Included with every panel
Baseline labs come free with any panel you build.
Metabolism & organs
Calcium test
Essential mineral for bones, nerves, and muscles; tightly regulated by parathyroid hormone and vitamin D. Included with every panel.
At a glance
In about 5 days
Most results are ready in about 5 days. Some specialty markers can take up to 21 days.
Check before your draw
This marker has no preparation tag, but it can still need preparation. Contact us before your draw if you’re not sure.
Walk in at Quest
Your lab order arrives by email. Most Quest locations take walk-ins, so bring it with a photo ID.
What it measures
Calcium is a mineral your bones, muscles, nerves and heart all rely on. This test shows how much is in your blood, which your body keeps within a tight range.
Why it matters for women
An overactive parathyroid gland, one of the tiny glands in your neck that control calcium, can raise this level, and it’s most common in women after menopause. Blood calcium can stay steady even as bones thin, so this test can’t check for osteoporosis, or bone thinning; a bone density scan does that.
You might check it if…
- you’ve had kidney stones
- you feel very thirsty, constipated or tired without a clear reason
- you get muscle cramps or tingling in your fingers or lips
What your result may mean
High Calcium: what it may mean
High calcium (hypercalcemia) can be caused by primary hyperparathyroidism, when a parathyroid gland in the neck is overactive, or by cancer (malignancy). Primary hyperparathyroidism can be most common in women after menopause. Too much vitamin D or calcium, some water pills, lithium and dehydration can raise it too. Some people may notice fatigue, nausea, constipation, strong thirst or kidney stones, and others may have no symptoms. A clinician may order PTH and vitamin D tests to help find the reason.
Low Calcium: what it may mean
Low calcium (hypocalcemia) can result from low vitamin D, hypoparathyroidism (underactive parathyroid glands) or kidney disease. Low albumin can make total calcium look low even when the active form is normal, so a clinician may check albumin or ionized calcium too. That can happen in pregnancy, when albumin can drift lower. Low magnesium and thyroid or neck surgery can also play a part. Muscle cramps or tingling in the fingers and toes can happen, and severe low calcium can cause tetany, which is painful muscle spasms.
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These notes provide context and do not diagnose a condition. Not yet available in NY, NJ, RI, HI, ND, SD or WV.