Answer : (C) Vitamin E
Step 1 — Recall the role of vitamin E
Vitamin E (tocopherol) is a powerful antioxidant. It protects the lipids of cell membranes — especially the membranes of red blood cells — from oxidative damage by free radicals.
Step 2 — Connect the function to the deficiency symptoms
Without enough vitamin E, the membranes of the red blood cells are left unprotected and become fragile, breaking easily. Muscle tissue is similarly affected, giving muscular weakness and, in severe cases, sterility.
Step 3 — Check the other vitamins
| Vitamin | Deficiency disease |
|---|
| A | Night blindness, xerophthalmia |
| D | Rickets (children), osteomalacia (adults) |
| E | Increased fragility of RBCs, muscular weakness, sterility |
| K | Increased blood clotting time |
Step 4 — Note the common thread
All four of these — A, D, E and K — are the fat-soluble vitamins. Being fat soluble they are stored in the liver and adipose tissue, so they need not be supplied every day.
Sources of vitamin E : vegetable oils, wheat germ oil, sunflower oil.
