Questions on vitamin D

• Why should I test vitamin D?

  Vitamin D deficiency is a widespread problem in the world. According to the Robert Koch Institute only about 30% of people get enough vitamin D, a fact which can entail widespread consequences for an individual’s health.
  
  It therefore makes sense for most people in northern and central Europe to test their vitamin D levels. Risk groups include young adults, senior citizens and women. Those who rarely go outside or who cover large parts of their body with clothing are also at risk of a deficiency.

• How does the vitamin D Test work?

  For the vitamin D Test, a lancet is used to take a small blood sample from your fingertip. A few drops of blood are applied to a dry blood card, which is then sent by prepaid return envelope to a certified lab. The laboratory then determines the concentration of 25-(OH) Vitamin D in your blood serum.

• What does the result tell me?

  The vitamin D Test will tell you the concentration of 25-(OH)-D in your blood, in nanograms per millilitre. You will then receive a classification telling you into which range your value falls. Here are the ranges for normal result types:
  
  - 11 to 30 nanograms per millilitre: Chronic vitamin D deficiency
  - 31 to 40 nanograms per millilitre: Adequate vitamin D supply
  - 41 to 60 nanograms per millilitre: Good and preventive Vitamin D supplements
  
  In the results report, you will also get a "How To" guide showing you how you can bring your values within a healthy range with the help of supplements.

• What recommendations will I receive?

  The results report will provide you with instructions on how to get your values back on track. This usually involves taking vitamin D supplements.
  
  We provide recommendations on the duration and doses of supplements and how your vitamin D levels can be maintained afterwards at a healthy level.

• How does vitamin D deficiency manifest itself?

  Vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of osteoporosis, bone softening and broken bones. In addition, studies have linked the deficiency to, among other conditions: cardiovascular disease, depression, and certain cancers.
  
  Vitamin D deficiency manifests itself by many 'non-specific' symptoms, including:
  - fatigue, exhaustion, and irritability
  - Sleep disorders
  - head and back pain
  - muscle weakness and musculoskeletal pain
  - increased susceptibility to infection
  
  It is difficult to perceive a deficiency - and therefore it often makes sense to check levels with the vitamin D Test. Once you know your vitamin D level, you can maintain it by taking vitamin D supplements.

• What do I need vitamin D for?

  Vitamin D is both a vitamin and a hormone. It supports many important functions and metabolic processes in the body.
  
  Examples for functions of Vitamin D include:
  - formation of muscle fibres and cells
  - skeletal make-up and bone mineralization
  - absorption of calcium and phosphate in the intestines
  - cardiac muscle function
  - strengthening of the immune system.

• Where do I get vitamin D?

  The human body can produce vitamin D itself, but for this it requires UV-B radiation from the sun. More specifically, we use sunlight to produce the prohormone cholecalciferol (vitamin D3), which the body converts into the active form of vitamin D through the intermediary of calcidiol (25-OH-vitamin D3).
  
  Experts recommend daily sun exposure for 5 to 25 minutes so that the sun's rays reach around a quarter of the total skin surface area, e.g. on the face, hands, and parts of the arms and legs. But be careful - since too much UV radiation will increase the risk of getting skin cancer!
  
  The optimal time in the sun depends on the following factors:
  Skin type: Darker-skinned people require more sun to generate enough vitamin D.
  Time of year: In winter, sunlight contains less UVB radiation so that the body produces less vitamin D.
  Time of day: Those who are in the sun at midday produce more vitamin D when UVB radiation peaks.
  
  With nutrition we can cover at most 10 to 20 percent of our daily need, for example with fatty fish such as salmon, herring or mackerel as well as with liver or egg yolks. The sun is therefore indispensable for ensuring an adequate vitamin D supply.

• How much vitamin D do I need?

  For a long time, it was thought that a vitamin D level of 30 nanograms per millilitre of blood (ng / ml) was sufficient. However, some doctors and therapists now believe that we can only fully benefit from the positive effects of the vitamin when it reaches levels of 40 to 60 ng/ml.
  
  Since in the western world we spend so much time indoors and sometimes only have a few hours of sunshine a year, many of us can not even produce enough vitamin D in the summer. The vitamin D levels of most people are therefore below normal throughout the year.