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Vitamin D Total (25-Hydroxy) Test
Measures the level of vitamin D in your blood to check for deficiency.
- 1 parameter
- Within 24–30 hours
- No fasting
₹499
A vitamin test checks how much of key vitamins is in your blood, so a shortage can be fixed before it affects your energy, bones or nerves. Book vitamin D and vitamin B12 tests in Orai with home sample collection and online reports.
Measures the level of vitamin D in your blood to check for deficiency.
Measures the level of vitamin B12 in your blood to check for deficiency.
A vitamin test is a blood test that measures how much of a vitamin is in your body. The two most common are vitamin D and vitamin B12. A low level often causes no clear symptoms at first, which is why a test is the only sure way to know.
Your body gets vitamin D mostly from sunlight, and it cannot make vitamin B12 at all, so B12 has to come from food or supplements. When your diet, sun exposure or digestion falls short, levels can drop slowly over months.
A test is useful if you:
Vitamin D:
Vitamin B12:
Other vitamins, such as A, C, E and K, are usually tested only when a doctor suspects a particular problem.
Low vitamin D can cause:
Low vitamin B12 can cause:
These signs have many other possible causes, so do not treat yourself without a test. See a doctor if they last or get worse.
Vitamin D:
Vitamin B12:
If you eat no animal foods, ask your doctor about B12 supplements.
A trained phlebotomist takes a small blood sample from a vein in your arm, usually at your home. You do not need to fast for a vitamin D or vitamin B12 test. Reports are usually ready within 24 to 30 hours, and you can download them from your OnHealth account.
When you book in Orai, you choose the date and time that suit you. If a test shows a low level, your doctor will advise the right treatment, often diet changes or supplements. Avoid high-dose vitamins unless a doctor has advised them.
No. A CBC counts your blood cells. It can show changes, such as unusually large red cells, that may point towards low vitamin B12 or folate, but it does not measure vitamin levels. A vitamin D or B12 test measures them directly.
Most healthy adults need about 600 IU (15 micrograms) a day, and people over 70 about 800 IU. If a test shows you are low, your doctor may advise a different amount, so avoid high doses without a test.
Few foods contain much vitamin D. The best are oily fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel, and egg yolks. Some milk, cereals and mushrooms are fortified or exposed to light. Sunlight on your skin is the main source for most people.
Rickets and osteomalacia (low vitamin D), scurvy (low vitamin C), beriberi (low vitamin B1), pellagra (low vitamin B3) and megaloblastic anaemia (low vitamin B12 or folate). Low vitamin A can also cause night blindness.
Vitamin B7 is also called biotin. A true biotin deficiency is rare, and a routine blood test for it is not commonly done. Doctors usually decide from your symptoms, diet and other tests. If you take biotin supplements, tell the lab, because biotin can affect the results of some other blood tests.
They can help if your diet has a gap or you are deficient, but they do not replace a balanced diet. If you eat a varied diet, the benefit is usually small. It is better to test first and take what you actually lack, because very high doses of some vitamins can cause harm.
With a blood test called 25-hydroxy vitamin D. A result below 20 ng/mL is generally treated as deficient and 20 to 30 ng/mL as low. You do not need to fast for it.
Doctors usually start with a CBC and a serum ferritin test, which shows how much iron your body has stored. They may add serum iron, TIBC and transferrin saturation. Ask your doctor which ones you need.
Mainly animal foods: fish, meat, chicken, eggs, milk, curd, paneer and cheese. Some cereals and plant milks are fortified with B12. Vegans and many vegetarians may need fortified foods or supplements on a doctor's advice.
Yes. A blood test for serum retinol measures vitamin A, but it is not part of routine checkups. Doctors usually advise it if you have symptoms such as poor night vision or a condition that affects how you absorb fat.
Low vitamin B12 and low vitamin D have both been linked with low mood and anxiety, and so have some other B vitamins. Anxiety has many causes, though, so a deficiency is only one possibility. A test can show whether it is playing a part.
Low iron, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and zinc can all contribute, and so can thyroid problems and stress. Because there are several possible causes, testing is more useful than guessing.