New York: If you believe that vitamin E deficiency never occurs, you are probably wrong. A new analysis suggests that an adequate level of this essential micro-nutrient is critical for the very young, the elderly and pregnant women.

"It is important for all of your life but the most compelling evidence about vitamin E is about a 1,000-day window that begins at conception," said Maret Traber, a professor in the college of public health and human sciences at the Oregon State University.