What is Vitamin D Deficiency?

Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones. Some people don’t have enough vitamin D – called vitamin D deficiency.

Why do I need this test?

Between October and March, the sunlight in Britain is not strong enough to make enough vitamin D, and up to a quarter of the population has low levels of it in their blood.

Vitamin D deficiency can put people at risk of Rickets or Osteomalacia and some research suggests that not getting enough of it may also be linked to Heart conditions, Diabetes, Asthma and Cognitive impairment in older adults.

Vitamin D deficiency at-risk groups

The Chief Medical Officers of the UK say these groups are at particular risk of vitamin D deficiency:

• Pregnant and breastfeeding women, especially teenagers and young women.
• Infants and children under 5 years of age.
• People 65 and over.
• People who have little or no exposure to the sun. This includes covering-up for cultural reasons, people who are housebound or who stay indoors for long periods of time.
• People with darker skin, such as African, African-Caribbean and South Asian origin. These groups are not able to make as much vitamin D as those with paler skin.

View the full test instructions here.

To view the full instructions in German click here.