Bernadette_Abraham
Forum Replies Created
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@LAK same with your son. Would you mind sharing more details about his case. This will provide better context to the results.
1. Why did you get an OAT test?
2. Does he experience any symptoms?
3. How is his diet? What does he typical eat? Is there anything he avoids? Does he have any cravings for carbs and sugar?
4. How is his activity level and overall energy?
5. Does he sleep well?
Please share any other information that you feel would be relevant to know about.
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@LAK can you please share more details about your daughter’s case as that will help provide better context to the results.
1. Why did you get an OAT test?
2. Does she experience any symptoms?
3. How is her diet? What does she typical eat? Is there anything she avoids? Does she have any cravings for carbs and sugar?
4. How is her activity level and overall energy?
5. Does she sleep well?
Please share any other information that you feel would be relevant to know about.
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@Kkol would you happen to have the results of the thyroid antibody values? I just want to make sure that there isn’t the start of autoimmune activation. It can be trending but will look “normal” until one day it’s not.
Regarding the low TSH, it’s actually a normal response when the brain senses too much T4 being produced. I explain this feedback loop in more detail in this video from the Thyroid Balance course.
I also encourage you to watch the lesson on reasons for high T4 here and encourage you to consider ultrasound imaging of his thyroid if that hasn’t been done yet.
With regards to his blood work, for someone who consumes junk foods, carbs and sugar, I’m actually surprised to see such low values, which makes me suspicious of fasting insulin. If insulin is elevated, that can drive down fasting glucose and make it appear normal. Also since triglycerides are higher, which is common with a high carb/sugar diet, I’d encourage you to retest a blood sugar panel that includes fasting insulin.
A lot can be improved with diet changes and quitting smoking (if it’s become an addiction), and I understand it’s not as easy with a 17-year old. But if you explain these results to him, he may be motivated to make changes.
If he likes to read, I’d also recommend my book UNJUNK. That may motivate him to make healthier choices with more awareness about the impact of his food choices.
Please let me know what struggles you face with him regarding making changes, and I’ll try to help you find solutions. I’ve had to get pretty creative with my own kids too so I may have a few tricks up my sleeve that I can pass on.. but raising their level of awareness is always a good starting point.
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@Kkol your fasting glucose and HbA1C actually seem optimal in these results. I’m not sure if you’ve already watched the videos explaining the lipid panel in our Interpretating Basic Blood Chemistry course, but I’d encourage you to watch at least this one about Total Cholesterol & LDL Cholesterol.
How is stress? This all by itself can increase cholesterol. And from your results, ALT liver enzyme does seem to be somewhat suboptimally elevated. We like to see liver enzymes between 10-30. Yours is at 28. Something seems to be causing a higher turnover of liver enzymes. Liver dysfunction can also increase cholesterol.
What is important when analyzing a lipid panel is to also look at the ratio of triglycerides to HDL. This helps assess cardiovascular risk. The ratio should be < 2, which it is in your case. It can be further improved however by quitting smoking. Smoking directly decreases the “good” cholesterol HDL. You can learn more about HDL and Triglycerides in this video lesson.
Without much other information, it’s hard to pin point what may be at play but the given the suboptimal ALT and low eGFR which is the kidney filtration rate, there seems to be a need for detox support (another reason to quit smoking) and an increased need for hydration.
Hope this helps.
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Hi @ivona_n – yes, spraying silver hydrosol can be done if it’s needed as an anti-microbial. But if you used the antibiotic ointment Neosporin and it didn’t help, the silver may not be helpful either.
If it’s irritated, dry and inflamed, consider Xylitol nasal spray like this one by Xlear for example. Xylitol also acts like a biofilm buster in case there’s any bacteria/fungus hiding. In fact, this is part of a mold detox protocol which uses xylitol to break up biofilm and then silver hydrosol to “kill” bacteria, and then antifungal sprays to kill fungus.
A nasal probiotic may also be helpful. Often times we think about killing bad bugs, but if we restore microbiome balance, our own “good bugs” can often fight off the “bad bugs”.
Sinus probiotics 1-2 x per day can help support normal sinus flora and repopulates the good guys. NasoBioTex and Lanto Sinus are 2 brands that use a well-studied strain of Lactobacillus sakei shown to help sinus health:
- https://www.epothex.com/products/nasobiotex-l-sakei-powder?msclkid=626bd684cdf017cdff1db52ab3a279e7&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Nasobiotex%20Search%20Campaign&utm_term=nasobiotex&utm_content=Naso%20Search
- https://lantohealth.com/products/lanto-sinus-probiotic-15g
Hope these help! Please let us know!
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Yes, we have several ways to help reduce an H Pylori overgrowth. You can find that in Protocols>Health Conditions which you can find HERE.
And as for Candida overgrowth, we have a Symptom Dictionary handout, a guide that you can read through for more information, and a video lesson to watch from the Gut Health Masterclass:
2. A guide “Candida Overgrowth: How to Tackle It”
3. A video lesson on how to “fight” fungal overgrowths. But keep in mind that often times, it’s a matter of optimizing immunity and ensuring that the 3 major digestive players (gallbladder, pancreas and stomach) are functioning optimally otherwise that can set the stage for digestive dysfunction including overgrowths. And before doing any kind of anti-fungals, it’s important to make sure the right order of operation is in place first. You can learn more about that HERE.
4. Diet is also important. It’s recommended to avoid simple carbs (sugar and flour products) when trying to eliminate candida, but grains, fruits and starchy vegetables can definitely still play a role in the diet in limited quantities. I share more about that HERE in the Beginner’s Health Roadmap course when talking about diet. Below the video, you’ll see practical examples for those with insulin resistance. The same would apply to those struggling with candida overgrowth.
Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any clarifying questions.
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Hi @sheetalramchandani1 Holle and Jovie are both powder formulas. Not sure if I’m misunderstanding your request?
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@LAK your daughter seems to have a similar profile to your son which is always interesting to observe.
#7 Arabinose is high which points to mild candida in digestive tract. This can be the reason for her strong cravings for carbs and sugar. An antifungal cleanse can be considered along with S boulardii, a beneficial type of yeast to help bring better balance to the microbiome.
#15 Clostridia is borderline high. And as explained previously with her brother’s results, this will impact neurotransmitter function/behavior.
#45 & 46 are high. These have to do with how she breaks down fats. Does she consume alot of coconut oil by any chance? Does she avoid animal proteins and red meat (which is rich in carnitine)? L-carnitine deficiency can contribute to these higher levels. It’s also associated with hypoglycemia so encouraging her to reduce sugar and anything made from flour will help bring down her insulin level.
Vitamin B6, B5 and Vitamin C are all low similar to her brother.
And although not flagged high, #59 and 61 are borderline high which points to a need for methylation and detox support. B vitamins and consuming more animal proteins may also help with that.
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@LAK thanks for that additional info.
#15 Clostridia bacteria is high. This will impact neurotransmitter function. Clostridia bacteria block an enzyme that helps turn dopamine into norepinephrine. This causes dopamine to build up, showing as higher HVA on the OAT test, while norepinephrine levels drop, leading to low VMA. Over time, the extra dopamine gets broken down into DOPAC, making it rise. This imbalance can affect mood, focus, and stress response, but treating Clostridia overgrowth can help restore balance. This can be done with natural antimicrobial herbs and targeted probiotics containing Lacto Rhamnosus GG and S Boulardii to bring back better balance to the gut microbiome.
->Has he ever been given courses of antibiotics? Do you consume conventional or mostly organic foods at home? These can contribute to clostridia overgrowth.
#7 Arabinose is elevated which can point to some mild candida in the gut. Given that #21 Oxalic is also high, along with #59, there is reason to be suspicious of mold exposure. It very well could be from eating a lot of peanut butter. Nonetheless, consuming magnesium citrate and drinking lemon water (with a straw to protect teeth) is good prevention against kidney stone formation.
#43 is high but this is usually from a keto diet. You mentioned he consumes a lot of protein, but does he also have high fat intake? If not, this elevation could also be due to blood sugar issues or metabolic syndrome, which can also increase #59.
->Does he eat and/or crave a lot of sugar and carbs? Does he get tired after eating? Testing blood sugar (fasting insulin, fasting glucose, HbA1c) could rule this out.
#61 is high – does he consume anything with artificial sweeteners? That’s usually the main cause for this elevation.
And by the way, was he taking any supplements at the time of testing?
There are also low levels of Vitamin B6 and B5. B6 in particular is very important in neurotransmitter function, methylation and detoxification so a methylated B Complex supplement may help. Consuming more vitamin C-rich foods too.
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@Kkol yes, I’m also suspicious of a need for detox support. Both the liver enzymes and kidney function were not optimal. But again, it could be due to dehydration and the large consumption of caffeine previously. It would be interesting to see the changes in a month or two after cutting down on caffeine, hydrating more and eliminating toxins such as smoking.
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@Kkol reducing coffee consumption will for sure help reduce the burden on the liver since it gets detoxed through Phase 1.
I also have a rule that I share with clients who drink coffee – for every cup of coffee, make sure you drink 1 1/2 cups of spring water. No more than 1 cup per day and none after 12pm.
Switch to herbal teas instead throughout the day. Green tea can be a great way to wean off coffee since it still gives caffeine without the stimulation thanks to the natural L-theanine it contains. Other supportive herbs include dandelion root for liver support & stinging nettle tea for minerals & adrenal support.
If you’re going to drink a beverage, may as well make it therapeutic.
We also have this great handout on coffee alternatives which will be less acidic than decaf. Hope it helps.
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Hi @Hasnaa – the picture is beginning to get a bit clearer. Her cortisol (stress hormone) is clinically high. Cortisol is the master hormone over thyroid. High cortisol can contribute to hypothyroid function, and as I explained in a previous reply, that can lead to irregular periods and amenorrhea. I explain the different ways high cortisol affects thyroid function in this video from our Adrenal Balance course.
Also, chronic stress/high cortisol is also a contributing factor for PCOS as you can see from the Symptom Dictionary handout I shared with you initially here. Therefore addressing the “stress” is key. This can be mental/emotional stress, physical stress (lack of sleep, low calorie diet, over-exercising, etc), or physiological stress (parasites, toxins, high blood sugar (which we ruled out), chronic simmering infections like viruses or bacteria). From the previous results you shared, I do suspect parasites might be at play. A parasite cleanse might be warranted.
From your assessment, do you suspect her stress is physical or mental/emotional and may warrant outside professional support? Or do you suspect it could be physiologically (internal) induced stress?
We also know from previous labs you uploaded that she’s lacking key nutrients to make thyroid hormones and convert them into the active form. We know she’s suboptimal in B12 and iron, and clinically low in copper. These are all critical for thyroid conversion.
Since we also need vitamin A and selenium for thyroid conversion and we haven’t measured these, increasing foods rich in these nutrients is a good proactive approach. Another option is supplementation such as a thyroid combo formula that combines all of the nutrients needed such as Pure Encapsulations Thyroid Support Complex (many other brands available). This one doesn’t contain iron and copper however so that would be needed separately through food and/or supplementation.
And going back to basics, is she consuming enough protein and iodine to make thyroid hormones in the first place?
Given the low RBC, suboptimal B12, and lower ALT liver enzyme, a methylated B Complex such as Thorne’s Basic B Complex may help the possible anemia and liver detox support. To ensure there is good bile flow, taking D-Limonene for 30-60 days (1000mg, taken 1-2 x per day, 3/4 way through a meal), can help improve detoxification.
-There was in fact signs of dehydration (high albumin and protein), so please encourage her to drink more water if she’s not in the habit.
In Summary, Here’s the Order of Action Steps:
-Increase hydration (previous tests showed pattern of dehydration)
-Increase animal proteins with each meal (follow my VPF principle). This will help thyroid, iron & B vitamins.
-Increase thyroid nutrients through food or supplements (see previous reply with links to both)
-Prioritize reducing mental/emotional and physical stress (if any). Read this handout.
-Boost copper through supplementation for 60 days, then retest copper and iron panel to see if there’s improvement
-Consider D-limonene to clear up possible biliary tract congestion for 30-60 days to improve bile flow, then after 30 days, consider adding a B Complex supplement for 3 months.
-Once bile flow and liver detox are well supported, consider doing a parasite cleanse (a likely physiological stress)
Hope the above gives you a clearer direction on where to begin taking action.
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@Hasnaa please keep in mind that these are serum values. This means it’s highly influenced by what she consumed the day or so before testing. If she had a steak dinner for example or a lot of pumpkin seeds for example, her zinc might show up as clinically high. That’s why I prefer RBC zinc and copper testing as it shows cellular status over 2-3 months rather than what’s in the blood at the time of testing.
So if it doesn’t make sense, it might be worth retesting with RBC values. If the doctor won’t order it, it’s possible to order through Valeo Health and self-pay for the tests you need. Our members get a discount to their services. You can find more info here.
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@Hasnaa Thanks for sharing the updated tests. Here are my observations, and I have a few questions:
-Vitamin B12 is suboptimal low. Does she consume enough animal protein? If not, please encourage her to start adding more animal sources with each meal following my VPF principal.
-Fasting glucose and fasting insulin seem optimal, but we don’t have HbA1C as part of the full picture.
-Serum Zinc is clinically high. This usually happens if someone is supplementing with zinc before taking the test (think multi-vitamins, protein powders, immune supportive formulas, etc) or if they consumed a zinc-rich meal the day before testing. Was that the case in this situation? And as I shared with you before, serum zinc is highly influenced by what a person consumes the day or so before, whereas RBC zinc shows what’s happening inside the cell over 2-3 months.
-Serum Copper is clinically low. This can drive down white blood cells and therefore weaken immunity, and also drive anemia because we need copper to absorb iron! And zinc and copper are antagonists. Too much zinc can deplete copper and vice versa. Since Covid, I have actually seen this dynamic because everyone was supplementing with high dose zinc blindly for months on end, and unknowingly depleting their copper levels. Can you shed light on what you think is leading to high zinc and low copper? Was she supplementing with zinc?
-Ferritin is suboptimal low! Again, likely due to low copper leading to poor iron absorption and storage. This will absolutely affect thyroid conversion, and should be addressed. Figuring out why her copper is low and zinc high will offer clues so please let me know what your thoughts are about these dynamics.
Vitamin A and selenium were not measured, but should also be considered.
