Fasting Required: No
Specimen: Blood
Results: 1-2 Business Days
Description: Vitamin D is also known as the "sunshine vitamin" because the body manufactures the vitamin after being exposed to sunshine. Ten to 15 minutes of sunshine 3 times weekly is enough to produce the body's requirement of vitamin D. Needed for strong bones and teeth, Vitamin D helps your body absorb the amount of calcium it needs. It also has other roles in the body, including modulation of cell growth, neuromuscular and immune function, and reduction of inflammation. There are associations between low Vitamin D levels and peripheral vascular disease, certain cancers, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile diabetes, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's disease.