6 Essential Lab Tests You Need This Year but Probably Didn’t Get

How many times have you heard this, “all your labs look normal”? 

 

Maybe you’ve been told your bloodwork is normal, despite your complaints that something is wrong.

 

The problem isn’t you, the problem is that you’re not getting the right tests and bloodwork done to find the root of the problem. Let’s stop waiting until you are SO sick that even your basic levels are abnormal, and start catching the problem before it gets that far, by doing the right annual bloodwork. 

 

Here at Health Over All, we believe that proper bloodwork and advanced medical testing are fundamental to creating a treatment plan that will give you the best chance of reaching your health goals by finding and addressing the blood values that are having the biggest impact on your health. 

 

You won’t be hearing “everything looks normal” from me. 

 

There are 6 essential lab tests that you should be getting every year to ensure that we are optimizing your health in every way possible. 

1. Thyroid Panel 

 

No, I am not just talking about your TSH. 

 

Your TSH can come back within normal levels while the other thyroid-related values can be off the charts. That is why we test a range of thyroid values (like Free T3, Free T4, anti-thyroglobulin…) to get the whole picture. Using these values, we can prevent extreme thyroid dysfunction or disease down the road. 

 

2. Nutrient Testing

 

You have probably had your iron levels tested at a routine check-up or after complaints of fatigue and exhaustion. But there are so many more nutrients that are essential for you to feel your best and can be easily treated with supplements. 

 

We are not just looking for “normal”, we want optimal. Optimal iron, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and magnesium levels are necessary for you feel good. For example, “normal” vitamin D levels fall between 30-100 nmol/l, but optimal levels are more like 50-80 nmol/l. If you are being told your levels are normal at 30 nmol/l, you are not even close to experiencing the benefits of optimal levels like bone density, dental health, fracture prevention, and cancer prevention that happen around 75 nmol/l. 

 

I see my patient’s lives change every day just by testing essential nutrient deficiencies and supplementing to get you to an optimal level. 

 

3. Complete Metabolic Panel and Complete Blood Count (CBC) 

 

These are the values that test for proper hydration and electrolyte status, kidney function, liver function and blood cell values. They can tell us if someone is fighting an infection, inflammation, is anemic or has clotting issues. 

 

If these are not already ordered by your primary care physician every year, you need to get them done ASAP. 

 

4. Metabolic Markers 

 

Metabolic markers (like hemoglobin, glucose, insulin, and a lipid panel) allow us to understand how you are processing nutrients. This gives us important information about how your body is processing glucose, which can be linked to cholesterol levels, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s.  

 

Even slight increases in hemoglobin (Hba1c) correspond to increased rates of brain shrinkage. 

 

Optimal metabolic markers are essential to your brain and heart health. 

 

5. Inflammatory Markers

 

Inflammatory markers (like hsCRP) are almost never checked at a yearly physical but are markers of your general inflammation status. Small increases in hsCRP are linked to an increased risk of a cardiac event or depression. Inflammation can be caused by a host of issues that need to be addressed (stress, trauma, allergies, food sensitivities) and testing inflammatory markers is the first step to finding and treating the cause. 

 

6. Hormone Testing 

 

Regular testing and monitoring of hormone levels (estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone) is imperative to your overall health. Imbalanced hormones can lead to a host of problems, such as: lack of energy, disrupted sleep, irregular cycles, low libido, brain fog, acne, hot flashes, and anxiety and depression. 

 

Balanced hormones are an essential part of your overall health. 

 

It is not just the type of blood tests you get, it is how they are interpreted and treated that will make the biggest difference in your life. I will use the bloodwork to plan the best treatment plan for you and get you to optimal levels so that you can feel your best. 

 

Don’t settle for “iron levels within normal range” anymore. Book an appointment and get the right bloodwork so you can feel your best, prevent disease and optimize your body to work for you. 

– Dr. Jordin Wiggins, ND