Experiencing night vision changes, dry skin or frequent infections and wondering whether your vitamin A levels are playing a role?
Measures retinol (active vitamin A) from a finger-prick blood spot sample collected at home. Relevant for immune function, vision and skin health. Both deficiency and excess can cause problems.
Your at-home test kit and all instructions are posted directly to you (with free shipping). You do not need to visit a collection centre.
Get tested from the comfort of your home with our simple three-step process.
1
Order your test kit
Choose the test that's right for you and receive your kit delivered to your door.
2
Collect your sample
Follow the simple instructions to collect your sample at home.
3
Get your results
Receive your results online and get personalised health insights.
Overview
Retinol is the active form of vitamin A. Your body uses it for immune function, vision, skin barrier maintenance, cellular repair and tissue regeneration. This test measures your circulating retinol level from a dried blood spot.
Vitamin A is fat-soluble, so it is stored in the body rather than readily excreted and can accumulate over time. Prolonged high intake, particularly from supplements or from large amounts of liver or cod liver oil, can lead to toxicity (hypervitaminosis A), which can cause headaches, nausea, dizziness and liver damage. If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, discuss any high-dose vitamin A supplement with your practitioner before taking it.
Symptoms
This test checks whether your vitamin A levels are within a healthy range. It may be relevant if you experience night vision difficulties, dry eyes, frequent infections, rough or dry skin or slow healing. It is also relevant if you take high-dose vitamin A supplements, or regularly eat large amounts of liver or cod liver oil, and want to check whether your levels are too high.
Questions
It measures retinol, the active form of vitamin A, from a dried blood spot sample.
Vitamin A supports vision, immune function, skin health and cellular repair. Both low and high levels can cause problems.
Yes. Vitamin A and beta-carotene supplements will influence your reading.
Fasting is not required.
This depends on your situation and is best discussed with your practitioner.
Dr. Vu Tran Bloody Good’s Chief Medical Officer
How to prepare
1. Prepare Your Kit
Wash your hands with warm water and dry them thoroughly.
2. Collect Your Sample
Use the provided lancet to perform a quick finger prick. Allow drops of blood onto the card.
3. Let It Dry
Allow sample to dry completely at room temperature.
4. Pack and Return
Place card in the return envelope and mail using the pre-paid label.
After the test
Share your results with a qualified practitioner who can assess them alongside your diet and symptoms.
Your test results will be available in your private dashboard. If there are any urgent issues, we'll let you know so you can follow up with your health professional.
Understanding results
Your results show your retinol level. Results below the reference range may relate to dietary insufficiency or absorption issues. Results above the range may suggest excess intake.
Testimonials
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ACT
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I didn't know that private blood tests were an option. Tried this platform as the packages suited what I wanted for a good price. Easy to follow instructions, and super quick results. Platform provides more information than my gp's ever have on the tests and what the results meant. Would like more clinics to be able to test at (specifically Capital Pathology) but there is a decent network. Will continue to use.
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