Vitamin A Test

Vitamin A is one of the most vital vitamins for the overall health of our body. Also known as retinol, it plays an essential role in the formation of rhodopsin, a photoreceptor pigment in the retina of the eye. It also helps in maintaining the epithelial tissues that line most internal organs, glands, and the body's surfaces. It’s our liver that stores about 80-90% of vitamin A thus its deficiency can be due to liver disorder. Therefore to check the lack that can even lead to death in kids, the doctor suggests the vitamin A test.

For this test, you should fast for 12 hours and abstain from alcohol for 24 hours prior to collection. Other than fasting, one should consult the doctor before the test. The doctor should know the different medical conditions that you have and various medicines that you are taking. Based on that analysis, the particular instruction should be followed for an accurate result. Since it is a blood test, clothing plays a vital role so that the doctor can take the sample quickly. Foldable full sleeves, half sleeves or sleeveless shirt should be worn on the day of the test.

As stated above, vitamin A test is used to see the level of vitamin-A present in the blood. It the deficiency of vitamin-A that can be harmful and thus on should maintain the level. The test result will be normal if the vitamin A is present in the normal range, i.e., 0.30 - 1.20 mg/L. The test will be negative or low if the range of vitamin A in the blood is below 0.30mg/L. In such cases, the doctor will advise you to have vitamin A supplements.

Your blood sample is collected for the test and taken to the lab for the test. The skin and the needle are cleaned using the alcohol or other disinfectants. An elastic band is wrapped around the upper elbow to stop the blood flow, and it helps in letting the veins to grow big. Then the needle is injected into the vein, and the blood is collected in the tube attached to the needle. Your name is written on the tube, and the sample is sent to the lab. After the needle is ejected from the vein, a cotton pad is pressed against the injected area to stop the blood, and the band is unwrapped from the elbow.