Vitamin D (25-Hydroxy Vitamin D)
What is Vitamin D3 (25-Hydroxy Vitamin D) blood test?
Vitamin D is hugely responsible for maintaining and regulating calcium and phosphate in the entire body. It is very crucial for maintaining healthy teeth, good immune function, and bones. Hence, reducing the risks of autoimmune diseases.
You can get vitamin D by including certain food in your diet such as fish, eggs, and other dairy products. Your body also produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. Additionally, you can also get supplements to maintain an adequate amount of Vitamin D in your body.
Furthermore, before using vitamin D your body converts it into 25-hydroxyvitamin D also known as calcidiol. Hence, a 25-hydroxy vitamin D test is used to monitor the levels of vitamin D in your body. It determines how much vitamin D you have by calculating the amount of 25-hydroxy vitamin D in your blood. The test tells if your vitamin D level is too low or too high.
The other names for the test are- 25-OH Vitamin D test, Calcidiol, and the 25-hydroxycholecalciferol test.
Note: Service available only in Mumbai, India
Why you should do the Vitamin D test?
Your healthcare provider may order a vitamin D test for multiple reasons that helps them determine what is causing problems and abnormalities.
If the vitamin D levels are too low, it can lead to several health issues such as bone weakness (osteoporosis), and rickets in both adults and children.
The test is also used to determine whether or not you are at risk of vitamin D deficiency. Hence, the test is required for:
1. Those who are obese.
2. Those who don’t get proper exposure to sunlight.
3. Those who have weak bones.
4. Those who are over the age of 65 (because the production of vitamin D gets affected with age.)
5. Those who are diagnosed with diseases that may affect the intestine such as Crohn’s disease.
Moreover, your doctor may also order a 25-hydroxy vitamin D test if you have a history of vitamin D deficiency or if you are going through any such treatment to monitor how the treatment is working.
