This question comes from our popular Health After 50 newsletter. A reader asks: Should I have my vitamin D levels tested? Johns Hopkins professor, Dr. Michele Bellantoni answers.
Yes, if you're over 65. Vitamin D deficiency increases your chance of fractures, muscle loss, and bone pain, explains geriatrician Michele Bellantoni, M.D., Medical Director of Hopkins Bayview Care Center and Health After 50 Board Member.
Two blood tests are used to measure vitamin D levels. Most people only need the 25-hydroxy vitamin D test, says Dr. Bellantoni . The other test, referred to as the 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D test, is used for people with high calcium levels, kidney disease, or certain cancers. Both tests cost around $50 and are covered by Medicare.
If your levels are low, consider taking a vitamin D supplement. Aim to get 800 units of the vitamin daily, says Dr. Bellantoni. Or, if you have no history of skin cancer, you can head outdoors to catch a little sun instead of taking a supplement. "Get out and walk for a few minutes," says Dr. Bellantoni. "It's good for your heart, it's good for your bones, and it's good for your vitamin D." Ten minutes of sunshine a day without any protection (including cosmetics or moisturizers with sunscreen) is probably enough to safely boost vitamin D. Sitting by a window won't work, because the glass blocks the sun's rays, says Dr. Bellantoni.
There are no established guidelines for how often a person should have his or her vitamin D levels checked. Dr. Bellantoni recommends rechecking levels if there has been a considerable reduction in sun exposure or if you have changed your daily intake of supplements over a two-month period.
