Blood tests & health checks
Vitamin D check
Vitamin D, which most of the UK runs low on between October and March
25-hydroxyvitamin DFinger prickResults by email or in person
Between October and March the UK does not get enough sunlight for the skin to make vitamin D, so levels drop across the population. Low vitamin D shows up as tiredness, bone pain and muscle aches, and the test is also useful for checking whether the dose you are taking is actually working.
Who it is for
- Anyone tired through winter, or with bone or muscle aches
- People with darker skin, who make less vitamin D from the same sunlight
- Anyone over 60, pregnant, or mostly indoors
- People already supplementing who want to check the dose is right
Also called
Vit D, Sunshine vitamin
What happens next
Results by email or in person. The pharmacist goes through what the number means with you, and tells you plainly if it is something to take to your GP