Blood test tomorrow - what to test for?

[PNW]

So, I'm heading back in tomorrow for some additional blood work that the dr wants to do (he wants to see what my hgh levels are I think). Since we are doing this, I thought I'd see what other things can be tested easily with this sample? I have been reading a lot about nutrition lately and thinking maybe I should have my iodine and salt levels checked (ph levels?).... Anything else folks recommend? Should I see if any of the competing halides are in my system are too high (fluoride, chloride, bromine, etc)?

Anything else?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Zyglamail]

The best way to test body sufficiency for iodine is a loading test. You take 50mg iadoral and collect ALL of your urin for the next 24 hours. Then mix thuroughly and take a smaller sample of that to be sent to the lab. How much you excrete is a direct indication of how deficient you are. The same sample can also be tested for bromide and fluoride. This is a somewhat specialized tests. Most docs are snowed into thinking iodine and toxicity arent an issue. Actually most docs things iodine is toxic.

 

[PNW]

The best way to test body sufficiency for iodine is a loading test. You take 50mg iadoral and collect ALL of your urin for the next 24 hours. Then mix thuroughly and take a smaller sample of that to be sent to the lab. How much you excrete is a direct indication of how deficient you are. The same sample can also be tested for bromide and fluoride. This is a somewhat specialized tests. Most docs are snowed into thinking iodine and toxicity arent an issue. Actually most docs things iodine is toxic.

So you can't do this with a blood serum test?

 

[Zyglamail]

So you can't do this with a blood serum test?

Nope.

Serum tests in generally are very poor for any sort of mineral level. Most tissue in the body when sufficient have a fixed level of minerals in them. Regardless of the levels of minerals in the tissues the body tries to keep the levels in the blood fairly constant so that it can be used where needed in a hurry. With that in mind you generally dont see serum mineral level below lab range unless one is critically deficient to the point where the body cant maintain serum levels.

However we know that just because serum levels are "ok" does not mean the body is functioning in an optimally.

For getting a good idea of how sufficient you you are many minerals an RBC test is the way to go.

If your seeing just a plain old doc he is likely going to laugh your out of the office and say its all a bunch of hooey anyway. Orthomolecular treatment is way above the paygrade of most break/fix medical practitioners.

 

[PNW]

Nope.

Serum tests in generally are very poor for any sort of mineral level. Most tissue in the body when sufficient have a fixed level of minerals in them. Regardless of the levels of minerals in the tissues the body tries to keep the levels in the blood fairly constant so that it can be used where needed in a hurry. With that in mind you generally dont see serum mineral level below lab range unless one is critically deficient to the point where the body cant maintain serum levels.

However we know that just because serum levels are "ok" does not mean the body is functioning in an optimally.

For getting a good idea of how sufficient you you are many minerals an RBC test is the way to go.

If your seeing just a plain old doc he is likely going to laugh your out of the office and say its all a bunch of hooey anyway. Orthomolecular treatment is way above the paygrade of most break/fix medical practitioners.

I am looking at my first lab work done a couple weeks ago and I see a line item for RBC and mine is 4.55....within the stated reference level. Any idea what this means and how it relates back to mineral levels?

 

[Zyglamail]

I am looking at my first lab work done a couple weeks ago and I see a line item for RBC and mine is 4.55....within the stated reference level. Any idea what this means and how it relates back to mineral levels?

when it just says RBC that means red blood cell count and has nothing to do with mineral levels.

An RBC mineral test actually tests for mineral levels within the red blood cell itself and not just in serum.

Serum mineral tests are often done and a waste of money for reasons I previously mentioned but modern medicine doesnt treat grey area. They are break/fix and to them unless serum levels drop below normal its not broken.

 

[PNW]

when it just says RBC that means red blood cell count and has nothing to do with mineral levels.

An RBC mineral test actually tests for mineral levels within the red blood cell itself and not just in serum.

Serum mineral tests are often done and a waste of money for reasons I previously mentioned but modern medicine doesnt treat grey area. They are break/fix and to them unless serum levels drop below normal its not broken.

Thank you...I'll have to look into a rbc mineral test.

Doctor (naturopath) ordered a cortisol and hgh test with latest blood work. In the interim he said my thyroid free T3 count was low (2.6) and gave me a prescription for T3. He also gave me a prescription for Nettle Root (to help free up test) and to get some Adrenal balancing supplements...to level out cortisol levels.

I think he's trying...and seems like he knows what he's doing. He said to come back in a few weeks and we will test again to see if numbers changed at all.

 

[Zyglamail]

Thank you...I'll have to look into a rbc mineral test.

Doctor (naturopath) ordered a cortisol and hgh test with latest blood work. In the interim he said my thyroid free T3 count was low (2.6) and gave me a prescription for T3. He also gave me a prescription for Nettle Root (to help free up test) and to get some Adrenal balancing supplements...to level out cortisol levels.

I think he's trying...and seems like he knows what he's doing. He said to come back in a few weeks and we will test again to see if numbers changed at all.

sure he is trying but why not solve the problem instead of just attempting to address the symptom?

You have underlying deficiencies which need to be addressed first and then if hormone levels dont come back in line, then go on hormone replacement for T3.