JAMA 306 (14): 1549 - 56, 2011. doi: 10.1001 / jama.2011.1437 Etiology of Vitamin E Deficiency In countries with high rates of food insecurity, the most common cause of vitamin E deficiency is Inadequate intake of vitamin E In countries with low rates of food insecurity, the most common causes are Disorders that cause fat malabsorption, including abetalipoproteinemia (Bassen-Kornzweig syndrome, due to genetic absence of apolipoprotein B), chronic cholestatic hepatobiliary disease, pancreatitis, short bowel syndrome, and cystic fibrosis A rare genetic form of vitamin E deficiency without fat malabsorption results from defective liver metabolism.