Vitamin D is a crucial to your body's ability to absorb calcium, which helps you maintain healthy bones. This vitamin, which is either generated from sunlight or taken in via food or supplements, also supports your nervous system, immune system and muscles, according to Medline Plus. However, it's important to maintain balance: while vitamin D deficiency can cause bone weakness and conditions like rickets, too much vitamin D can also cause damage to bones, tissues, and kidneys. A blood test called a 25-hydroxy vitamin D test is the most common way to measure vitamin D levels.
Step 1
Refrain from eating for four hours prior to your blood test. The 25-hydroxy vitamin D test will be done at a lab or your doctor's office, and will measure your serum levels of various forms of vitamin D, including vitamin D2, also known as ergocalciferol or calciferol, vitamin D3, also called cholecalciferol, and calcitrol, reports DermNet NZ. Eating prior to the test can compromise your blood serum measurements.
Step 2
Prepare for some degree of discomfort. Medline Plus reports that the insertion of the needle during the 25-hydroxy blood test might feel like a slight prick for some patients, and could be somewhat painful for others. The blood is typically drawn from either the inside of your elbow or the back of your hand. Afterward, you might continue to feel a slight throbbing sensation.
Step 3
Discuss the results with your doctor. According to Medline Plus, an average range of vitamin D is 30 to 74 nanograms per ml. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says that vitamin D levels below 20 nanograms per ml may cause conditions such as rickets, while blood levels of more than 100 nanograms per ml may be indicative of vitamin D toxicity. Your doctor will make recommendations based on your test results.
Step 4
Take steps to balance your vitamin D levels. You can get more vitamin D through dietary supplements and foods such as dairy, eggs, meat and oily fish. Vitamin D is also generated through exposure to sunlight, reports DermNet NZ. However, take care to follow healthy guidelines for sun exposure based on your skin type. Sunscreen should be worn during any exposure to raised UV-index sunlight. DermNet NZ adds that proper sun protection is unlikely to lead to vitamin D deficiency, since most people need only minor sun exposure to generate sufficient levels.
Tips and Warnings
- Keep in mind that your levels of vitamin D fluctuate naturally throughout the year. DermNet NZ reports that a low level during the winter months may be normal.
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