Burn Injuries Rapidly Deplete Vitamin E Severe burn injuries in
children have been shown to rapidly deplete the levels of
vitamin E in their body’s adipose, or fat tissues, a new
clinical study has found. Stored levels of this important
antioxidant were reduced more in a few weeks than might normally
be possible in years. An analysis of eight children with third-
degree burns over much of their body found they lost almost half
of their stored vitamin E in three weeks, even though they were
being given about 150 percent of the recommended daily allowance
of vitamin E and other nutrients in a high-calorie diet.
Researchers are not certain what the implication of such rapid
vitamin E depletion may be, but concluded in their report that
"the depletion of vitamin E may be a very significant problem in
patients with burn injury" and other forms of severe trauma. One
particular concern may be the possibility of peripheral
neuropathy, since nerve damage is common in patients with severe
burn injuries, and has also bee