Nutritional Myopathy is often a geographic problem and is due to deficiency of which nutrients?

Nutritional Myopathy is often a geographic problem and is due to deficiency of which nutrients?

• A. Vitamin E deficiency alone
• B. Vitamin E and selenium deficiency
• C. Selenium deficiency alone
• D. Vitamin C deficiency

Answer: (B)

Nutritional Myopathy arises when the muscles’ antioxidant defenses are weakened because of lack of key nutrients. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant that protects cell membranes from lipid peroxidation, while selenium is a vital component of glutathione peroxidase, an enzyme that neutralizes peroxides in tissues. In many geographic regions, soils are low in selenium and preserved feeds can be low in Vitamin E, so animals commonly become deficient in both. Without these defenses, muscle fibers incur oxidative damage, leading to degeneration and the characteristic weakness and stiff gait of the condition. Because both nutrients contribute to preventing this muscle damage and the geographic pattern often involves simultaneous deficiencies, deficiency of vitamin E and selenium best explains Nutritional Myopathy.

Nutritional Myopathy arises when the muscles’ antioxidant defenses are weakened because of lack of key nutrients. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant that protects cell membranes from lipid peroxidation, while selenium is a vital component of glutathione peroxidase, an enzyme that neutralizes peroxides in tissues. In many geographic regions, soils are low in selenium and preserved feeds can be low in Vitamin E, so animals commonly become deficient in both. Without these defenses, muscle fibers incur oxidative damage, leading to degeneration and the characteristic weakness and stiff gait of the condition. Because both nutrients contribute to preventing this muscle damage and the geographic pattern often involves simultaneous deficiencies, deficiency of vitamin E and selenium best explains Nutritional Myopathy.