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Lab work
Hi!
Thanks so much for the resources and helpful information! I would love for you to take a look at my bloodwork and give some feedback on it! Thank you so much, appreciate your help!
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8 Replies
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Hey ,
We could help you get even more targeted advice if you could explain why these labs were drawn. Is it just a routine check up? Or are you experiencing symptoms that you like to address?
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Hi!
Oh, yes, I’m sorry for not adding that in originally!It is partly a routine check up but also I have been experiencing fatigue, brain fog, digestive issues (constipation / diarrhea) [(have been taking magnesium at Bernadette’s recommendation from several months ago and that has helped some) ], hair loss, stomach bloating / distention and the general feeling that something is not right.
M doctor decided to run some tests for the adrenals, thyroid and autoimmune / celiac panel, etc.
I hope that helps in reading the labs. Thank you so much for your time and input on this!
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Hey ,
I’ve looked at your lab results and will help you with some values that stand out for me. I will discuss the matters from top to bottom of the form.
The first value that stands out to me is the antinuclear antibodies. Perhaps you are wondering what antinuclear antibodies are. Antibodies are proteins your body makes to protect you from foreign invaders like viruses and bacteria. But an antinuclear antibody is an antibody that attacks your own cells instead.
This means there is some form of autoimmune activation. This test isn’t specific to one autoimmune disease. If you like to know, I would recommend to consult your doctor.
You have been tested for Celiac disease. The results show no sign of Celiac, but we see a lot of autoimmune problems have a gut component. Since you’ve got some digestive issues, it is likely something in the gut is at play. With autoimmune problems often leaky gut plays a role as well. I would recommend you to watch the gut health masterclass. There is one movie that gives you some ideas about what you can do to promote gut healing. You can find it here. Some great options to learn about what is at play in the gut are the GI Maps and the GI Effects and the Oat test.
Bernadette explains the pro’s and cons of the tests perfectly.I would also recommend you to fill in the mold questionair we have to see if mold might be at play. If it’s likely that mold is an issue, we could help you choose tests that fits better with you.
We also have a great handout that could help you navigate root causes for autoimmune issues. You can find it here!
Low Alkaline phosphatase
Alkaline phospatase is on the low end of the normal range. A zinc deficency can cause low alkaline phosphatase since zinc is a key nutrient needed to build this enzyme. With thyroid issues alkaline phosphatase can also be on the lower side.MCV
MCV is within the normal reference ranges, but not within the optimal reference ranges (these reference ranges asre between 80-90). The MCV is a measure for the average size of the red blood cells. If the average size is to big, red blood cells might not travel through the smallest capilaries. The majority of these capilaries are located in the eyes, brain, hands & feet. This could lead to brain symptoms like brain fog, a lack of concentration or fatigue. It could also lead to symptoms like cold hands & feet.Thyroid measurements
Although a lot of thyroid markers have been measured, in the functional medicine approach we miss important markers: fT3, fT4 and reverse T3. The thyroid antibodies, TSH and T4 look good. But its fT3 that is mostly responible for activating your energy metabolism. If this is for some reason low or can’t do its work effectively because reverse T3 is elevated, it isn’t showing on these labs.Since you are experiencing hair loss and fatigue, ruling out thyroid issues is important. I would recommend you to see if you recognize symptoms of thyroid hormone imbalance (watch this video here) and learn what tests will help you to asses thyroid hormone health best (watch this video here)
Some lifestyle recommendations
With autoimmune issues there are fortunately some general advises we could give you. Usually with my clients I recommend the next few things:
• Remove all gluten & dairy products
• Provide nutrients that are important for the immune system (vitamin D, vitamin A, zinc, vitamin B12, folate and magnesium)
• Check for hidden food allergens/sensitivities
• Calm your immune response by living a anti-inflammatory lifestyle and providing anti-inflammatory nutrients like vitamin C and the omega 3 fatty acids DHA & EPA
• Excersize! It is a natural anti-inflammatory
• Reduce stress and make time for deep relaxation techniques like yoga, deep breathing, biofeedback, or massage, because stress worsens the immune response.
• Get checked for heavy metal toxicityI hope this advise can help you set on the right track to resolve your issues!
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Thank you so much for your thorough response! I am looking at the suggested resources and grateful for them!
My doctor has said that Lupus is a likely diagnosis in the autoimmune department and I was wondering if you have any specific test that you recommend I ask for when I have a follow up appointment in order to get the best understanding of it?
I am looking into the GI map tests etc but wonder if it you had any advice specific to Lupus.
Thank you so much!
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Hey ,
Based on the tests you’ve shown us I would ask him why he is considering Lupus. The antinuclear antibodies (ANA) results not only reveal if antibodies were detected but also describe a pattern that isn’t associated with Lupus (according to the test).
In order to asses which tests would fit, it would be helpful to know what symptoms are present. Besides thyroid auto-immune diseases, Crohn’s Disease/ulcerative colitis and lupus other auto-immune diseases can cause hair loss as well. For example alopecia areata and psoriasis on the scalp.
Finding the right test is best done by examining all symptoms and perhaps a better look on the scalp by the right healthcare professional.
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Thank you so much for your feedback! I am preparing questions for the doctor when I have the follow up and appreciate your insight!One more question, you had mentioned that the MCV level is not optimal. What are ways that I can optimize the red blood cell size?
Thank you!
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To make sure that red blood cells don’t get too big, having adequate vitamins like vitamin B12, folate and vitamin B6 is important.
In this handout, you can find a lot of reasons summarized as to why these vitamins might be lacking in the body when the MCV is too high or too low. Here are some special causes you might want to pay attention to:
• If you’re on a vegan diet or mostly plant-based diet, getting vitamin B12 might be harder.
• If you’re having amalgam fillings in your teeth, then you have some exposure to mercury. Mercury can bind to vitamin B12 in the blood, making it unavailable for cellular absorption. In this case, you would like to check MMA as well.Candida seems to be able to ‘catch’ mercury and protect the body from the damage done by mercury. The downside is that it can lead to an overgrowth of Candida.
• When symptoms in the gut are present, absorption of nutrients could be impaired. In this case, addressing the root cause of these symptoms can help balance the MCV.I hope this helps!
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Thank you so much!!
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