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  2. 2. Visit a Lab

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  3. 3. Get Your Results

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Vitamin E Test (Tocopherol)

$49
Testing Method:
Blood draw
Test Preparation:
Fasting is required (i.e. no eating or drinking anything besides water for 8 hours prior to testing)
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Our Vitamin E Test (or tocopherol test) is designed to measure levels of vitamin E in the blood. Prevalent in those with digestive or metabolism disorders, deficiencies in vitamin E can lead to anemia and neurological defects if not rectified. Common sources of vitamin E include poultry, fish, meat, and tofu. Our Vitamin E Test will help you get back to feeling yourself by providing comprehensive and reliable results.

How Our Vitamin E Test Works

For our Vitamin E Test, simply place your order online and stop by one of our 4,000+ nationwide testing facilities at your convenience (no appointment required). A member of the center’s staff will collect a small blood sample via the skin prick method, at which point your part of the process is done. The sample collection itself takes only a few minutes, and most patients are in and out and going about their day in under a half-hour. However, we do ask that you fast for 12 hours before the test to ensure accurate results. From there, your sample will be processed in a CLIA-certified laboratory, and in as little as 24-72 hours, you will have an accurate report of your Vitamin E levels.

Common Vitamin E Deficiency or Excess Symptoms

Vitamin E deficiency is rare in healthy people and is typically associated with conditions that make it hard for your body to absorb vitamin E, including Crohn’s disease, Celiac disease, or cystic fibrosis. It can also be caused by eating an extremely low-fat diet and thus might be associated with orthorexia and eating disorders. Symptoms include:

  • Muscle weakness
  • Numbness in arms and legs
  • Problems walking
  • Problems controlling body movements
  • Vision problems

Vitamin E excess is actually more common and is usually caused by taking too much vitamin E. Symptoms include:

  • Nausea
  • Diarrhea
  • Fatigue

Vitamin E excess can be dangerous as it increases your risk of bleeding, including hemorrhagic strokes (caused by bleeding in the brain).

How to Interpret Your Results

Our test reports the levels of vitamin E found in your blood, which is a good proxy for levels in your body in general. We strive to make interpreting your test results straightforward.

The results sheet you get will have ‘results,’ ‘flag,’ and ‘reference range’ columns. The ‘results’ column will give the actual amount of vitamin E in your blood, while the ‘reference range’ shows what should be normal for your age. The ‘flag’ column will note if your levels are too high or too low, and they will be reported as such.

For more detailed information, visit our Sample Test Results page.

Vitamin E Test Versus Vitamin K Test

Vitamin E is one of the fat-soluble vitamins, and thus you can be deficient if you don’t have enough body fat. Vitamin K is another, which can result in bleeding, including bleeding in the stomach. It is also very rare. Testing for either of these rare deficiencies is typically only recommended for people with certain health conditions.

If you suspect a deficiency but are not sure what it is, then our comprehensive vitamin panel is another answer, which measures 13 different vitamins. You should also talk to your doctor to make sure some other condition is not causing your symptoms.

FAQs

  • A vitamin deficiency occurs when your body is either not ingesting enough of a vitamin or is not properly absorbing it due to a health condition. Vitamins are vital for normal functioning, so deficiencies can cause a variety of symptoms.

  • Two groups of people are best served by this test. The first are people with certain health conditions or with a history of eating disorders who are showing symptoms of potential deficiency. Some people with health conditions may need vitamin E supplements to help compensate for difficulty absorbing the vitamin.

    The second group is people who are taking vitamin E supplements and are experiencing symptoms of vitamin E excess. Note that if you are taking supplements and your vitamin E is too high, you should discontinue the supplements.

  • We try to make our test results easy to interpret. However, if you need additional assistance, one of our care counselors is available to discuss your results. We can also put you in touch with a doctor if necessary.