Vitamin D (25-Hydroxy) + Vitamin B12 + Thyroid

The Vitamin B12 test measures your vitamin B12 levels. This vitamin is essential for various health aspects, such as maintaining a healthy nervous system, making red blood cells, and creating the genetic material of our cells. Low vitamin B12 levels are more likely to occur in older adults, children, vegans, vegetarians, people with diabetes, individuals who underwent gastric bypass surgery, women who are breastfeeding, and in conditions like Crohn’s disease that impact the absorption of this vitamin. High vitamin B12 levels are seen in conditions like liver diseases and myeloproliferative disorders. Also, high levels of vitamin B12 are seen in individuals on vitamin supplementation, but this usually does not require treatment as the excess vitamin is flushed out through urine.

The Vitamin D (25-Hydroxy) test measures the levels of vitamin D in the body. Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that can be synthesized in the body upon healthy exposure to sunlight or absorbed from dietary sources. It majorly exists in two forms: vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). Vitamin D2 is present in plants, such as yeast or mushrooms, and is available as a supplement in fortified foods, and vitamin D3 is found in foods like cheese, green vegetables, mushrooms, egg yolks, and fatty fish.

Vitamin D is available in two key forms: D2 (present in plants like mushrooms and in some fortified foods) and D3 (present in foods like cheese, green vegetables, egg yolks, mushrooms, and fatty fish).

Both forms of vitamin D need to be converted in the liver and kidneys before the body can use them effectively. This test shows the total level of vitamin D (D2 + D3) circulating in the body and guides your doctor in recommending the right treatment or lifestyle changes if needed.

The Thyroid Profile Total (T3, T4 & TSH) measures the levels of triiodothyronine hormone (T3) total, thyroxine hormone (T4) total, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in the blood. Thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) and TSH work in opposite ways. When T3 and T4 levels go up, TSH levels usually go down, and when T3 and T4 go down, TSH goes up. This happens due to the pituitary-thyroid feedback mechanism:

In hypothyroidism (low levels of T3 and T4), the pituitary gland responds by increasing TSH secretion to stimulate the thyroid gland.

In hyperthyroidism (elevated T3 and T4 levels), TSH secretion is suppressed to decrease thyroid activity.