The D*action project is an international public health project to solve the vitamin D deficiency epidemic.

The major components of the project are

1. Education:
   Diagnosis & Treatment of Vitamin D Deficiency seminars. Contact us to sponsor seminars in your community.
   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
   
   Tours to educate the public and health care personnel in brief (1-2 hour) presentations about the epidemic and recommended actions.
   
   Exhibits at major medical conferences.
2. Testing of vitamin D levels
   GrassrootsHealth is sponsoring the use of blood spot test kits (laboratory analysis done by ZRT Labs) for a $60.00 fee to each individual. The tests are to be done twice a year by each individual along with the submission of some basic health data. The kits are not available as a ‘stand alone’ without health data.
3. A 5 year study will be done with the data
   accumulated from the individuals tested to evaluate the results of the program in disease prevention and to help create a long term plan for public health.

Medical institutions and groups are encouraged to contact Carole Baggerly, Director, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to discuss how they can participate with their health plan participants.

FAQ

Common Questions about D*action

Q: How long does it take to receive my blood spot test?
Q: How do I find my participant ID?
Q: I lost my password. How do I get into my account?
Q: I don’t remember the email I used to login.
Q: I want to change my email for D*action
Q: I never received a confirmation email; did I pay for a test?
Q: Can I participate if I live in _______?
Q: Why can't NY residents take part in the study?
Q: How long does it take to receive my results?
Q: Is there an additional cost to mail a kit overseas?
Q: I signed up for the whole study and now it is time for me to take my second test, how do I do that?

Common Questions about Performing the Blood Spot Test

Q: How do I get more blood to flow?
Q: I am worried my blood spots are not big enough. Can I get another card?
Q: Can blood be taken from other parts of the body?

Documentation and Materials

Q: Can I purchase one of the videos on your home page to run in my office?
Q: I am a doctor and promote vitamin D and D*action frequently, can I link to your web site?
Q: I would like to handout more vitamin D materials at work/home/play. Can you provide any?

Vitamin D Health Questions

Q: Why does GrassrootsHealth recommend having 40-60 ng/ml of vitamin D (25 OH D) as opposed to 50 ng/ml or 60 ng/ml being the lower limit on some of the other vitamin D web sites?
Q: How quickly does supplementation take effect?
Q: How reliable is your vitamin D test?
Q: What is the D2 level that is reported with my blood spot test? What does it mean?
Q: Can you recommend a doctor that understands D health?

Common Questions about D*action

Q: How long does it take to receive my blood spot test?
After you complete your questionnaire and pay for your test, your order is fulfilled within 2 business days. We ship first class mail from San Diego, CA.

Q: How do I find my participant ID?
You received an email from GrassrootsHealth with a subject “Thanks for joining D*action”, the participant ID is in that email. Alternatively, you may login to D*action ( www.grassrootshealth.net); scroll down the page until you see a box; click on “Start or review the D*action Participant Questionnaire now”. The next page that appears lists your participant ID right under the header..

Q: I lost my password. How do I get into my account?
Go to www.grassrootshealth.net and click on “Need New or Forgot Password?” in the left column. The system will then email you a new password. Use this password to login. You may then change your password by clicking on “account settings” in the left column.

Q: I don’t remember the email I used to login.
Please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with your name, address, and phone number. We will let you know which email you used as your login.

Q: I want to change my email for D*action.
Since your email is your login, this must be changed by GrassrootsHealth. Please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with your name, old email (login) and new email. We will notify you when it is changed.

Q: I never received a confirmation email; did I pay for a test?
Please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . We can let you know your status and when you will receive the blood spot test. Typically you will receive the blood spot test within 5-7 business days of completing the questionnaire and paying for the test.

Q: Can I participate if I live in _______?
Absolutely! The only place we can’t ship to is New York.

Q: Why can't NY residents take part in the study?
Due to New York State's health department regulations we are not allowed to ask the participant to send dried blood spot cards outside of the state. If you have a residence outside the state of New York, please let us know (and, change your address in the questionnaire). We can then ship you the kit and process your results.

Q: How long does it take to receive my results?
It is currently taking from 10-15 days from the time you record doing the blood spot test (and mailing to GrassrootsHealth) until we post your results (US addresses.) You will receive an email (to the email address you provided as login to D*action) when we have the results.

Q: Is there an additional cost to mail a kit overseas?
No. You just have to pay postage on the return envelope.

Q: I signed up for the whole study and now it is time for me to take my second test, how do I do that?
The same way you did the first one! Please login to D*action (www.grassrootshealth.net) and complete the questionnaire. Your old data has been saved and except for your primary information, the questionnaire is clear. Please carefully review your answers. When you get to the end, if you have already paid (a subscription), do not enter your credit card in PayPal again – we already have your payment. Then, complete the blood spot test, return it, and await your results!

Common Questions about Performing the Blood Spot Test

Q: How do I get more blood to flow?
Make sure you wash your hands under very warm water. Try pricking the side of your pinky finger and wipe the first spot of blood off with gauze. Then, milk your finger as you fill the blood spot card.

Q: I am worried my blood spots are not big enough. Can I get another card?
Yes, but first measure your blood spots if you have one spot that is 6 mm (1/4”) in diameter, then the card is valid. Or you can have 2 spots that are (1/8”) 4.5 mm in diameter. If you didn’t get that much blood, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and we can mail you another blood spot card and lancets

Q: Can blood be taken from other parts of the body?
Yes, your earlobe and toes are two other good alternative areas.

Documentation and Material

Q: Can I purchase one of the videos on your home page to run in my office?
Yes, they were created and are sold by the University of California, San Diego. They cost $20 - $25 for each video and can be purchased at: http://www.ucsd.tv/series/index.aspx?show=show&seriesnumber=520

Q: I am a doctor and promote vitamin D and D*action frequently, can I link to your web site?
Absolutely! You may advertise our web site as much as you want. Unfortunately, at this time we are not publicizing doctors or clinics that promote vitamin D. We only list the scientists that are involved in our initiative.

Q: I would like to handout more vitamin D materials at work/home/play. Can you provide any?
If you notice, many of our pages also have a pdf form. Just check the bottom of the page and click on “Printable Download (PDF)”. On the home page are two very good documents for this – “Scientist's Call to D*action” and “Disease Incidence Prevention Chart”. We also distribute a tri-fold “Does Vitamin D Prevent Cancer?” and some cards, “Scientists’ Call to D*action”. We would appreciate a donation for these; email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to let us know how many you need.

Vitamin D Health Questions

Q: Why does GrassrootsHealth recommend having 40-60 ng/ml of vitamin D (25 OH D) as opposed to 50 ng/ml or 60 ng/ml being the lower limit on some of the other vitamin D web sites?
GrassrootsHealth has gathered a group of 42 researchers/practitioners who AGREE that at least 40-60 ng/ml is necessary. The key to our public health effort is to have a 'consistent' message, and all 42 members agree that 40 ng/ml is the minimum. There are, as you note, people who think it should be higher. Getting everyone to at least 40 ng/ml is still a major achievement, however! This would solve many of today’s world-wide health problems.

Q: How quickly does supplementation take effect?
Generally, with a constant dose, it takes about 3 months of dosing in order to reach a plateau. However, there are some regimens which use very high doses for a few days or weeks to push up the level more rapidly.

Q: How reliable is your vitamin D test?
GrassrootsHealth uses ZRT Laboratory (www.zrtlab.com). The key consideration is that they have calibrated their results to the 'gold standard', DiaSorin RIA (radioimmunoassay) so that their results correlate directly with those. Click here to download a document from ZRT which gives more information.

Q: What is the D2 level that is reported with my blood spot test? What does it mean?
D2 is frequently very low or '0'. The only sources of D2 are from some supplements and maybe a small amount in foods. D3 is what your body makes from the sun and that's the version of the supplement that our panel recommends.

Q: Can you recommend a doctor that understands D health?
At this point in time, we do not have a list of clinics or MD's that we recommend. When you visit your doctor, take a copy of the Disease Incidence Prevention Chart (download from www.grassrootshealth.net) and the Call to D*action and discuss it with him/her. That's a good way to start!