How vitamin B deficiency affect health:

Members of the B vitamins play vitally important cellular functions and are absolutely essential for health.

Many key enzymes have an absolute requirement for B vitamins. Without these vitamins the enzymes fail to function properly. Numerous enzymes are affected in this way, including those involved in carbohydrate metabolism, in protein synthesis, in DNA processing, in neutrotransmission, and in immune function.

In addition, many B vitamins modulate key metabolic pathways. For example, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and folate help in reducing homocysteine levels.

Since mild to moderate elevations of homocysteine are associated with heart disease, it is important to check for the presence of vitamin B6, B12 and folate deficiencies for those at risk (see below).

Inadequate or deficient vitamins B status can lead to raised plasma homocysteine levels and an increased risk for heart disease.

Sub-clinical vitamin deficiency:

Vitamin deficiency can be moderate to severe. Diseases of severe vitamin B deficiency are well characterized. For more complete information on the individual vitamins see our fast guide to nutrients.

Less well characterized are the mild to moderate deficiencies. This means that the body vitamin status is too low to maintain proper health, but just sufficient to prevent classic clinical symptoms of deficiency from developing.

These 'sub-clinical deficiencies' are a common finding in population studies, especially among high-risk groups, and more and more studies are showing that vitamin deficiencies are associated with increased risk for a number of diseases including cancer, diabetes, depression, Alzheimer's disease, and macular degeneration.

Having a blood test is the definitive way of picking up a deficiency.

Vitamin deficiencies can go unnoticed for many years until illness develops.

Deficiency can arise either from inadequate intakes, from abnormal metabolism, from malabsorption, from excessive excretion or because of an underlying disease process.

It can also arise because of imbalance in other vitamins or minerals since these nutrients interact with each other. Regardless of how they arise, if allowed to go unnoticed then your health could be seriously compromised.

Ease of testing:
Having your vitamin profile is easy to arrange.

• Use our complete on-line ordering system which makes it easy to get your vitamin profile done.

• No special requirements needed. Overnight fasting is not required and there are no special dietary requirements before having the test done.

• You will get a test kit which comes with instructions and the necessary blood collection supplies and material for returning the sample to the laboratory.

• Only a single blood sample is required. You are sent a blood testing kit which you can take to your doctor or local clinic for taking the sample.

• Get you test done hassle-free. No processing of the blood sample is required before return to the lab.

• Free Pre-paid return postage is included for returning the sample back to the lab.

• Get your results posted to you with specific recommendations, explanations and notes to help you and your physician.
  
  

The tests are performed by a fully certified CLIA laboratory with over 15 years of research behind the test. If you need help with obtaining the blood collection we may be able to help. Just contact us at :
and you will receive an answer within 24 hours.