Vitamin E (Alpha-tocopherol)

Chemical Pathology

Notes

• 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.

Sample requirements

For adults, a minimum of 1mL blood taken into a 6mL lithium heparin tube

For children, a minimum of 1mL blood taken into a 2mL lithium heparin tube

For neonates, one full 0.8mL minicollect lithium heparin tube

Storage/transport

Do not store. Send at ambient temperature to the laboratory on the day of collection.

Required information

Relevant clinical details including the reason for the request.

Turnaround times

Samples are sent for assay to St Thomas' Hospital London with results expected back within 3 weeks.

Reference ranges

Further information

For more information visit US Department of Health and/or NHS choices

Page last updated 01/02/2024