100131 M1 Select Answer to see Preferred Response PREFERRED RESPONSE 1 ARTICLES (6) Topic COMMENTS (24) Please login to add comment. [medbullets.com]

[…] coagulate In conjunction with vitamins A and D helps body build bone protein Given as injection to newborns to help blood clot, sometimes to women before labor or to patients before and after surgery Rare From food it is rare; can occur with medical treatment [iceberglabs.net]

"We should step back and ask ourselves whether there might be a lesson to take from this sad experience of actually causing cancer with high vitamin intake," says Tim Byers, MD, professor of epidemiology at the Colorado School of Public Health. [prevention.com]

Hygiene and epidemiology : selected chapters. 2. edition. Prague. 2008. ISBN 80-246-0793-X. [wikilectures.eu]

The role of SBA as a surrogate marker of FSV deficiency in other cholestatic liver diseases, such as progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis, α-1-antitrypsin deficiency, and Alagille syndrome in which the pathophysiology is dominated by intrahepatic [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

This patient has fat absorption adequate to prevent EFAD but inadequate absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. In patients with short bowel, the requirements for parenteral lipids and fat-soluble vitamins should be determined independently. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

DS products may not include statements that they diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. [iceberglabs.net]

It protects the cells against free radical damage and prevents the onset of diseases induced by oxidative stress. [ayurtimes.com]

If dry, add chicken broth to prevent sticking and burning. Season with S/P. Because of the added Sweet Potato, I calculated the GI and GL for the entire meal! [sacredvesselacupuncture.com]

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