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About 41.6 percent of people in the United States have a vitamin D deficiency, with the highest rate seen in Black (82.1 percent) and Hispanic populations (69.2 percent), according to a 2011 study.

Vitamin D helps maintain strong bones and muscles. Still, research shows vitamin D is important for more than just the health of your muscles and bones. A vitamin D deficiency may be associated with an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune disease, and cancer, according to theHarvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Thankfully, testing your vitamin D levels is relatively easy. Keep reading to learn about four of the best at-home vitamin D tests. They can help you find fast, easy, and accurate answers to whether your vitamin D is in a healthy range.

Vitamin Dlevels are identified based on serum levels in your blood, measured in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) or nanomoles per liter (nmol/L).

  • High levels:above 50 ng/mL (125 nmol/L)
  • Adequate levels:20 to 50 ng/mL (50 to 125 nmol/L)
  • Inadequate levels:12 to 20 ng/mL (30 to 50 nmol/L)
  • Deficient levels:12 ng/mL (30 nmol/L) or below

The Office of Dietary Supplements says that both high and low levels of vitamin D are linked to negative health effects. These can affect the bones and other body systems for children and adults.

A vitamin D test tells you how much vitamin D is in your bloodstream. These tests can tell you if there’s too much or too little vitamin D in your body.

Both the vitamin D you eat and naturally produce from sun exposure start as an inactive form. Later, the liver and kidneys convert 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH D) into the biologically active form, 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D.

Most vitamin D tests measure the total amount of 25-OH D in your blood. This is because 25-OH D has a longer half-life than that of 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D.

How do vitamin D tests work?

Vitamin D tests need a blood sample to measure 25-OH D levels. In a doctor’s office or a lab, a trained tech called a phlebotomist draws blood from a vein in your arm. At-home tests typically have you prick and squeeze a finger to collect a smaller blood sample.

It’s easier to measure 25-OH D because it lasts longer in the bloodstream, around 14 days, and it’s also easier to detect changes in 25-OH D levels that are associated with vitamin D deficiency.

By comparison, 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D has a half-life of just a few hours. Its levels may not decrease with vitamin D deficiency or change in a way that is clear until vitamin D deficiency is severe.

A vitamin D test can determine whether you have a vitamin D deficiency or excess levels in your body.

You may have excess vitamin D if you’re taking large doses of vitamin D supplements. Vitamin D deficiency is more common . People who are at a higher risk of developing a vitamin D deficiency include:

  • people with limited sun exposure
  • older adults
  • people with chronic kidney disease or liver disease
  • people with a history of bariatric surgery
  • people with conditions affecting the intestines, such as Crohn’s disease or gastric cancer

Many people with a vitamin D deficiency don’t experience any symptoms. However, a healthcare professional can identify the following signs of a vitamin D deficiency:

  • low calcium levels
  • overactive parathyroid
  • fragile bones
  • muscle twitching and weakness
  • fatigue
  • rickets, which may develop in children

If you’ve had a vitamin D deficiency in the past, talk with your healthcare professional about whether at-home tests can help with monitoring your vitamin D levels, or if monitoring is needed at all. Your healthcare professional can also help determine what frequency of testing you may need.

Read more about healthy vitamin D levels and improving yours through diet and supplements.

There’s a lot to consider when it comes to choosing an at-home vitamin D test. To select the best, we reviewed available research, customer experiences, price, and each company’s process for medical and business standards.

Read more about Healthline’s vetting process and standards.

Best overall

Everlywell

  • Price:$99
  • Insurance coverage:Everlywell不接受保险,但是他们做ccept health savings account (HSA) or flexible savings account (FSA) payments.
  • Results:within 5 days

Everlywell is one of the larger at-home health and wellness testing services. They offer over 25 at-home tests to screen for various diseases.

The Everlywell Vitamin D and Inflammation Test measures both your 25-OH D levels and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP). The results tell you the amount of vitamin D in your blood and about inflammation in your body.

The test comes with everything you’ll need for the finger prick blood sample and includes prepaid shipping for returning your sample. Once it arrives, a team of physicians will review your lab results. The company estimates you’ll receive results around 5 days after shipping the sample.

Everlywell offers a membership program for $24.99 per month to receive discounts on their tests. With a membership, the test costs $24.99. You can cancel the membership at any time.

Overall, the test has 5 out of 5 stars with over 240 customer reviews on the Everlywell website.

Your lab results come with a report to help you take healthy, actionable steps. You also have the option to attend a live webinar led by a healthcare professional.

Shop now at Everlywell

Best for medical support

LetsGetChecked

  • Price:$89
  • Insurance coverage:LetsGetChecked doesn’t accept insurance, but they do accept FSA and HSA payments.
  • Results:within 2 to 5 business days

LetsGetChecked offers a variety of at-home testing kits, including categories like men’s health, women’s health, fertility, screening, and lab tests.

LetsGetChecked is unique for the medical support they offer. After taking the test, you’ll have access to a team of nurses 24/7. A nurse will also call you to help you understand your results.

The test comes with all the materials you need to collect a sample, as well as test directions and a shipping label for return. For this test, LetsGetChecked requests you collect your sample in the morning. Physicians will review the test results and lab analysis.

The company has 4.5 out of 5 stars and more than 12,000 reviews onTrustpilot.

LetsGetChecked laboratories are Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certified andaccredited with the College of American Pathologists, which are the highest levels of accreditation. Their kits are also manufactured within anISO 13485 accredited facility, the highest level of accreditation for medical devices.

Use the code “HEALTH20” for a 20% discount.

Shop now at LetsGetChecked

Best for fast delivery

myLAB Box

  • Price:$99
  • Insurance coverage:myLAB Box doesn’t accept insurance, but they do accept FSA and HSA payments.
  • Results:within 2 to 5 days

myLAB Box offers a series of at-home tests to monitor your health and wellness. They also provide one free physician consultation for atypical test results.

For this test, you’ll collect a blood sample via finger prick. myLAB Box offers fast results by including a free 2-day shipping label and provides you with results 2 to 5 days after receiving the sample.

The company is registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and states that it works with CLIA approved labs.

myLAB Box has many 5-star reviews on their website, but only 2 reviews are listed for the vitamin D test.

Shop now at myLAB Box

Most affordable

Cerascreen

  • Price:$55
  • Insurance coverage: The Cerascreen website doesn’t state whether they accept insurance or HSA or FSA payments.
  • Results:varies

The Cerascreen vitamin D test is the most affordable option on this list. The price includes 2- to 5-day shipping to return the sample to the lab. Results will be provided a few days after that.

Your test will be analyzed in a certified medical lab. You’ll receive a personalized report with your results. The report includes your current 25-OH D level and provides actionable steps to maintain a healthy vitamin D level.

Note that you can’t purchase this test in New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, or Maryland.

On the Cerascreen website, the vitamin D test has 5 out of 5 stars with just over 5 reviews.

Shop now at Cerascreen

Are at-home vitamin D tests accurate?

Accuracy can depend on sample collection. User error is always a possibility with at-home tests, so it’s important to carefully follow the instructions provided. Overall, at-home vitamin D tests are as accurate as traditional lab tests.

How often should I test my vitamin D levels?

If you have a vitamin D deficiency, a 2010 review recommends testing your levels 3 months after beginning treatment. Testing may help you and your healthcare professional determine if the plan is working or if it should be adjusted.

Otherwise, if your vitamin D levels typically fall within the recommended range, testing them twice per year — in the spring and again in the fall — can alert you to any changes and help ensure they continue to stay within a healthy range.

There isn’t much research available on the benefits of screening for vitamin D deficiency, so it’s best to speak with your healthcare professional first before trying an at-home test.

What are appropriate vitamin D levels?

Mostvitamin D testsmeasure the total amount of 25-OH D in your blood.

According to the Office of Dietary Supplements , adequate 25-OH D levels range from 20 ng/mL to 50 ng/mL. Levels below 12 ng/mL are typically associated with vitamin D deficiency.

How can I increase my vitamin D levels?

You can increase your vitamin D levels by spending time in the sun,eating foods with vitamin D, or takingsupplements containing vitamin D.

Foods high in vitamin D include:

  • To learn more about your test results.If you have test results and you’d like to better understand them, it’s a good time to reach out to a healthcare professional. They can help you interpret the results and determine next steps.
  • To have a general checkup.Even if you’re in good health, if you haven’t seen a doctor in a while, you can ask for a general health screening that includes testing your vitamin D levels.
  • To discuss symptoms that may be affecting your daily life.If you’re experiencingsymptomssuch as constant or increased tiredness, hair loss, slow wound healing, or chronic pain, it’s a good idea to contact a health professional. They can check your vitamin D levels with a blood test and help you rule out other causes behind your symptoms.
  • If changes to boost vitamin D have not seemed to help.If natural methods to allow your body to get more vitamin D from foods and produce it from sun exposure haven’t been effective or haven’t improved how you’re feeling, that’s worth talking about with a healthcare professional.

Vitamin D is an important micronutrient for your health, as it plays a role in bone and immune health. Many people with vitamin D deficiency don’t experience any symptoms. So, testing your vitamin D levels may help maintain your health.

An at-home test is a convenient way to monitor your vitamin D levels. Note that there isn’t much research available on the benefits of screening for vitamin D deficiency.

Before ordering a test, it’s important to speak with your healthcare professional to determine if testing is needed and, if so, how often. Your healthcare professional can also recommend any at-home testing options and advise you on your results and treatment for a vitamin D deficiency.