Vitamin E · low result
What does a low Vitamin E mean?
Short answer
Low vitamin E nearly always means fat malabsorption — cystic fibrosis, chronic pancreatitis, cholestatic liver disease, celiac or Crohn's disease, short-bowel or bariatric surgery — or a rare inherited transport defect. Diet alone rarely causes it. Because vitamin E travels in lipoproteins, a low value in someone with very low cholesterol may be proportionate rather than a true deficiency; the ratio to total lipids clarifies. Deficiency affects nerves first.
Medically reviewed by Youmna DiStefano, MD · Last reviewed September 2026
What is the normal range for Vitamin E?
- age 18+: 5.50 – 17.0 mg/L
Can reflect fat-malabsorption disorders or, rarely, dietary inadequacy.
Full reference table, citations and testing options: Vitamin E biomarker page.
What are the common causes of low Vitamin E?
- Fat malabsorption: cystic fibrosis, pancreatic insufficiency, cholestasis, celiac disease, Crohn's disease
- Bariatric or intestinal surgery, short-bowel syndrome
- Abetalipoproteinemia and ataxia with vitamin E deficiency (rare, inherited)
- Very low blood lipids (proportionate low), premature infants
What symptoms go with low Vitamin E?
- Numbness and tingling, loss of position sense, unsteady walking
- Muscle weakness, vision changes, hemolytic anemia in infants
What do clinicians usually check next?
- Lipid panel to interpret the level against total lipids
- Vitamins A, D and K, stool fat or elastase, celiac antibodies
- Neurology review for nerve symptoms; supplementation directed by a clinician
Follow-up tests available at TestWell: Lipid Panel ($24.99).
How do you recheck Vitamin E?
Prices are cash-pay; every order adds one $6 lab processing fee. Physician authorization is included; no insurance or referral needed.
| Test or panel | Type | Price | Fasting | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin E (Alpha-Tocopherol) | Test | $40.99 | Yes | 3–7 business days |
Common questions
Should healthy adults supplement vitamin E?
No — deficiency is rare without malabsorption, and trials of high-dose vitamin E have shown no benefit and possible harm (higher-dose supplements have been linked to increased bleeding and, in one large trial, prostate cancer risk).
Educational content, not a diagnosis. Lab results are one input; a clinician interprets them with your history and exam.