July 21, 2016 general

The purpose of the standard blood tests one receives along with an annual checkup is basically to detect disease markers. For example, some numbers will show if an infection or major immune issue is present. Others might hint that the liver is struggling or that the kidneys are headed toward shut down. The cholesterol measurements supposedly predict heart disease, but there is a lot of controversy around that one. What about nutrition and markers of optimum health and longevity? The standard test will pick up iron deficiency anemia and for the astute observer may indicate one measure of low vitamin B₁₂. Otherwise, little is revealed about nutrition or resilience.

People are fooled when they see “calcium” listed. If that number is high or low it can indicate trouble, but that test isn’t a reliable way to know if you are appropriately nourished in the mineral. That is because the body is so good at balancing calcium for cellular function that it will eat up a rib or two before letting the blood get too low. Likewise, potassium can indicate a lot of things but not really whether you are eating sufficient fruits and vegetables.

Unless a number is extremely out of range or there are a bunch of numbers a little bit out of range, doctors may tell you not to worry about the results. I highly recommend the reference book Your Blood Never Lies: How to Read a Blood Test for a Longer, Healthier Life by pharmacist, nutritionist and popular HBN guest, James B. LaValle. This book will tell you in detail what might be causing a high or low number on your tests. You may well see a trend that the doctor has missed.

Unless you are blessed to have a nutrition-savvy integrative physician, you might need to ask for additional tests if you want to aim for optimum health. Below are some examples:

Blood sugar. In addition to heading off diabetes and its complications, maintaining stable blood sugar is a powerful quality-of-life strategy. That is because when blood sugar (glucose) is high, sugar glues itself to the proteins in our cells. That sugar-coating (“glycosylation”) is linked to disease, mental decline and premature aging. (For more info and positive steps to take, read my articles, Blood Sugar Spikes and Avoid Diabetes.) Doctors almost always test “fasting glucose”. That does indicate what our blood sugar happens to be the day of the test. However, the HbA1c test shows how sugar-coated our proteins have become over a period of months. (Ideally we want that number to be under 5.)

Vitamin D. Given the importance of this hormone-like vitamin to most processes in the body, some doctors now routinely test for it. But, you have to ask before the blood draw, because it may take a greater quantity of blood than what the tech would ordinarily collect. The proper test to order is “25-hydroxyvitamin D” test—also called a 25(OH)D. Labs vary greatly in accuracy as do the levels they call “normal” or within range. Many claim that a score of 32 is okay. However, most nutrition and vitamin D experts say to aim for a level of 50 to 80. My article on D.

Thyroid. If you don’t score in the healthy range on my thyroid quiz, you might want to make sure you are getting more comprehensive thyroid testing than the typical and most basic TSH (“thyroid stimulating hormone”). The doctor will know what to do if you ask for a complete thyroid panel. My thyroid article.

Magnesium. As noted in my article on magnesium, this mineral is needed in at least 300 reactions in the body. It is also widely deficient in the American diet and that sets us up for big trouble…including heart attack. If you don’t specify something else, most physicians will order a “serum magnesium”. That is a snap shot of what is circulating at the moment and may reflect dinner last night. That is not good enough. Ask for “Red Blood Cell Magnesium”. Even though it is not the ultimate test either, it will at least give a better idea if the cells routinely have what they need for proper operation.

Be prepared if there will be extra cost by asking what insurance will cover. There are nutritional services that test a lot more nutrients, but the tests above are a good start. Again, every home should have a copy of this book to make sense of all test results: Your Blood Never Lies: How to Read a Blood Test for a Longer, Healthier Life.