Oregon residents can order their own labs for vitamin and nutrition testing.Vitamins and minerals are important to support the body’s growth and healthy functioning. Vitamins and minerals are carried throughout the body in the blood. While a doctor can suspect deficiencies and excesses with a physical exam and by analyzing symptoms, they can only be confirmed with blood tests. Sometimes they are called micronutrient tests or assessments of nutritional status (11). Imbalances in vitamins and minerals can be caused by improper diet, environmental or emotional stress, alcoholism or other addictions, some medications, over-supplementation, and genetically inherited conditions. According to the Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, the vitamins and minerals that can be tested for in the blood include (12):- Those involved in making blood: iron, folacin, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12- Water-soluble vitamins: thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin C- Fat- soluble vitamins: A, D, E, and K- Minerals: iron, iodine, phosphate, and magnesium, among othersIf a deficiency or excess is detected a patient’s doctor or registered dietician may recommend that he or she modify his or her eating patterns, or, in some cases, take a vitamin or mineral supplement.