A phosphate test can tell the doctor whether you have high or low levels of phosphate in your blood. If your phosphate levels aren’t normal, this could be a sign of a problem caused by a lots of different conditions.

You might have to do a phosphate test if your doctor thinks you’re showing signs of a kidney problems or to check how you’re doing if you already have a kidney disorder that the doctor knows about.

If your calcium levels change then you might be given a phosphate test. Phosphate can also change how much calcium you have in your blood. This can later cause problems with your muscles or bones.

It’s important to tell your doctor about any medicines that you’ve been taking. This is because some medicines can change the results of the test. You should also tell your doctor if you’ve been taking any vitamin supplements especially vitamin D.

A phosphate test is just like a regular blood test. The doctor or nurse will usually take a small amount of blood from a vein in your arm using a small needle. Don’t worry - they’re really good at it!

A phosphate test won’t hurt much. You might feel a tiny scratch when the needle is put in, but that’s it.

If you don’t like needles tell the person who is taking the sample so that they can help you to relax. If you feel a bit dizzy or light headed, tell the person doing the test and they will get you to lie down until you feel better.

Your blood sample will have your name put on it. Then it will be sent off to a lab where the amount of phosphate in your blood is checked. When your doctor gets the results back he or she will talk to you about them and tell you what they mean.

If you have any other questions, you can ask your doctor, or chat to other people about phosphate tests in the Medikidz forums and virtual world, Mediland.