What exactly is Vitamin D, and why do I require it?

Vitamin D is a general term for a class of fat-soluble, structurally related sterols that function as hormones. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium and the maintenance of strong bones throughout your lifecycle. When the sun's UV rays come in contact with your skin, your body generates vitamin D. Fish, eggs, and fortified dairy products are also good sources of vitamin D. It is also prescribed as a nutritional supplement. Before your body can utilize vitamin D as Vitamin D2 & D3, it must go through many processes. The initial change takes place in the liver and is circulated throughout the bloodstream. Here, your body transforms vitamins D2 & D3 into calcidiol, known as 25- hydroxyvitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for our body. Vitamin D deficiencies can pose issues at any age. Doctors may offer supplements or other treatment options if you are severely deficient. Eating vitamin D-rich foods and using vitamin D supplements can help maintain your vitamin D levels constant.

What exactly is Vitamin D, and why do I require it?

Vitamin D is a general term for a class of fat-soluble, structurally related sterols that function as hormones. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium and the maintenance of strong bones throughout your lifecycle. When the sun's UV rays come in contact with your skin, your body generates vitamin D. Fish, eggs, and fortified dairy products are also good sources of vitamin D. It is also prescribed as a nutritional supplement. Before your body can utilize vitamin D as Vitamin D2 & D3, it must go through many processes. The initial change takes place in the liver and is circulated throughout the bloodstream. Here, your body transforms vitamins D2 & D3 into calcidiol, known as 25- hydroxyvitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for our body. Vitamin D deficiencies can pose issues at any age. Doctors may offer supplements or other treatment options if you are severely deficient. Eating vitamin D-rich foods and using vitamin D supplements can help maintain your vitamin D levels constant.

Why is it necessary to test for 25-hydroxyvitamin D?

Several studies conducted in India over the last ten years have found that the incidence of Vitamin D deficiency ranges from 50% to 94%. A 25-hydroxy vitamin D test may be suggested by your doctor for a variety of reasons. It can assist them in determining whether excessive or insufficient vitamin D is causing bone weakening or other problems. It can also track those who are at risk of vitamin D deficiency. The 25-hydroxy Vitamin D test is a simple blood test that is the most accurate approach to tracking primary hyperparathyroidism & Vitamin D levels. The amount of 25-hydroxyVitamin D in your blood is an excellent indicator of your body's Vitamin D levels. The test will tell you whether your Vitamin D levels are too high or too low. The 25-OH Vitamin D test is also known as the calcidiol 25-hydroxycholecalciferol test. It can be an early warning sign of bone weakening and rickets. In the case of Vitamin D status in patients with chronic renal disease or hypercalcemia, 1,25- dihydroxy vitamin D (DHVD) testing may be required to determine vitamin D levels. Otherwise, the 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25HDN) test (25HDN / 25-Hydroxyvitamin D2 and D3, Serum) in serum is the preferred initial test for determining vitamin D status because it more precisely reflects the body's vitamin D reserves.

Who should undergo a 25-hydroxyvitamin D test?.

With ageing, the body needs more vitamin D. The need for greater vitamin D supplementation in the elderly is caused by the skin's lower capacity to convert 7- dehydrocholesterol to vitamin D3, as well as the kidneys' diminished capacity to convert D2 to its active form. In addition, the following categories are more vulnerable to vitamin D deficiency:

• Mother’s milk alone does not contain enough vitamin D for infants that breastfeed
• People who are less exposed to the sun
• Women who cover their heads and wear long robes.
• People whose jobs prevent them from being in the sun
• A lower capacity to absorb dietary fat because vitamin D (as a fat-soluble vitamin)
• Needs some dietary fat in the gut to be absorbed. People with a body mass index
• BMI) of 30 because vitamin D2 is trapped in the subcutaneous fat
• Due to their inability to convert vitamin D into its active metabolic form, patients with
• liver or kidney illnesses.
• Performed a gastric bypass.

By decreasing calcium absorption, corticosteroids can reduce vitamin D levels in the body. Due to a decrease in vitamin D absorption, orlistat for weight loss and cholestyramine for decreasing cholesterol may cause vitamin D levels to drop (as with other fat-soluble vitamins). Vitamin D levels are decreased by barbiturates and phenytoin, which causes an increase in the liver's production of vitamin D's inactive metabolites.

How is the test for 25-hydroxyvitamin D conducted?

Your doctor will advise you to fast for four to eight hours before the test. A standard serum test is required for the 25-hydroxy vitamin D test. Serum 25(OH)D is a good indicator of vitamin D status. Serum 1,25(OH)2D offers little information regarding vitamin D status and is frequently normal or even increased due to secondary hyperparathyroidism associated with vitamin D deficiency. A needle will be used by your healthcare practitioner to draw blood from a vein in your arm. In children and newborns, a short finger prick will usually be sufficient to get a blood sample.

Knowing your results

The results of your test will show the amounts of vitamin D in nanomoles/litre (nmol/L) or nanograms/millilitre (ng/mL). The results can show if your levels are normal, inadequate, insufficient, or excessive. The results of the tests are influenced by your medical background, age, gender, and other factors. The best course of action is to discuss it with your doctor. Your physician will assist you in understanding the test results and decide whether additional
testing or treatment is necessary.

Normal Results

The results will vary depending on your age, gender, and the testing procedures employed. The results may also differ slightly from one lab to the next. In nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) units, 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels are considered normal.Different professionals recommend a range of 20 to 40 ng/mL. A few professionals advise a range of 30 to 50 ng/mL.

Abnormal Results

Deficiency: less than 30 nmol/L (12 ng/mL)

What does deficiency mean?

If your vitamin D levels are low and you have symptoms of bone discomfort, your doctor may recommend a bone density scan. This non-invasive scan is used by doctors to assess a person's bone health. Higher levels: higher than 125 nmol/L (50 ng/mL) Toxic: exceeding 150 nmol/L (50 ng/mL).

A higher-than-normal level could be caused by an excess of vitamin D, a condition known as hypervitaminosis D. This is most usually caused by consuming an excessive amount of vitamin D. It can cause an excess of calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia). This causes a slew of symptoms as well as kidney impairment. The toxic level needs immediate treatment with supplements, enriched diet sources or planned exposure to sunlight. Your doctor will advise you accordingly.