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Vitamins are essential for the body to function at its optimum and can only be absorbed into the body through a healthy, balanced diet and lifestyle. Fatigue, bone aches, muscle weakness and camps, are all signs that you could have a vitamin deficiency. Book a Vitamin Profile health test to help you understand the levels of key vitamins in your body.

What is a Vitamin Deficiency?

Vitamin deficiency is the term used for a lack of vitamins in the body, caused by either insufficient intake into the body through diet or lifestyle, or due to an undiagnosed health condition where the body fails to absorb the vitamins, such as malabsorption.

Many people have Vitamin deficiency without realising it. It is a very common health condition with facts including diet, environment and lifestyle contributing. For example, everyone in the UK is at risk of vitamin D deficiency due to our climate (and the number of hours our country receives from the sun), and vegetarians and vegans are at higher risk of vitamin B12 deficiency.

What are the symptoms of Vitamin Deficiency?

If your body does not have enough of vitamins it needs to function and you are vitamin deficient, you could experience:

• Tiredness
• Brittle hair and nails
• Lack of energy
• Mouth ulcers
• Low mood
• Bleeding gums
• Poor skin
• Scaly patches and dandruff
• Hair loss
• Red or white bumps on the skin
• Restless leg syndrome
• Reduced fitness

How do I get tested for Vitamin Deficiency?

You can level of Vitamins in your blood with a simple blood, either through a home diabetes test or at a local clinic with an expert professional. The Vitamin Profile blood test will measure the levels of key vitamins within your blood, with the results confirming whether you are deficient or within the normal range.

You can also check whether your vitamin levels are improving by a blood test if you are making a lifestyle change.

The Vitamin Profile Health Test will test for some or all of following biomarkers:

Folate (Vitamin B9)
Folate is a B Vitamin which is important in the production of red cells, particularly during the first trimester of pregnancy. If you are planning to become pregnant, it is important to check and regulate your folate levels.

Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is used to produce oxygen-carrying red blood cells, and plays a role in the nervous system maintenance. Vitamin B12 can only be derived from animal sources such as meat, fish and dairy, and so deficiency is common amongst vegan and vegetarians. It can be commonly obtained through foods such as meat, milk, yoghurt, eggs, cheese, or fish. Vitamin B12 supplements can also be taken by vegans or vegetarians.

Vitamin D
Vitamin D is vital for bone strength, as well as protection against chronic illnesses and muscle function. It can be made by the skin when exposed to sunlight, or through supplements.

Albumin (ALB)
The liver produces a protein called Albumin. Albumin nourishes tissues and transports essential components, such as hormones, vitamin, and drugs throughout the blood.
Albumin is highly sensitive to liver damage so lower levels can indicate when the liver is damaged.

Calcium
Over 99% of the calcium in your body is found in your bones. The remaining 1% circulates in your blood, both in ‘free’ and ‘bound forms. The amount of calcium in your blood can indicate low (hypocalcaemia) or high (hypercalcaemia)

Corrected Calcium
Calcium binds to proteins in the blood, especially albumin. When albumin levels are low, calcium levels will also be low, even though the level of unbound calcium in the blood may be normal. A corrected calcium result indicates the true calcium level in your body.

Ferritin (Iron)
Ferritin is a blood protein made up predominately of iron, making it a very good indicator of the overall amount of iron stored in the body. Iron is used in the body to create new blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body.

Find out whether you have the vitamins you need through a Vitamin Profile Health Test.

Key points:

• Over 20% of the UK population have a vitamin deficiency. Vitamins are essential for the body to function at its optimum and can only be absorbed into the body through a healthy, balanced diet and lifestyle.
• Fatigue, bone aches, muscle weakness and camps, are all signs that you could have a vitamin deficiency. Book a Vitamin Profile health test to help you understand the levels of key vitamins in your body.
• Vegetarians and vegans are at higher risk of vitamin B12 deficiency as this essential vitamin can only be derived from animal sources such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy.

How a Sample is Taken

With most health tests, there are two options for taking a sample of blood, which is used to test for certain biomarkers. The two most common options are a finger-prick or venous draw:

Finger prick Draw:
Health Tests that take blood via the ‘finger-prick’ method are usually done within the comfort of your own home, enabling you to take a small amount of blood discreetly and conveniently when you want to.

Venous Draw:
Once you have booked your health test, you’ll be sent the blood kit which includes all the equipment needed for a professional blood draw by an experienced healthcare professional, with clinics available across the UK to take your sample.

Details about which option is available for this health test, are available when you compare the results.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How severe is Vitamin Deficiency?

  Long term vitamin deficiency can cause serious health issues that may not improve even with treatment. A severe vitamin deficiency can cause vision loss, behavioral changes, weakness of the fingers and toes, memory loss and tachycardia (a rapid heart rate).

• Is scurvy the same as Vitamin Deficiency?

  Scurvy is a severe Vitamin C deficiency and common amongst sailors of the 18^th Century as they did not have access to fresh fruits and vegetables during long sea voyages. Symptoms of scurvy includes bleeding gums, joint paint, shortness of breath, slow-healing wounds, fatigue, and heart problems.

• Are Vegetarians and Vegans more at risk from a Vitamin Deficiency?

  Yes. Vegetarians and vegans are at higher risk of vitamin B12 deficiency as this essential vitamin can only be derived from animal sources such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy. If you are following a plant-based diet, it is important to regularly check up on your vitamin B12 levels with a health test test. If low, you may need to take supplements of vitamin B12.

• How Many People Have Vitamin D Deficiency?

  Almost one billion people worldwide have low levels of vitamin D and approximately 20% of the population in the UK have a vitamin D deficiency. 60% of the population are considered as having insufficient levels of vitamin D.

• What are the symptoms of a Vitamin Deficiency?

  If your body does not have enough of vitamins it needs to function and you are vitamin deficient, you could experience Tiredness, Brittle hair and nails, Lack of energy, Mouth ulcers, Low mood, Bleeding gums, Poor skin, Scaly patches and dandruff, Hair loss, Red or white bumps on the skin, Restless leg syndrome and reduced fitness.