Vitamin Profile

The Vitamin Profile Test involves taking your blood sample. You can get this test done along with your regular tests or as a single blood test.

Vitamin Profile Test Preparation

The Vitamin Profile Test requires you to give a blood sample for testing. There is no special preparation needed for this test.

1. Before the Vitamin Profile Test

This test does not require any preparation from your end. Inform your physician if you are on any medicines that may or may not affect your vitamin levels.

2. During the Vitamin Profile Test

It is a simple blood test that will take about 5-10 minutes. You do not need to prepare for the test in any way.

3. After the Vitamin Profile Test

There are no restrictions after the Vitamin Profile Test. You can resume your regular activity.

Vitamin Profile Test Inclusions: What Parameters Are Included in the Test?

The Vitamin Profile Test report includes the following parameters -

 Fat-Soluble Vitamin Profile

 Vitamin A - It is required for normal vision, a healthy immune system, and reproduction.

• Vitamin D - It is required for absorbing calcium and building strong bones. Along with calcium, vitamin D protects your bones and prevents osteoporosis.
• Vitamin E - It is a skin-protective vitamin that has antioxidant properties. It is essential for vision, reproduction, and brain health.
• Vitamin K - It is vital in the clotting process in your body. It helps in wound healing and keeps bones healthy.

Vitamin B Complex Profile

• Vitamin B1/ thiamine - It is vital for preventing complications in the nervous system, brain, muscles, stomach, heart, and intestines.
• Vitamin B2/ Riboflavin - It helps break down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates in your body. It is vital for maintaining your body’s energy supply.
• Vitamin B3/ Niacin - It is essential for the proper functioning of fats and sugars in your body. It helps maintain healthy cells and helps in improving heart health.
• Vitamin B5/ Pantothenic Acid - It is required for synthesising and metabolising fats, proteins, and coenzyme A.
• Vitamin B6 - It is vital for normal brain development and keeping your nervous system healthy. It boosts your immune system and keeps you healthy.
• Vitamin B7 - It is required for metabolising fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.
• Vitamin B9 - It is vital for the production of red blood cells and the synthesis of DNA. It helps in tissue growth and cell function.
• Vitamin B12 - It is required to make blood cells and ensure the proper functioning of the brain and nervous system.

How Frequently Should You Take a Vitamin Profile Test?

Depending on your health condition and the prognosis, you may have to repeat Vitamin Profile Test. If you have a deficiency or toxicity of any of the vitamins, your doctor may repeat the Vitamin Profile Test every 3-6 months to manage the dosage and treatment for the same.

Your doctor will ask you to repeat it every year if the test is done as part of your regular annual health check-ups.

Normal ranges of the Vitamin Profile Test can vary in different laboratories.

The Vitamin Profile Test results will suggest whether you have low levels of the vitamins or high levels.

If your vitamin levels are low, it indicates that you have a vitamin deficiency.

If your vitamin levels are high, it indicates that you could have vitamin toxicity.

Causes of Vitamin A deficiency include:

• Inadequate intake
• Fat malabsorption
• Liver disorders

Causes of Vitamin A toxicity include:

• Ingesting high doses of Vitamin A
• Megavitamin therapy

Causes of Vitamin D deficiency include:

• Inadequate exposure to sunlight
• Inefficient production of Vitamin D in the skin
• Liver diseases
• Kidney disorders

Causes of Vitamin D toxicity include:

• Taking large doses of Vitamin D (not in diet or sun exposure)

Causes of Vitamin E deficiency include:

• Chronic pancreatitis
• Cystic fibrosis
• Cholestasis
• Primary biliary cirrhosis
• Crohn’s disease
• Short bowel syndrome
• Inadequate intake of Vitamin E

Causes of Vitamin E toxicity include:

• Increased intake of Vitamin E

Causes of Vitamin K deficiency include:

• Insufficient dietary intake
• Inadequate absorption
• Decreased storage of Vitamin K due to liver disease
• Decreased production in the intestine

Causes of Vitamin B1 deficiency include:

• Inadequate intake of Vitamin B1

Causes of Vitamin B2 deficiency include:

• Chronic diarrhoea
• Malabsorption syndromes
• Liver disorders
• Haemodialysis
• Peritoneal dialysis
• Chronic alcoholism

Causes of Vitamin B3 deficiency include:

• Intake of a diet low in tryptophans
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Malnutrition
• Anorexia

Causes of Vitamin B5 deficiency include:

• Pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration - a rare inherited disorder where your body can’t use vitamin B5 properly

Causes of Vitamin B6 deficiency include:

• Pyridoxine-inactivating drugs like isoniazid
• Protein-energy malnutrition
• Malabsorption
• Alcoholism
• Excessive loss of vitamin

Causes of Vitamin B7 deficiency include:

• Biotinidase deficiency - a rare inherited disorder where your body can’t use biotin properly

Causes of Vitamin B9 deficiency include:

• Pregnancy
• Poor dietary intake
• Alcoholism
• Certain medicines - anticonvulsants, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)

Causes of Vitamin B12 deficiency include:

●          Not enough vitamin B12 intake in the diet. This could be either due to not eating enough meat or if you are a vegetarian.

●          Lack of the intrinsic factor, a protein that is required by the intestines to absorb vitamin B12.

●          Diseases that lead to malabsorption like coeliac disease, and Crohn’s disease.

●          Excessive heat production in the body due to hyperthyroidism.

●          Pregnancy

Increased levels of vitamin B12 in the Vitamin Profile Test report are rare as excess vitamin B12 is removed from the body via urine.

However, conditions that can cause a rise in B12 levels include:

●          Liver diseases like cirrhosis or hepatitis

●          Myeloproliferative disorders like polycythaemia vera, chronic myelogenous leukaemia

●          Intake of Vitamin A

●          Intake of Vitamin C

●          Intake of oestrogens

Consult your doctor to interpret your Vitamin Profile Test results in a more comprehensive manner.

The Vitamin Profile Test measures the levels of fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins in your blood. Your body requires vitamins and minerals for proper functioning. Unhealthy eating habits and food adulteration can cause the depletion of these essential nutrients. This limits the ability of your body to fight against infections.

There are two main types of vitamins in your body -

• Fat-soluble vitamins
• Water-soluble vitamins

 Fat-soluble vitamins

These vitamins are present in foods that contain fats. These vitamins are absorbed in the lymph and transported via carrier proteins in the blood.

• Vitamin D Total

• Vitamin D3
• Vitamin D2

• Vitamin K
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin A

Water-soluble vitamins

These vitamins are carried to the body’s tissues and not stored in the body. They are soluble in water. These vitamins include Vitamin B complex.

• Vitamin B1/ thiamine
• Vitamin B2/ Riboflavin
• Vitamin B3/ Niacin
• Vitamin B5/ Pantothenic Acid
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin B7
• Vitamin B9
• Vitamin B12

In the Vitamin Profile Test, fat-soluble vitamins are measured.

The Vitamin Profile Test acts as a diagnostic test to determine the deficiency or toxicity of the above vitamins caused due to the above vitamins in your body. Studies show that Vitamin D and Vitamin B12 deficiencies prevail in older rural-dwelling Indians. This has become a cause for major public health concerns.

Other Names of Vitamin Profile Test

● Complete Vitamin Profile

● Comprehensive Vitamin Panel

What Does the Vitamin Profile Test Measure? Who Is the Vitamin Profile Test Prescribed for?

The Vitamin Profile Test detects the levels of water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins in your body.

The Vitamin Profile Test is prescribed for all age groups and genders. It is advised for people who experience the following symptoms -

●          Weakness

●          Loss of balance

●          Tingling and/or numbness of hands and feet

●          Loss of brain function

●          Tingling of the scalp

●          Lack of energy

●          Oral ulcers

●          Disturbed vision

●          Issues with memory, learning, understanding, and judgement

●          Muscle weakness

●          Depression

●          Confusion

●          Sore and red tongue

●          Poor wound healing

●          Bleeding or easy bruising

The Vitamin Profile Test is advised for the following category of people -

●          Older adults

●          Vegans

●          Children

●          Strict vegetarians

●          People with diabetes

●          Vegans

●          People who have recently undergone a gastric bypass surgery

●          Pregnant women

●          Breastfeeding mothers

●          People who do not have enough sun exposure

●          People who have a poor diet

Vitamin Deficiencies, Vitamin Toxicities