All Vitamin and Minerals Tests

All Vitamin and Mineral Tests gathers the most important micronutrient labs in one place so you can check your nutritional status, rule out deficiencies or excesses, and monitor trends over time. Vitamins and minerals influence energy, immunity, red-blood-cell production, bones and muscles, nerves, skin and hair, and heart health. Because symptoms like fatigue, hair loss, or cramps can have many causes, a stepwise lab approach helps you and your clinician identify what’s truly driving them.

Most people start with core nutrient markers (iron studies with ferritin, vitamin B12 with confirmatory MMA, folate, and vitamin D), then add electrolyte minerals (calcium, magnesium), and trace elements (zinc, copper, selenium, iodine) based on history and risk. These labs support screening, diagnostic triage, and monitoring, but they do notreplace a clinician’s evaluation, imaging, or emergency care when warning signs appear.

Signs, Symptoms & Related Situations

• Energy & blood-health clues: fatigue, pale skin, shortness of breath on exertion, dizziness, brittle nails (iron, B12, folate)

• Neurologic & cognitive: tingling/numbness, balance changes, memory issues, mood changes (B12, copper)

• Bone & muscle: bone pain, frequent fractures, muscle cramps, weakness (vitamin D, calcium, magnesium)

• Skin, hair, and taste: hair thinning, dry skin, poor wound healing, reduced taste/smell (zinc, vitamin A)

• Thyroid & metabolism context: dietary iodine extremes; selenium for thyroid enzyme support

• Digestive & absorption risks: celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, bariatric surgery, chronic diarrhea, low stomach acid, metformin or acid-suppressing meds (B12/iron)

• Life stages: pregnancy and lactation (iron, folate, iodine), growth spurts, aging adults, vegetarian/vegan diets

• Seek urgent care now: chest pain, severe shortness of breath, fainting, black/bloody stools, severe weakness, confusion, or rapidly worsening neurologic symptoms
  All symptoms should be evaluated by a qualified clinician.

Why These Tests Matter

What testing can do

• Detect deficiencies or excesses early—even when symptoms are vague or absent

• Differentiate look-alikes (e.g., iron deficiency vs. anemia of inflammation; B12 vs. folate issues)

• Guide monitoring after diet changes, procedures affecting absorption, or clinician-directed supplementation

What testing cannot do

• Diagnose the cause of a deficiency by itself (diet, absorption, blood loss, or medicines may be involved)

• Replace imaging or procedures when structural causes are suspected

• Provide treatment or dosing advice—review results with your clinician

What These Tests Measure (at a glance)

• Iron Status & Anemia

  • Ferritin: iron stores (low in iron deficiency; can rise with inflammation)

  • Iron, TIBC, Transferrin Saturation: circulating iron and transport capacity

  • CBC (hemoglobin, MCV): anemia pattern and red-cell size

• Vitamin B12 & Folate

  • Vitamin B12 + MMA (± Homocysteine): MMA rises when B12 is functionally low

  • Folate (± RBC Folate): folate status; RBC folate reflects longer-term intake

• Vitamin D & Bone-Mineral

  • 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D: primary status marker

  • Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium (± PTH): bone/mineral balance; consider RBC Mg when clinically indicated

• Trace Elements

  • Zinc: immune/skin/taste; low with poor intake or losses

  • Copper (± Ceruloplasmin): neurologic and blood-health context; balance with zinc

  • Selenium: antioxidant/thyroid enzyme cofactor

  • Iodine (urine): reflects recent intake; consider in pregnancy planning or extreme diets

• Context Markers

  • CRP/ESR: inflammation that can mask iron deficiency (ferritin false-normal/high)

  • CMP: liver/kidney function affecting nutrient transport or activation

Preparation notes: some labs ask you to avoid supplements for 24 hours before the draw (especially zinc/biotin) and to avoid vigorous exercise or alcohol beforehand. High-dose biotin may interfere with certain immunoassays; follow any hold instructions from your clinician.

Quick Build Guide

How the Testing Process Works

1. Choose your starting bundle based on your goals using the Quick Build Guide.

2. Prepare for accuracy: unless instructed, fasting is not required. Avoid high-dose supplements (especially biotinand zinc) for 24 hours before the draw if advised.

3. Provide samples: most tests use a blood draw; select tests use urine (e.g., iodine).

4. Access results securely: most panels post within a few days.

5. Plan next steps: review results with your clinician to determine causes (diet, absorption, losses) and to set a monitoring cadence.

Interpreting Results (General Guidance)

• Low ferritin + low transferrin saturation → iron deficiency pattern; correlate with CBC and sources of blood loss or malabsorption.

• Normal/high ferritin with inflammation (elevated CRP/ESR) → ferritin may be falsely reassuring; look at transferrin saturation and context.

• Low B12 or high MMA → functional B12 deficiency; consider diet, absorption (e.g., metformin, low stomach acid), and symptoms.

• Low 25-OH vitamin D → bone/muscle pain or weakness risk; values trend with season and intake.

• Abnormal calcium/magnesium → evaluate medications, kidney function, and PTH (clinician-directed).

• Low zinc or copper → check for imbalanced supplementation or GI losses.
  Always interpret with a qualified healthcare professional; trends and clinical context matter more than one value.

Choosing Panels vs. Individual Tests

• Core nutrient panel: Ferritin • Iron/TIBC • CBC • Vitamin B12 ± MMA • Folate • 25-OH Vitamin D • Magnesium • Calcium

• Trace-element add-ons: Zinc • Copper (± Ceruloplasmin) • Selenium • Urine Iodine

• Bone-mineral depth (clinician-directed): PTH • Phosphorus
  Use bundled panels for efficient screening, then add individual markers to answer targeted questions and monitor progress.

FAQs

Do I need to fast for vitamin/mineral labs?
Usually no. Follow any instructions on your order; some trace elements request a morning, non-supplemented sample.

Should I stop my vitamins before testing?
If advised, avoid high-dose supplements (especially biotin or zinc) for 24 hours before the draw to prevent transient spikes or assay interference.

Can inflammation hide iron deficiency?
Yes. Ferritin can look normal/high during inflammation. Pair with transferrin saturation and consider CRP/ESR.

What’s the best test for B12 status?
B12 with MMA improves accuracy; MMA rises when B12 is functionally low.

Is RBC magnesium better than serum magnesium?
Serum magnesium is most common; RBC magnesium may be used in select cases—your clinician will advise.

Do vegans/vegetarians need different tests?
Often B12 ± MMA, iron/ferritin, vitamin D, and sometimes zinc/selenium are helpful.

How often should I recheck?
Commonly 8–12 weeks after changes (diet, surgery, supplementation), then as advised by your clinician.

Related Test Categories & Key Tests

• Nutrition Tests Hub

• Micronutrient Testing • Metabolism Tests • Malabsorption Tests • Celiac Disease • Anemia & Blood Count • Bone & Joint (Osteoporosis)

• Key Tests: Ferritin • Iron • TIBC • Transferrin Saturation • CBC • Vitamin B12 • Methylmalonic Acid (MMA) • Folate • 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D • Calcium • Magnesium • Phosphorus • Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) • Zinc • Copper • Ceruloplasmin • Selenium • Urine Iodine • CRP • ESR • CMP

References

• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements — Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Folate, Iron, Zinc, Magnesium fact sheets.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — Iron deficiency and anemia resources.
• American Society of Hematology — Evaluation of anemia guidelines.
• Endocrine Society — Vitamin D testing and interpretation guidance.
• American College of Gastroenterology — Guidelines on celiac disease and malabsorption.
• Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics — Micronutrient assessment in special diets.
• AACC (American Association for Clinical Chemistry) — Best practices for nutrient and trace-element testing.

Available Tests & Panels

Your All Vitamin and Mineral Tests menu is pre-populated in the Ulta Lab Tests system. Start with a core nutrient panel (iron studies with ferritin, B12 ± MMA, folate, vitamin D, magnesium, calcium), then use filters to add trace elements (zinc, copper, selenium, urine iodine) or bone-mineral markers (phosphorus, PTH) as needed. Follow any preparation guidance and review results with your clinician to confirm causes and set a monitoring plan.

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