Saturday, May 10, 2014

7 Vials of Blood Later....

Yesterday I went and had my blood drawn for the following tests.  I plan on trying to do this once every 6 months to a year.  7 vials of blood later, here is what I asked to be tested.

CBC:  This is a complete blood count.  Usually the most common.  It gives a picture of everything that makes up a blood cell.  White blood cell, red blood cell, volume, size, platelet, hemoglobin.

Hb1AC:  glycosolated hemoglobin.  Often referred to as the diabetes test.  It's a potential indicator for how you are aging and insulin sensitivity.

Magnesium in RBC:  Much more reliable then a serum test.  This will show actual tissue levels.  Most Americans are deficient.

Zinc in RBC:  Again, more reliable then a serum test.  Men are often low.  This can have an impact on testosterone.

Testosterone/Free Testosterone:  Male hormone in the blood.  Free is what is not bound to the protein sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG).

Lipid Profile:  Done fasted, this tests the total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides.  I didn't order a size of the particle test to my knowledge.

Homocysteine:  This is a measure of an amino acid in the blood.  Elevated levels may mean atherosclerosis.  Hardening and narrowing of the arteries.

Vitamin D:  Dark skinned and I live in Michigan.  Making sure I'm above 45.  RDA says 30.  I'd like to be in the 55-65 range.

C-Reactive Protein:  A type of protein in the blood.  It can monitor general inflammation in the body.

Essential Fatty Acid Profile:  I was going to do this.  EFA test.  but it was 480 dollars.  I opted out of this one!  This was 3x more then all the other tests combined!  No idea why it is so expensive.




2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Which company did you use for your tests or did you order them through your doctor and use your insurance? Just curious if there were any cheaper options?

Jason Ross said...

my insurance would have actually been more expensive. I used a local clinic in Grand rapids, MI. Didn't have a doctors prescription.