A patient seated in the chair before a blood draw
In person

Calcium

The mineral behind bones, nerves, and muscles, from one blood draw.

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  • 2,000+ lab locations. Find one near you
  • Nothing due at the lab. FSA / HSA accepted
  • Ordered by a licensed clinician

At a glance

Collection
Blood draw
A standard blood draw at the lab.
Preparation
None
Nothing to do ahead of time. Water is fine.
Results
1 to 2 days
Typical turnaround after your visit.
Where
2,000+ lab locations
Nationwide, with nothing due at the lab.

About this test

Calcium helps build bone and supports nerve signals, muscle movement, and blood clotting. Its level in blood is held in a tight range by parathyroid hormone and vitamin D, among others. It is usually read with other results, such as a metabolic panel, rather than alone. No fasting is needed.

For adults 18 and older. Test availability varies by lab location.

Who should take this test?

This test is for adults whose healthcare provider wants to follow a calcium level, often for bone, parathyroid, or kidney questions, or after a past routine chemistry result.

Ask about this test

Not sure this is the right test?

AI-generated. For information only, not medical advice. Call 911 for an emergency.

What does this test measure?

Your result shows how much calcium is in your blood, which can help a healthcare provider look at parathyroid, bone, and kidney questions together with your other results.

Calcium
Calcium is a mineral your bones, muscles, nerves, and heart all rely on. Hormones, including parathyroid hormone and vitamin D, keep the level in your blood tightly controlled. Because part of blood calcium travels attached to albumin, a provider often reads it alongside your albumin result.
Why it’s measured: To check a mineral that bones, nerves, and muscles all depend on.

How it works

  1. Step 1

    Order online

    Check out here. A licensed clinician in your state reviews your order and sends it to the lab.

  2. Step 2

    Visit a lab

    Bring a photo ID to any of 2,000+ lab locations. No fasting needed, and nothing is due at the lab.

  3. Step 3

    Get your results

    Results post to your account, usually in 1 to 2 days, each number next to the lab’s reference range.

Find a lab near you

Choose from 2,000+ lab locations nationwide. Your order works at any of them.

What your results tell you

Calcium is reported in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) and compared with the lab’s reference range, which is shown on your report.

  • Your number next to the lab’s reference range
  • Explained in plain language
  • A licensed clinician reviews your order and, if appropriate, orders the test.
  • A lab report you can download and share

Talk with a healthcare provider about any result outside the range. Calcium is usually read with albumin, phosphate, and other results.

Clinical-grade testing, from the comfort of home.

From the lab to your report, every step of our process meets the gold standard in medical testing.

  • CLIA-certified labs

    Every lab we partner with is certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments, meeting both state and federal standards with regular independent inspections.

  • We protect your health data

    We protect your health data with encryption and do not sell it. Some results must be reported to public health authorities by law. See our Privacy Notice.

  • Rigorous quality assurance

    All partner labs run regular internal quality checks, participate in proficiency testing, and comply with federal and state lab regulations.

  • Clinician-reviewed reports

    Results are reviewed by an independent, licensed clinician.

Questions

Common questions.

Anything else, our care team answers by phone, text, or email.

Parathyroid hormone, vitamin D, calcitonin, and adrenal hormones work together to keep blood calcium steady. Bone acts as a store, releasing or taking up calcium as needed. Because of that tight control, a healthcare provider may suggest other tests if your result is outside the range.

Much of the calcium in blood travels attached to albumin, a protein. If albumin is low or high, total calcium can shift with it even when the active calcium is unchanged. A healthcare provider takes this into account when reading your result.

A blood calcium result does not measure bone density or show how strong your bones are. Blood calcium can stay within the range even when bone health is a concern, because the body draws on bone to keep blood levels steady. Questions about bones are a conversation for a healthcare provider.

Lab tests are informational and don’t diagnose conditions on their own. Available to adults 18 and older; test availability varies by lab location. A licensed clinician reviews your order and, if appropriate, orders the test. All testing is performed at CLIA-certified laboratories. Not for emergencies: if you think you may be having a medical emergency, call 911.