Vitamin E (alpha-Tocopherol)
Vitamin E circulates primarily as alpha-tocopherol carried on lipoproteins. Across US males aged 30 to 39, the median serum alpha-tocopherol in NHANES 2017-2018 is 1080.1 µg/dL.
Unit: µg/dL · 12 slices · age and sex · 1 source
Filed under panels: Vitamins · topics: Nutrition
Serum alpha-tocopherol is the dominant form of vitamin E in human circulation and is the standard population status marker for vitamin E. Because alpha-tocopherol is lipid-soluble and travels on lipoproteins, serum levels track total cholesterol and triglycerides; some clinical contexts report a tocopherol-to-lipid ratio. Values here come from the NHANES 2017-2018 vitamins A, E, and carotenoids file (VITAEC_J).
Population Distribution
Browse by Demographic
| Age (years) | male (µg/dL) | female (µg/dL) |
|---|---|---|
| 20-29 | 652.6–1417.9 (917.6) | 662.7–1569.2 (972.3) |
| 30-39 | 756.5–1865.8 (1080.1) | 737.0–1571.3 (1090.0) |
| 40-49 | 740.4–1950.0 (1179.8) | 822.7–1835.0 (1160.0) |
| 50-59 | 829.5–2060.7 (1240.0) | 838.1–1976.0 (1280.0) |
| 60-69 | 774.7–1910.0 (1200.0) | 851.3–2294.7 (1340.0) |
| 70+ | 736.7–2829.4 (1238.7) | 880.3–2633.2 (1450.9) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does serum vitamin E correlate with serum cholesterol?
Alpha-tocopherol is carried by lipoproteins, particularly LDL. LDL concentration and absolute alpha-tocopherol tend to move together because tocopherol travels in lipoprotein particles, so the two measurements are correlated even when tissue vitamin E status is similar. This is why some clinicians normalize tocopherol to total cholesterol or triglycerides.
Is gamma-tocopherol included in this measurement?
No. NHANES reports alpha-tocopherol (LBXVIE) separately from gamma-tocopherol. LabNorms uses alpha-tocopherol because it is the predominant form in the body and the standard status marker.
Why are these population percentiles, not clinical reference intervals?
LabNorms shows the unadjusted population distribution of serum alpha-tocopherol in US adults. Clinical reference intervals incorporate measurement-specific protocols and lipid normalization, and answer a different question. Both can be useful but are not interchangeable.