Vitamin D
Blood Spot Test
Research data links Vitamin D deficiency with a wide range of diseases.
Blood Spot Test
Know exactly what your Vitamin D Levels are:
Take this simple test at home and get results as accurate as a blood draw preformed by a doctor.*
State of the Art Vitamin D Testing
Until recently, a test for Vitamin D levels meant a trip to the doctor and a blood draw - a considerable expense often not covered by insurance.
But now, a few drops of blood from a quick and almost painless prick of the finger with a few spots of blood placed on special collection paper are all that is needed. This can be done at home. It’s convenient, quick and suitable for all populations from pediatric to the elderly.
Your blood spot sample is sent in a pre-paid envelope to an independent laboratory for analysis. You’ll have accurate results in an easy to read format just a few days.
Blood spot testing ensures that you achieve optimal levels of Vitamin D and avoid the multiple risks associated with Vitamin D deficiency and the toxic dangers of over-dosing.
Vitamin D Blood Spot at home test
$175.Special Price
$135
If you're worried about:
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Depression
- Osteoporosis
- Chronic pain
You should know that these and a host of other common health problems are all are associated with low Vitamin D.
Vitamin D deficiencies are very common, particularly in northern climates. Lack of sunshine, wearing clothing, and use of sunscreens inhibits the natural creation of Vitamin D in the skin.
Having optimal Vitamin D levels is a simple and inexpensive health change that can affect a:
- 78% reduction in type1 diabetes in children
- 33% reduction in type 2 diabetes
- 72% reduction in number of falls in the elderly
- 42% reduction in multiple sclerosis in women
And those without adequate Vitamin D levels are at risk for:
- 200% increase in type 1 diabetes in children
- 30-50% more cancers
Optimal levels of Vitamin D result in a 77% reduction in cancer incidence.
Life Extension Foundation research shows that achieving adequate Vitamin D levels in the US population could prevent as many as ¾ of all cancers in as little as four years.
Research also reveals that 275,00 American lives could be saved each year if a nationwide program to get adequate vitamin D levels was implemented.
Low levels of Vitamin D have been identified as a “health crisis emergency”. Everything should be done to ensure that everyone achieves optimal Vitamin D status.
“Because of convincing evidence of benefit and the strong evidence of safety, we urge those who have the ability to support public health – the media, vitamin manufacturers, and policy makers - to undertake new initiatives that will have a realistic chance of making a difference in terms of vitamin D nutrition.”
--American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
A review article in the July 19, 2007 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine documents that those with less than optimal Vitamin D levels have increase incidence of:
- Autoimmune diseases
- Osteoarthritis
- Depression
- Hypertension
- Pulmonary disorders
- Schizophrenia
- Cardiovascular diseases
In addition, low levels of Vitamin D have been related to:
- Osteoporosis
- Muscle weakness
- Hypothyroidism
- Non-specific musculoskeletal pain
- Chronic low back pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Stroke
Between 40-100% of elderly people in the US and Europe have insufficient or deficient levels of Vitamin D. Even children and young adults who supplement with 400 IU of Vitamin D and consume Vitamin D rich foods can be low in Vitamin D.
And don’t count on sunlight exposure to increase your vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D levels can remain low in some people despite abundant exposure to sunlight. 51% of individuals who had a mean of 11.1 hours per week of total body skin exposure with no sunscreen used still remained low in Vitamin D levels. Tanned skin loses its ability to manufacture Vitamin D and as we age our ability to convert vitamin D in the skin becomes further diminished.
Your Vitamin D status can be assessed by having your blood tested. Vitamin D testing identifies Vitamin D deficiency as a potential cause of numerous health problems. Further testing monitors Vitamin D levels during supplementation to ensure adequate levels are achieved and protects against possible overdosing and toxicity.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition states that the “minimum Vitamin D blood levels needed to reduce disease risk is 30 ng/mL” and that it is rare for members of the US population to achieve this.
To account for the significant individual dose response variability, an optimal strategy is to achieve a serum Vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) level of around 60 ng/mL. Depending on your current Vitamin D levels you may need to take up to 5,000 IU or more of Vitamin D to achieve this optimal disease prevention level.
Now you know how crucial adequate Vitamin D levels are and how beneficial optimal levels can be.
The good news is that Vitamin D is inexpensive. But that's why testing for Vitamin D will never be popularized by the media - because there is no expensive drug to push.
And it is important to remember that it is the amount of Vitamin D in the blood that determines disease risk – not the amount of Vitamin D consumed. Various factors in the body can lock up Vitamin D and prevent utilization.
If your Vitamin D levels are low at initial testing it is recommended that you re-test your Vitamin D levels every season for 1 year then yearly thereafter once your levels reach optimal.
How to Get the Test
Your functional test is ordered through me in my capacity as a Certified Nutritionist.
Use our secure online shopping cart.
The test kit with full instructions will be sent to you within a few days. A small shipping and handling fee applies.
Collect the specimens at your convenience and send directly to the independent laboratory.
The test results are sent to me and I will forward a copy to you.
We then schedule a time to discuss the interpretations and implications of the results and possible nutritional and lifestyle treatment programs appropriate for you based on your test results.
You'll have the option of working with me further to treat your results and resolve the problems revealed in your testing.
For questions and tests not available for order online, email maryann@evenstaronline.com
To Your Health,
Order the test now.
Read my article on the need for vitamin D supplementation and testing vitamin D levels.
And here is some technical information from the makers of the blood spot test that further documents the importance of vitamin D testing and the parameters of this test:
(click on the image to open)
*ZRT Laboratory "has shown conclusively that this blood spot testing method is qualitatively equivalent to conventional serum Vitamin D testing by LC-MS/MS."
