Read about Lab Tests and their Indications

Lab Testing

Lab Tests Available
Lab testing is a crucial component of finding the cause of disease, and monitoring treatment progress.  Depending on the test, samples of either blood, urine, or saliva are used.

Saliva hormone testing is an excellent way to uncover hormone imbalance. It measures bioavailable hormones, meaning hormones that made it into tissue, while blood testing measures hormones that may or may not reach tissues. Saliva hormone testing is also painless and collection can be done at home.

Many standard tests are done through blood or urine.

Basic Lab Testing:

Test

Description
Cholesterol Panel (LDL, HDL, triglycerides, total cholesterol/HDL) General cholesterol screening test
Thyroid Panel (TSH, TPO, fT3, fT4) General thyroid function test
Panel 1: A/G ratio, albumin, alk phos, ALT, AST, bilirubin total & direct, BUN, calcium, chloride, total cholesterol, CO2, creatinine, glucose, LD, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, GGT, globulin, total protein, triglycerides, uric acid Tests electrolytes, liver, kidney and pancreatic function, and random blood sugar levels
Panel 2: Panel 1 + HDL, LDL, cholesterol, TIBC with 12 to 14 hour fast Addition of blood lipid testing and blood iron-binding capacity to panel 1
Panel 3: Panel 1 + HDL, LDL, cholesterol, TIBC, free T4 with 12 to 14 hour fast Addition of thyroid testing to panel 2
Panel A: A/G ratio, albumin, alk phos, ALT, AST, bilirubin total & direct, BUN, calcium, CBC, chloride, CO2, creatinine, GFR, GGT, globulin, glucose, LD, phosphorus, potassium, protein (total), sodium, uric acid Addition of Complete Blood Count (CBC) to panel 1
Panel B: A/G ratio, albumin, alk phos, ALT, AST, bilirubin total & direct, BUN, calcium, CBC, chloride, CO2, creatinine, ferritin, GFR, GGT, globulin, glucose, LD, phosphorus, potassium, protein (total), sodium, TIBC, TSH, T4 (free), uric acid, urinalysis (routine) Addition of iron stores and iron binding test, thyroid function test, and routine urinalysis to panel A
Panel C: A/G ratio, albumin, alk phos, ALT, AST, bilirubin total & direct, BUN, calcium, CBC, chloride, cholesterol, cholesterol/HDL, CO2, creatinine, CRP-hs, GFR, GGT, globulin, glucose, HDL, LD, LDL, phosphorus, potassium, protein (total), sodium, triglycerides, uric acid Addition of blood lipids to panel A
Panel D: A/G ratio, albumin, alk phos, ALT, AST, bilirubin total & direct, BUN, calcium, CBC, cholesterol, cholesterol/HDL, chloride, CO2, creatinine, CRP-hs, ferritin, GFR, GGT, globulin, glucose, HDL, LD, LDL, phosphorus, potassium, protein (total), sodium, TIBC, triglycerides, TSH, T4 (free), uric acid, urinalysis (routine) Addition of iron stores and iron binding tests, thyroid function tests, blood lipids tests, and routine urinalysis to panel A

Specialized Lab Tests

Test

Description
Adrenal Function (Cortisol) – saliva test Cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands in response to stress, and it helps the body free up energy needed to withstand the stressor. During high stress, excess amounts of cortisol are produced, leading to feeling tired but wired, weight gain around the waist, insomnia, bone loss, high blood pressure, loss of muscle mass, insulin resistance, low sex drive, and hair loss. After long periods of excessive stress, the adrenal glands get tired (adrenal fatigue), and the result is a drastically lowered cortisol production. The result now is fatigue or feeling ‘burned out’, susceptibility to infection, allergies, impaired memory, depression, and feeling unable to cope. The adrenal function test measures your cortisol at 4 times throughout the day. Testing cortisol is important in determining your specific level of adrenal dysfunction so that a proper treatment strategy to restore optimal function can be determined. The adrenal function test measures your cortisol at 4 times throughout the day. Testing cortisol is important in determining your specific level of adrenal dysfunction so that a proper treatment strategy to restore optimal function can be determined
Female HormonePanel (estrogens, progesterone, cortisol, DHEAs, testosterone) – saliva test Interactions between the five hormones tested in the female panel are fundamental to health, and imbalances may lead to weight gain, depression, sleep disturbances, hot flashes, bone loss, and breast cancer.
Male Hormone Panel (testosterone, estrogens, cortisol, DHEAs) - saliva test Imbalances in the four hormones tested may result in bone loss, erectile dysfunction, memory loss, grumpiness or apathy, breast enlargement, weight gain, and benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Food allergies – blood test There are 2 types of allergic reactions are possible: IgE and IgG. IgE reactions occur within minutes of eating the offending food, and examples are hives, itchy watery eyes, breathing difficulty, and sometimes anaphylactic reactions. IgG reactions take hours to days to develop, and include symptoms like weight gain, irritable bowel syndrome, attention deficit and mood disorders, joint pain, eczema, or asthma. Testing for food allergies will allow a plan to be formulated to eliminate the reactive foods from your diet. Once the allergens are removed for a period of time, and your digestive system is allowed to heal and your immune system strengthened, it is possible to reintroduce certain foods back to your diet.
Candida antibodies – blood test Symptoms of Candida overgrowth include clouded thinking, depression, fatigue, menstrual pain, vaginal yeast infections, and headaches. Testing can confirm the condition, so that proper measures can be taken to eliminate the overgrowth.
Estrogen Metabolism Ratio – urine test This urine test looks at how estrogens are broken down by the body. Two of the metabolites of estrogen are 16-alpha-hydroxyestrone (16OHE1) and 2- hydroxyestrone (2OHE1). A proper balance between these two metabolites is important to maintaining good health. 16-alpha-hydroxyestrone (16OHE1) is a more potent estrogen and may therefore promote growth of hormone dependent cancers like breast cancer.
Conversely, there is some evidence that the weaker major urinary metabolite of estrogen, 2-hydroxyestrone (2OHE1), alpha-hydroxyestrone may give an indication of breast cancer risk. Studies suggest that an Estrogen Metabolism Ratio (EMR) of greater than 2.0 is associated with decreased breast cancer risk in both pre- and post-menopausal women. A low ratio shown on testing can be raised using dietary and nutraceutical interventions.
Urinary thyroid assessment By some estimates, as many as 2 million Canadians could have undiagnosed thyroid disease. Thyroid disease refers to both hypo and hyperthyroidism, but hypothyroidism is by far the most common. Even mild hypothyroidism can have significant health consequences, so early detection is important. Quantities of T3 and T4 in a 24 hour urine are significantly higher than those found in a spot serum sample, so levels can be more reliably measured. This test is used when symptoms are not explained by serum testing of thyroid hormones.
Hair Essential and Toxic Elements The quantitative measurement of elements in biological samples such as blood, urine, and hair has been used clinically for decades. Historically, elemental analysis has been used primarily to determine whether a person has had excessive exposure to toxic elements such as lead, mercury or arsenic: the heavy metals that are known to cause serious health problems. Toxic elements concentrate in soft tissue rather than blood or urine, so hair analysis is uniquely suited for measuring toxic elements. Elemental analysis also provides information on the absorption and assimilation of nutritionally important elements (e.g. iron, copper), making it useful for assessing nutrient deficiencies and imbalances as well.
Environmental Pollutents – urine test In the past, environmental concerns focused mostly on the acute effects of pollution. These concerns helped result in a ban on DDT pesticides, and the removal of lead from gasoline and paints. According to Rick Smith and Bruce Lourie, authors of the bestselling Slow Death By Rubber Duck, we have transitioned from mostly local and acute environmental threats to more global and largely invisible threats. Chronic exposure to low levels of toxins means the effects of pollution can accumulate and contribute to chronic disease. Toxic chemicals are found to varying degrees in everything from cosmetic and skin care products to cookware and children’s toys.
Because the human body metabolizes these pollutants and eliminates them in the urine, measuring urine metabolites is an effective way to assess the level of exposure to the various pollutants. Tests for pthalates, parabens, and volatile solvents.
Lipoprotein Particle Profile (LPP) – blood test Standard cholesterol tests give an incomplete picture, leaving many people with seemingly “normal” cholesterol numbers unaware of their true heart attack risk. The LPP identifies hidden risk factors, giving health providers valuable information needed to make more effective treatment decisions.
Telomere Test Telomeres are ‘caps’ that appear at the end of each chromosome. Their job is to prevent the chromosome from ‘fraying’ when cells replicate. As cells age, the telomeres shorten in length. Age adjusted telomere length can be used to determine a patient’s biological age.
Evaluation of telomere length indicates how rapidly the patient has aged
relative to a normal population. Lifestyle and dietary factors that can
hasten telomere shortening include:•an inflammation promoting diet, or a diet that increases oxidative stress•refined carbohydrates, fast foods, processed foods, sodas, artificial sweeteners, trans fats and saturated fatsEventually, the telomeres become too short to allow cell replication and cell division can no longer occur. This results in cell death. The Telomere Test determines the length of a patient’s telomeres in relation to his or her chronological age.
Micronutrient test – blood test This test measures levels of selected vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other essential micronutrients inside white blood cells. It identifies deficiencies and provides intracellular concentrations of the various nutrients tested. Micronutrient deficiencies may be a contributing factor in a wide variety of clinical conditions such as:•Arthiritis•Cancer•Cardiovascular risk•Diabetes•Various immunological disorders•Metabolic
disorders•Nutrient deficiencies

Measuring and correcting vitamin deficiencies is essential for patients concerned with wellness and anti-aging

Latest Post