Doctors Rarely Order These 5 Tests, But They Could Save Your Health
RBC Magnesium (RBC-Red Blood Cell):
It is estimated that approximately 50% of Americans are magnesium deficient. Common health complaints, such as difficulty sleeping, headaches, and fatigue, are often linked to magnesium deficiency. RBC Magnesium serves as a more reliable indicator of magnesium status compared to the standard serum magnesium test. When magnesium levels are deficient, the body extracts magnesium from cells, making it more detectable through a RBC magnesium test. This is an easy to identify and easy to correct deficiency.
Vitamin D:
Similar to magnesium, around 50% of Americans are also deficient in vitamin D. Given the prevalence of this deficiency, it is advisable for every adult to have their levels checked at least once a year. Optimal vitamin D levels are considered to be greater than 40 ng/ml. Symptoms associated with vitamin D deficiency include fatigue, bone loss, and weight gain, among many others.
Lipoprotein Fractionation (NMR or Cardio IQ):
The lipoprotein fractionation test is a test used to evaluate cholesterol particle number and size. It provides more valuable insights into cardiovascular health than the standard cholesterol panel. There are two commonly done tests that are very similar: NMR & CardioIQ. They both provide additional information to assess heart and metabolic health.
Fasting Insulin :
The fasting insulin test can often alert you to a blood sugar regulation problem before the standard testing such as glucose and A1C. Checking this lab in addition to: fasting glucose & hemoglobin A1C will give you a more complete picture of your metabolic health.
Free T3 & Free T4 + Thyroid Antibodies :
Doctors often will only check your thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) to assess thyroid health. There are other hormones involved in regulating and assessing thyroid function. The thyroid gland primarily produces two hormones: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). T4 is mostly inactive and must be converted to T3, the active form in your tissues. Only the unbound or free portion of T4 can interact with target cells or be converted into T3. Free T3 is often measured as an indicator of the hormone's immediate activity and availability within the body. Assessing both your free T3 and free T4 levels will assist in understanding your overall thyroid health. Additionally, many thyroid issues are autoimmune related. Checking thyroid antibodies is helpful to evaluate for autoimmune causes for thyroid disorders.
**If interested in ordering any of these labs, feel free to contact me or order from my lab shop. The Metabolic Health Panel includes all of these labs plus more. Lab Analysis and nurse consulting are also available.