What is a Vitamin D test?
A vitamin D test checks the levels of vitamin D in your body to ensure you are not deficient. Vitamin D is an important nutrient that contributes to the growth and maintenance of healthy bones and teeth. There are two types of vitamin D that our body requires: vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. Vitamin D2 and D3 deficiency effects can vary from acute to chronic, making it important to test for normal levels of Vitamin D with a vitamin D test at least once a year.
While vitamin D3 is made by our own body when we are exposed to sunlight, it is also found in some foods such as eggs and fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna. When absorbed by the body, vitamin D2 and D3 are changed into a different form of vitamin D called 25 hydroxyvitamin D, abbreviated to 25(OH)D. A vitamin D blood test measures the amount of 25(OH)D in the blood. General physicians compare your reports to a normal vitamin D level and indicate nutrition problems, bone disorders, organ damage or other medical conditions. Though the vitamin D test is mainly used to screen bone conditions, it is also an important test for people with chronic illnesses such as psoriasis, asthma and certain autoimmune diseases.
Essentially, normal levels of vitamin D levels in the blood help to keep your bones strong. It not only helps to absorb calcium better in the body, but it also works with the parathyroid glands to maintain the balance of calcium and vitamin D throughout all the organs in the body.
Effects of low vitamin D can appear as subtle symptoms at first, most commonly as lower back pain and generalised weakness. Since this vitamin is an essential vitamin, it’s important to maintain healthy and normal vitamin D levels. Avail a Vit D test in city_name_label today to ensure you’re in optimal health.
Why do I need a vitamin D test?
Your doctor may recommend that you take a vitamin D test if they see vitamin D deficiency symptoms in your body. It may also be recommended if you have a higher risk of developing low vitamin D symptoms due to certain conditions. These include:
- Bone weakness, bone malformation, and bone softness in adults which is known as osteomalacia
- Fractures, especially if you are prone to breaking your bones often
- Osteoporosis or other bone disorders, which is prevalent in women after menopause
- Heart diseases and stroke risk in family history
- High blood pressure and diabetes
- Obesity
- Previous gastric bypass surgery, which may disrupt the absorption of vitamin D in the body
- Malabsorption syndrome
- The amount of melanin in your skin; people with higher melanin amounts in their bodies may need more vitamin D in their diet
- Age, as older people are more likely to have low vitamin D symptoms
In case you do not suffer from the above medical conditions, you should check for low vitamin D symptoms. These include:
- Low immunity and frequent infections
- Fatigue
- Lower back pain
- Hair loss
- Pain in bones and joints
- Muscle pain
Since vitamin D deficiency symptoms in adults are not always obvious or evident, you should check with a general physician in city_name_label about any vitamin D deficiency symptoms you may present to start low vitamin D treatment if required. Your doctor may request you to get a vitamin D test in city_name_label to confirm the same.
What happens during a vitamin D test?
A simple vitamin D blood test is needed to measure the normal level of Vitamin D in the body. A small needle is inserted into a vein in your arm through which a small vial of blood is collected. The needle may sting and may also leave a small bruise at the point where it is inserted, but the whole procedure is virtually painless and less than 5 minutes long. You could do a vitamin D test at the clinic or the lab when you visit the doctor or use the MFine app to book a home visit where the blood sample for the vitamin D deficiency test will be collected at your convenience at your home. You do not need any special preparations for a vitamin D home test.
How can MFine help you with a Vitamin D test?
We at MFine ensure that you always have access to the best doctors in city_name_label at your fingertips. We are a mobile health platform that helps deliver on-demand healthcare services to patients from the best hospitals in city_name_label. You can receive the online report of your vitamin D test in a matter of 48 hours, all analysed by trained technicians and using high-end technology. The report can also be compared to the normal vitamin D level to analyse your condition. A medical professional from Thyrocare or Healthians or Prima Diagnostics will visit your home and take you through the process of the vitamin D deficiency test. You can then consult with the top general physicians in city_name_label for a detailed analysis and find out how to restore a normal level of vitamin D in the body.
Frequently Asked Questions on Vitamin D test
Who should take these tests?
If you observe any symptoms or side effects of low vitamin D, you should avail a vitamin D blood test to check if you have normal levels of Vitamin D or not. In case you are above the age of 60, or have a history of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, or other such diseases, then a vitamin D deficiency test is recommended as well since you are more prone to low vitamin D symptoms as well. You can consult with a general physician in city_name_label to understand your symptoms through the blood vitamin test better.
Do I need to practice fasting before the blood test?
Fasting is not required to prepare for a Vit D test at home. However, in case you are on any other medication or you are getting another blood sample taken for a different test, we recommend you speak to a doctor first. They will clarify if there are any other steps you need to take to prepare for the sample collection for the vitamin D home test.
When will I get the reports?
After the blood sample has been collected for your vitamin D test, our lab partners will deliver it to the lab for analysis. Within 48 hours, your lab reports will be ready and uploaded onto the MFine app for your doctor to analyse.
What happens once I get my results?
Once the lab reports have been uploaded onto your profile, a general physician in city_name_label will get in touch with you to discuss your Vit D test results. If your low vitamin D symptoms are conclusive and fall in a lower range, they will speak to you about your vitamin D treatment. This will probably involve vitamin D supplements and ways to get natural vitamin D.
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