The 4 Best At-Home Vitamin D Tests To Check Your Levels

Table of Content

• Types of At-Home Vitamin D Tests
• Best subscription: Everlywell Vitamin D Test
• What Are The Best Treatments Or Supplements For Low Vitamin D
• Everything you need to understand your results
• At-Home Vitamin D Testing - Top 3 Service Providers - Which is recommended?
• How do home vitamin D blood tests work?
• LetsGetChecked Mineral Test

Thanks to modern technology, going to the GP isn’t your only option if you want to test your vitamin D levels, you can now do a vitamin D test at home. The most common vitamin D blood test is called the 25-hydroxyvitamin D, also known as 25- D. The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit our coronavirus news page. Symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency include fatigue, muscle weakness, bone and joint pain, and depression. "As with everything, 2020 and the pandemic has definitely increased the public's interest."

Verywell Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The Vitamin D and Inflammation Test includes all of the materials needed to collect a small sample of blood from a simple fingerstick. In the following sections, you can find information about several at-home vitamin D tests that are currently available. Doctors may order a vitamin D test to detect a vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency.

Types of At-Home Vitamin D Tests

Taking 1,000 or 2,000 international units a day of vitamin D is relatively safe. The safe upper limit is 4,000 IU a day, but keep in mind that there's very limited research on the long-term safety of taking that amount. "When it comes to vitamins, more is not necessarily better," Dr. Manson says. There's little additional benefit in going any higher, although a goal of 30 ng/mL is reasonable, says Dr. Manson. But some laboratories are recommending ranges that are well above 50 ng/mL, which is potentially dangerous, Dr. Manson cautions. Too much vitamin D can cause calcium to accumulate in your blood, which can damage your heart, blood vessels, and kidneys.

There are a range of symptoms which could signal you need more of the "sunshine vitamin". If you've noticed some of the symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency, it's not hard to correct things! With our detailed reporting and customized recommendations, you can keep your values in the green all year round and improve your health, well-being and performance on your own. Many of us spend a lot of time indoors and struggle to produce enough Vitamin D, even during the summer. Depending on where you live, the winter months also have very short daylight hours, making it challenging to get enough time in the sun.

Best subscription: Everlywell Vitamin D Test

25-hydroxyvitamin D is the most plentiful form of vitamin D that circulates in your blood. This measurement is considered the most accurate way to see how much vitamin D is in your body. Although rare, vitamin D levels can also be too high, which is called vitamin D toxicity. This can occur from ingesting too many vitamin D supplements or having certain health conditions. At-home vitamin D tests measure the level of vitamin D in your blood. Vitamin D blood tests can detect whether your level of vitamin D is too low, within the ideal range, or too high.

Red blood cells, also called erythrocytes, are produced in the bone marrow and released into the bloodstream when they mature. The normal range of vitamin D is measured as nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). Everything requires balance and vitamin D, in combination with a balanced diet of other vitamins and regular exercise, is the best way to remain healthy this winter. Despite this, vitamin D is not an unessential player as correct levels of it can strengthen the immune system against seasonal bugs. While you can overdose on vitamin D through taking too many supplements, it is not possible to overdose through sunlight. If you are confirmed as deficient, then there are multiple ways to boost your levels including through supplementation and food.

What Are The Best Treatments Or Supplements For Low Vitamin D

After you collect your sample and mail it off, you may have your results back in as little as two to five days after the lab receives it. Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. These medical reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates.

Each of these blood tests checks your 25D using CLIA-regulated laboratories. The CLIA is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services . Leaving the test to a professional means you're not responsible for potential error (i.e., inherent variability) in your results. Some reviewers of at-home tests complain that they were unable to properly collect their sample—although typically companies are good about sending a replacement kit in these instances. At-Home Vitamin D Test By LabMe is the best option you can ever choose for measuring your vitamin D level at home.

Everything you need to understand your results

Vitamin D toxicity is usually caused by large doses of vitamin D supplements — not by diet or sun exposure. That’s because your body regulates the amount of vitamin D produced by sun exposure, and even fortified foods don’t contain large amounts of vitamin D. Some, like Rootine, pair their testing with customized supplements. EverlyWell and LetsGetChecked are well known in the home health testing space and each has a few home mineral deficiency testing options. Overall, though, Rootine offers the best home vitamin deficiency test.

For expecting mamas, maintaining a healthy level of vitamin D is important for bone density, immune function, and fetal development. According to Bonney, for most people, vitamin D testing through a lab would be covered by insurance with the correct ICD-10 code submitted by your health care partner. "And if your [at-home] levels are abnormal, this would warrant having them rechecked in a lab setting with proper phlebotomy" and an expert clinical opinion once the result comes in.

At-Home Vitamin D Testing - Top 3 Service Providers - Which is recommended?

Have insufficient levels of vitamin D, which are measured in nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) clinically or sometimes referred to in nanomoles per liter (nmol/l) in research literature. After complete checking, your at home vitamin D test report will be available online for two to three days. With LabMe's vitamin D test at home, you can detect any fluctuation in vitamin D levels in your body.

These tests don’t require a doctor’s order, but you’ll need to pay for them out of pocket. It isn’t common practice to screen for vitamin D deficiency in otherwise healthy individuals, so it’s ideal to speak with your healthcare professional before trying an at-home test. The best vitamin D tests for your specific needs may vary by price, the level of medical support provided, and delivery speed. Too much vitamin D supplementation can result in vitamin D toxicity—meaning your body doesn’t have optimal vitamin D levels because it’s actually getting too much vitamin D.

According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, the minimum amount of vitamin D you need depends on your age. Routine vitamin D testing has several benefits that help you to enjoy the best quality of life possible. Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease affecting the gastrointestinal tract, especially the colon and the small intestine. It causes painful, sometimes debilitating symptoms and may lead to life-threatening complications.

It is because of a lack of awareness about the functioning of even small nutrients like vitamin D in our bodies. In men, vitamin D is essential for the healthy development of sperm and it helps maintain semen quality and sperm count. He tells Verywell that he doesnt think at-home tests are worth the effort unless you are severely deficient and are at risk of bone disease. Thanks to modern technology, going to the GP isnt your only option if you want to test your vitamin D levels, you can now do a vitamin D test at home.

It may be necessary to supplement both magnesium and calcium to regain normal function. Doctors are increasingly ordering blood tests to measure vitamin D in patients, and these tests are now among the most frequently ordered medical tests, Holmes said. A common complaint about Let'sGetChecked is the amount of blood you're asked to provide with the finger prick. It's a small vial, but if you're squeamish about blood, this kit might not be for you.

You may have excess vitamin D if you take large doses of vitamin D supplements. Vitamin D deficiency is more common than too much vitamin D, however. Most vitamin D tests measure the total amount of 25-OH D in your blood.