Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that helps your bones and teeth and keeps your muscles, nerves, and immune system healthy.
Getting enough sunshine vitamins through exposure to sunlight and diet is vital for optimal health.
A serum total 25-hydroxyvitamin D blood test is the standard method for determining your levels. A blood sample is gathered by performing a finger prick, which is then sent to a laboratory for testing.
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Detecting a Vitamin D Deficiency
At-home vitamin D tests can help detect a deficiency by measuring the levels of a biomarker called 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D). These kits typically require you to collect a finger prick blood sample using a kit that includes everything you need for collection. The samples are then mailed to the testing company, which analyzes them.
The best at home vitamin D test can provide accurate results and the information you need to follow up with your healthcare professional. The test results often include a reference range and other information to help you understand your results.
People who are obese, have aged, have dark skin, or have kidney or liver diseases are at increased risk of having low vitamin D levels. They may also have problems absorbing the vitamin from their diet and supplements.
A deficiency in vitamin D can result in accelerated bone loss, which can increase the risk of fractures. It can also cause other symptoms like confusion, loss of appetite, and vomiting.
The best at-home vitamin D tests can be ordered online and come with everything you need to collect a finger prick sample for analysis. The results are then reported to you via a secure online platform. Some vitamin D home collection kits also include access to a group webinar where a health professional can answer your questions about the results.
Preventing Bone Loss
When you have low vitamin D levels, your bones can become weak and soft. This is called osteomalacia, which can be treated and reversed with supplements.
Vitamin D is a hormone that your body makes when your skin is exposed to sunlight. It helps keep your bones and teeth healthy. It also keeps your muscles, nerves, and immune system functioning correctly.
Tests can measure the amount of vitamin D in your blood. You can get a test at a doctor’s office or home using a finger-prick blood sample.
The test results can help you and your healthcare provider determine if you need to take supplements or have other tests done to check for bone problems. For example, if your test indicates you have rickets, your healthcare provider may recommend you take calcium supplements to help prevent rickets from happening again.
Taking vitamin D supplements and getting regular sun exposure are two of the best ways to increase your vitamin D level. However, you can also get vitamin D from fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines), milk, and other dairy products.
The most reliable way to measure your vitamin D level is with a 25-hydroxyvitamin D test, which measures how much of this hormone is in your blood. These tests can be expensive, but some companies offer at-home testing kits that you can use to calculate your vitamin D level.
Boosting Immune Function
Vitamin D plays a vital role in immune function by boosting your body’s ability to fight infection. In addition, it helps your body absorb calcium and phosphorus.
According to Medical News Today, it can also reduce inflammation and increase your body’s response to stress. Boosting your vitamin D levels can help you stay healthier and live longer by strengthening your immune system.
You can visit your doctor’s office or order an at-home test from a laboratory to get a vitamin D blood test. Using a finger prick sample, the test measures the level of your vitamin D status biomarker, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), in your blood.
Your results will typically show your total vitamin D and a reference range. This range is the ideal amount of vitamin D your body needs to be healthy. Your provider will use these numbers to help you understand your test result and determine if you need a vitamin D supplement.
If you need a supplement, your provider will tell you how much to take based on your blood level and whether you have other health conditions. For example, if you have high cholesterol or other heart disease risk factors, you may need more than the recommended amount of vitamin D to stay healthy.
While at-home tests are less accurate than those performed in a lab, they still can help track your vitamin D level over time.
Preventing Cancer
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of certain types of cancer. Research has shown that people with low vitamin D levels are at a higher risk for ovarian, skin, and breast cancer.
An excellent way to check your vitamin D levels is with an at-home test kit. These kits include everything you need to collect and send a small blood sample to a laboratory. The results from these tests will show if your vitamin D level is too low (deficiency) or too high (toxicity).
A vitamin D test kit includes all the supplies you need to collect a sample and an overnight return label to ensure it gets back to the laboratory as quickly as possible. After completing the piece, you’ll get your test results from one of the certified laboratories within a few days.
The best way to boost your vitamin D level is through sun exposure and food, but if you need more of it in your diet, taking a supplement makes sense. A daily dose of 1,000 or 2,000 international units is safe and effective for improving vitamin D levels for most people.