Why Do I Need a Vitamin Checkup?

October 28, 2025

2 min read

Tests for vitamin and mineral levels are expensive, and many people think they are unnecessary. It's much easier and cheaper to buy a pack of multivitamins. So, why should you have an annual vitamin checkup?

Key takeaways

Tests for vitamin and mineral levels are expensive, and many people think they are unnecessary.
Body overview
Warning signs

Who this is for

People exploring Vitamins and minerals through vitamin D, vitamins.

Why it matters

This piece helps you get oriented quickly, then move into a collection or series if you want to keep going.

Article author

Dr. Asya

Scientific Advisor

As a biochemist, she has expertise in developing and implementing new methods of assessing fatty acids in the blood. She also studies the processes occurring in the human body, and works to help people stay healthy and defeat old age.

Health expert

Body overview

The balance of vitamins and minerals is important for all body systems. For example, vitamin A deficiency can lead to eye disease and loss of vision, B6, B9, and B12 deficiency can lead to anemia, D deficiency can lead to rickets in children and osteoporosis in adults, and E deficiency can lead to problems with the skin, intestines, and nervous system. The principle "the more, the better" doesn't apply here, because an overabundance of certain vitamins and minerals can also cause serious complications.

This is why doctors insist on tests and do not recommend buying multivitamins. First, without tests, you'll never know exactly what vitamins and minerals you should take and those you do not need to take. Second, while multivitamins contain many different substances their small dosages mean you may not be getting enough of certain vitamins.

Warning signs

Deficiencies of various vitamins and minerals have many specific symptoms, but some occur most often and should lead you to think about the problem. These include:

Constant fatigue
Depressed mood
Trouble sleeping
Frequent colds
Cramps in the calf muscles
Hair and nail problems
Digestive problems
Cellulite
Dizziness
Bleeding gums and tendency to get skin bruises
Joint pain

By choosing the right vitamin complex, you can prevent or even “fix” issues like these. At the initial stage, vitamin imbalances may not manifest themselves in any way.

What to take first

Of course, the decisive word here is your doctor, who will prescribe tests based on your medical history and well-being. Typically the absolute minimum includes B12, B9, and D vitamins.

If tests show you're deficient in a certain area, your doctor will choose supplements and dosages for each. There is no sense in self-treatment, and sometimes it is even dangerous, because, for some conditions, some vitamins and supplements may not be suitable for you. You can find out the optimal values of certain indicators in our appendix.

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