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Vitamin E
minimum sample volume required ~ 5ml
Test Code: VIE
Tube type: SST
Other acceptable tube types
Lithium heparin (pale green)
Special instructions
None
Sent away
to Bristol Royal Infirmary
Reference range
10.2 - 39.0
Units
µmol/L
Turnaround Time
14
days
Department: Biochemistry
Clinical Application
Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin with powerful antioxidant properties.
In the UK, most individuals are well nourished. Vitamin E deficiency is confined to those individuals with malabsorption, due to small intestinal disease, pancreatic insufficiency, e.g. cystic fibrosis or alcoholic and biliary cirrhosis, short bowel syndrome.
Deficiency of vitamin E may lead to varying degrees of neurologic deficits.
As vitamin E is transported bound to lipoproteins, deficiency can also be seen in various lipoprotein disorders, e.g. abetalipoproteinaemia.
Vitamin E levels can be low in infection due to the acute phase response (consider checking CRP).
Vitamin E toxicity is rare and usually associated with excess supplements.
Webpage updated: December 2024
