Nutrition Check: Testing for Vitamin Deficiencies

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient. This simple 25-hydroxyvitamin D blood test can determine whether your levels fall within an optimal range.

Vitamin B12 and folic acid blood help maintain healthy homocysteine levels. High levels can be an indicator of cardiovascular disease. In addition, doctors may use the results of this test to help diagnose central nervous system disorders, anemia and malabsorption syndromes.

This test measures blood levels of magnesium, one of the body’s most important minerals. Magnesium supports healthy cardiovascular and immune system function, bone strength, energy metabolism, and other key body functions.

One of the most common nutritional insufficiencies is having low blood levels of zinc. Take this test to find out whether your levels are appropriate, or whether you should make changes to your dietary or supplementation choices.

This test measures blood levels of the essential element copper, which is involved in many functions of the body. If you’re malnourished, your copper levels may be too low; elevated copper levels are also may be a concern and could be linked to other conditions.

This panel includes tests for blood levels of vitamin B12, folate and methylmalonic acid (MMA), which aid in the diagnosis of central nervous system disorders and help guide supplementation levels.

This test is an important tool in evaluating for liver disease and is part of a Wilson’s disease diagnosis. It checks for levels of the protein ceruloplasmin, which binds the trace mineral copper so that it can be transported in the blood to where it is needed.

This test measures your red blood cells’ levels of magnesium, which play a vital role in preventing heart disease, controlling blood pressure and maintaining healthy cholesterol levels.

Vegetarians and vegans need to keep tabs on specific nutrient levels to ensure they aren't deficient. This panel includes a complete blood count (CBC), comprehensive metabolic panel, lipid profile, ferritin, iron and total iron binding capacity, folate, vitamin B12, 25-hydroxyvitamin D and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH).

This profile measures blood levels of the essential amino acids: lysine, methionine, histidine, leucine, isoleucine, valine, threonine, tryptophan and phenylalanine. It also checks your levels of nonessential amino acids, including taurine, arginine and 25 more.

Testing for blood levels of vitamin A, the first vitamin to be identified by science, helps identify healthy or abnormal levels and can guide supplementation.

This test measures your levels of selenium, a trace mineral and an important antioxidant that helps regulate thyroid function. Selenium also plays a role in the immune system, DNA repair and the detoxification of heavy metals.

Blood testing for plasma iodine levels is useful for people with thyroid gland conditions. These test results can also be helpful in the formulation of supplement regimens.

This test assesses your levels of vitamin B6, a water-soluble vitamin that is widely available in fish, chicken, some fruits and vegetables, and wheat germ.

The Nutrient Panel Blood Test measures a combination of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that can impact health, including vitamins A, B12 and C, folate, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, selenium, zinc, CoQ10 and red blood cell magnesium.

Increased Methylmalonic acid (MMA) levels are often associated with early stages of B12 deficiency. A MMA blood test may be ordered along with a homocysteine test when a vitamin B12 deficiency is suspected.

Feeling overwhelmed and don’t know where to start? This in-depth amino acid profile is the best way to identify areas of your personal health to focus on, with an easy at-a-glance summary of results.

Vitamin C is an important nutrient that we do not create on our own and must get from food—which not all of us do reliably. This test checks for vitamin C deficiency, also known as scurvy.

This blood test for vitamin B1 (thiamine) can help determine whether you're getting enough of this essential B vitamin

Knowing your red blood cell levels of the B vitamin folate can help guide your dietary intake and supplementation and can also help diagnose certain medical conditions.

If you are concerned about how many fruits and vegetables you eat, you may want to test your levels of beta carotene, which is found in plants.

Because the trace mineral cobalt forms a part of vitamin B12, it is needed by the human body for basic health. Levels can be too high due to occupational exposure.

Vitamin K plays an important role in blood clotting and regulating bone calcium levels. Maintaining adequate levels of vitamin K can improve bone health while reducing the risk of fractures. The vitamin K1 blood test measures levels of one form of vitamin K known as phylloquinone.