Vitamin D (25-OH)
A focused test for 25-OH Vitamin D.
Overview
Measures 25-OH Vitamin D. A single-sample test processed at an NABL-accredited lab, with reports in 6 hours and a free doctor review.
The full panel
1 tests across 1 groupEvery parameter, grouped by body system — no clicking to expand.
What this test measures
25-hydroxy vitamin D — the storage form of vitamin D and the accepted measure of your vitamin D status. It reflects both what your skin makes from sunlight and what you take in through food or supplements, and it is the correct test to order; the active form (1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D) can look normal even when stores are severely depleted, which is why it is not used for screening.
Vitamin D governs calcium absorption and bone mineralisation, and deficiency is widespread in urban India despite the sunlight — indoor work, air pollution, covering clothing, darker skin and sunscreen all reduce skin synthesis. It is ordered for bone or muscle pain, in osteoporosis, after fractures, in malabsorption, and as part of preventive panels.
Symptoms that lead to this test
- Aching bones, low back pain or a deep muscle ache
- Muscle weakness, or difficulty rising from a chair or climbing stairs
- Frequent fractures, or a fracture after a minor fall
- Persistent tiredness with no other explanation
- Limited sun exposure, or a diagnosis of osteoporosis
Understanding your results
Levels below about 20 ng/mL are commonly reported as deficiency, 20–29 ng/mL as insufficiency, and 30 ng/mL and above as sufficient, though laboratories and guidelines differ on where those lines sit. Very high levels — generally above 100 ng/mL — matter too, because vitamin D is fat-soluble and excessive supplementation can raise blood calcium; this is why megadose sachets should only be taken as prescribed. A low result is usually corrected with a defined loading course and then rechecked, typically after about three months, rather than retested straight away.
Indicative only. Reference ranges vary between laboratories and between testing methods, and shift with age, sex and pregnancy — always read your own result against the range printed on your own report, with the doctor who ordered it.
| Parameter | Indicative range | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| 25-OH vitamin D — deficiency | Below 20 | ng/mL |
| 25-OH vitamin D — insufficiency | 20–29 | ng/mL |
| 25-OH vitamin D — sufficiency | 30–100 | ng/mL |
Why the preparation matters
No fasting and no special preparation. Timing does matter in one respect: if you have started or finished a supplement course, wait at least 8–12 weeks before retesting, because 25-OH vitamin D has a half-life of around two to three weeks and a sample taken days after a loading dose reports the dose, not your stores. Mention any biotin supplement, which can interfere with some assay platforms.
Who should consider this test
- Adults with bone, back or diffuse muscle pain
- People with limited sun exposure or largely indoor work
- Post-menopausal women and adults over 60
- Anyone with osteoporosis, a fragility fracture or coeliac disease
- Pregnant and breastfeeding women, and people after bariatric surgery
Conditions it helps detect
How home collection works
Patient stories
96% recommend“The phlebotomist arrived exactly on time and was gentle. My report came in five hours with a doctor’s note.”
“Booked at night, sample collected next morning. The parameter breakdown is genuinely thorough.”
“Loved the free doctor review — she walked me through my vitamin D and thyroid results clearly.”