Test Id : VITE
Vitamin E, Serum
Useful For
Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful
Assessing vitamin E status
Monitoring vitamin E supplementation or treatment
Method Name
A short description of the method used to perform the test
Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)
NY State Available
Indicates the status of NY State approval and if the test is orderable for NY State clients.
Reporting Name
Lists a shorter or abbreviated version of the Published Name for a test
Aliases
Lists additional common names for a test, as an aid in searching
Alpha-tocopherol
Vitamin E, Serum
Specimen Type
Describes the specimen type validated for testing
Serum
Shipping Instructions
Ship specimen in amber vial to protect from light.
Specimen Required
Defines the optimal specimen required to perform the test and the preferred volume to complete testing
Patient Preparation:
Fasting: 12 hours, required; infants should have specimen collected before next feeding
Supplies: Amber Frosted Tube, 5 mL (T915)
Collection Container/Tube:
Preferred: Red top
Acceptable: Serum gel
Submission Container/Tube: Amber vial
Specimen Volume: 0.5 mL
Collection Instructions: Within 2 hours of collection, centrifuge and aliquot serum into a light protected plastic vial.
Forms
If not ordering electronically, complete, print, and send a General Request (T239) with the specimen.
Specimen Minimum Volume
Defines the amount of sample necessary to provide a clinically relevant result as determined by the testing laboratory. The minimum volume is sufficient for one attempt at testing.
0.25 mL
Reject Due To
Identifies specimen types and conditions that may cause the specimen to be rejected
| Gross hemolysis | OK |
| Gross lipemia | Reject |
| Gross icterus | OK |
Specimen Stability Information
Provides a description of the temperatures required to transport a specimen to the performing laboratory, alternate acceptable temperatures are also included
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time | Special Container |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serum | Refrigerated (preferred) | 44 days | LIGHT PROTECTED |
| Ambient | 7 days | LIGHT PROTECTED | |
| Frozen | 44 days | LIGHT PROTECTED |
Useful For
Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful
Assessing vitamin E status
Monitoring vitamin E supplementation or treatment
Clinical Information
Discusses physiology, pathophysiology, and general clinical aspects, as they relate to a laboratory test
Vitamin E is the generic term for two different groups of methylated phenol compounds with a chromane alcoholic core linked to poly-carbon chains (tocopherols and tocotrienols).
These vitamins are all free radical scavengers, with a-Tocopherol being the most potent one in humans, as most of the related compounds are not re-secreted by the liver, thus leading to much lower circulating concentrations.
Vitamin E deficiency is very rare and mostly seen in patients with extreme malabsorption of fat and in patients with abetalipoproteinemia, a rare inborn error of metabolism. Patients with these conditions may develop hemolytic anemia, peripheral neuropathy, myopathy, retinopathy, and immune deficiency.
There is a large body of scientific studies that indicates positive effects on outcomes of various diseases if regular Vitamin E supplementation is provided; however, several trials have shown evidence of increasing bleeding risks at high Vitamin E doses. Therefore, tables of tolerable doses in children and adults have been established, which should not be exceeded.
Reference Values
Describes reference intervals and additional information for interpretation of test results. May include intervals based on age and sex when appropriate. Intervals are Mayo-derived, unless otherwise designated. If an interpretive report is provided, the reference value field will state this.
0-17 years: 3.8-18.4 mg/L
> or =18 years: 5.5-17.0 mg/L
Interpretation
Provides information to assist in interpretation of the test results
Vitamin E levels below the reference interval suggest deficiency. Conversely, Vitamin E concentrations significantly above the upper healthy reference population range might indicate that Vitamin E intake exceeds the tolerable upper daily intake level(s).
The rare occurrence of low Vitamin A and E levels might correlate with potential deficiency and investigation of potential fat malabsorptions should be considered.
Cautions
Discusses conditions that may cause diagnostic confusion, including improper specimen collection and handling, inappropriate test selection, and interfering substances
Testing of nonfasting specimens or the use of vitamin supplementation can result in elevated serum vitamin concentrations. Reference values were established using specimens from individuals who were fasting.
Clinical Reference
Recommendations for in-depth reading of a clinical nature
1. Sodi R, Taylor A. Vitamins and trace elements In: Rifai N, Horvath AR, Wittwer CT, eds. Tietz Fundamentals of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics. 8th ed. Elsevier; 2020:466-487
2. Vitamin A and Carotenoids-Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. Updated March 10, 2025. Accessed October 7, 2025. Available at https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-HealthProfessional/
3. Greaves RF, Woollard GA, Hoad KE, et al. Laboratory medicine best practice guideline: vitamins a, e and the carotenoids in blood. Clin Biochem Rev. 2014;35(2):81-113
4. Brigelius-Flohe R, Traber MG. Vitamin E: function and metabolism. FASEB J. 1999;13(10):1145-1155
5. Traber MG, Head B. Vitamin E: How much is enough, too much and why!. Free Radic Biol Med. 2021;177:212-225. doi:10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2021.10.028
6. Traber MG. Vitamin E inadequacy in humans: causes and consequences. Adv Nutr. 2014;(5):503-14. doi:10.3945/an.114.006254
Method Description
Describes how the test is performed and provides a method-specific reference
Deuterated vitamin E (d6-alpha-tocopherol) is added to serum as an internal standard. Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) and the deuterated internal standard are extracted from the specimens and analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.(Unpublished Mayo method)
PDF Report
Indicates whether the report includes an additional document with charts, images or other enriched information
Day(s) Performed
Outlines the days the test is performed. This field reflects the day that the sample must be in the testing laboratory to begin the testing process and includes any specimen preparation and processing time before the test is performed. Some tests are listed as continuously performed, which means that assays are performed multiple times during the day.
Report Available
The interval of time (receipt of sample at Mayo Clinic Laboratories to results available) taking into account standard setup days and weekends. The first day is the time that it typically takes for a result to be available. The last day is the time it might take, accounting for any necessary repeated testing.
Specimen Retention Time
Outlines the length of time after testing that a specimen is kept in the laboratory before it is discarded
Performing Laboratory Location
Indicates the location of the laboratory that performs the test
Fees :
Several factors determine the fee charged to perform a test. Contact your U.S. or International Regional Manager for information about establishing a fee schedule or to learn more about resources to optimize test selection.
- Authorized users can sign in to Test Prices for detailed fee information.
- Clients without access to Test Prices can contact Customer Service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Prospective clients should contact their account representative. For assistance, contact Customer Service.
Test Classification
Provides information regarding the medical device classification for laboratory test kits and reagents. Tests may be classified as cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and used per manufacturer instructions, or as products that do not undergo full FDA review and approval, and are then labeled as an Analyte Specific Reagent (ASR) product.
This test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements. It has not been cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.
CPT Code Information
Provides guidance in determining the appropriate Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code(s) information for each test or profile. The listed CPT codes reflect Mayo Clinic Laboratories interpretation of CPT coding requirements. It is the responsibility of each laboratory to determine correct CPT codes to use for billing.
CPT codes are provided by the performing laboratory.
CPT codes are provided by the performing laboratory.
84446
LOINC® Information
Provides guidance in determining the Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) values for the order and results codes of this test. LOINC values are provided by the performing laboratory.
| Test Id | Test Order Name | Order LOINC Value |
|---|---|---|
| VITE | Vitamin E, S | 1823-4 |
| Result Id | Test Result Name |
Result LOINC Value
Applies only to results expressed in units of measure originally reported by the performing laboratory. These values do not apply to results that are converted to other units of measure.
|
|---|---|---|
| 2350 | A-Tocopherol, Vitamin E | 1823-4 |