Apart from noticing the symptoms that we have already discussed here, the most precise way to test Vitamin D levels in your body is by getting the 25-hydroxy Vitamin D blood test.
Just like other deficiencies, vitamin D deficiency can be countered with getting enough Vitamin D through a good diet, adequate sunlight and supplementation, if your doctor agrees.
If you tend to cover your skin in the sun at all times or apply sunscreen or stay indoors most of the time, you are likely to be deficient in Vitamin D.
A vitamin D test helps the doctor assess bone malformation or bone weakness or abnormal metabolism of calcium as it might be occurring due to either a deficiency or an excess of Vitamin D in the body.
The 25-hydroxyvitamin D, is usually prescribed before an individual begins the drug therapy for osteoporosis.
In addition, it also helps in the diagnosis and monitoring of parathyroid gland function since Parathyroid hormone, PTH, is important for the activation of vitamin D.
Usually, doctors recommend vitamin D tests to those who are at high risk of bone problems especially Osteoporosis, a bone disease.
If you have a disease that interferes with the absorption of fat in your body like Crohn’s disease or cystic fibrosis, doctors usually recommend a regular check of Vitamin D levels in the body since it is fat soluble vitamin. It is also done for those who have had a gastric bypass surgery as that too interferes with the absorption of fat in the body, which is likely to lead to inadequate absorption of vitamin D.
For patients who have been prescribed to supplementation of magnesium, phosphorous, calcium or Vitamin D, the tests help assess the effectiveness of the ongoing treatment.
There is another test called ‘1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D’ test. This is prescribed when calcium or vitamin D levels are suspected to be very high in the body. This can happen because sometimes because immune cells may make 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. Rarely, this testing may be indicated when abnormalities of the enzyme that converts 25-hydroxyvitamin D to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D or renal disease are suspected.