Why are my Vitamin D lateral flow results different to my Medichecks Vitamin D (25 OH) Blood Test results?

While lateral flow tests for vitamin D may seem convenient, they are not as reliable as lab-based blood tests like the one used by Medichecks. Laboratory tests measure vitamin D (specifically 25-hydroxyvitamin D) using validated, highly accurate methods and are considered the gold standard in healthcare. In contrast, lateral flow tests often have lower sensitivity and specificity, meaning they are more likely to give false low or false normal results. This makes them less dependable for accurately diagnosing vitamin D deficiency or tracking levels over time.

Importantly, lateral flow vitamin D tests are not recommended in clinical guidelines from respected health bodies such as NICE or SIGN which the NHS uses, and they are not used in standard medical practice for diagnosis or treatment decisions.