There are several standard blood tests which most doctors will order during your annual physical.
However, these tests are largely aimed at diagnosing or screening for disease rather than optimal health.
Markers that indicate potential future risk factors are not tested during a routine lab screen.
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Instead of screening for disease we need to focus on optimal health.
Prevention is much easier than reversing chronic disease.
For this reason, I recommend that everyone ask their doctor to run the following blood tests:
-Fasting Insulin and Blood Glucose
Normally only glucose is checked, however, insulin resistance and elevated insulin levels precede elevations in glucose. Insulin resistance is also associated with risk or cardiovascular disease, cancer, dementia and type 2 diabetes.
-Triglycerides
This is part of the standard lipid panel, but, is often overlooked. This is an excellent predictor of cardiovascular health.
-C-Reactive protein
This is the best marker of systemic inflammation. Nearly all chronic disease is associated with some inflammation. This is a very important marker of the potential of developing chronic disease in the future.
-Lactose Dehydrogenase
This is a marker of pro cancer environment in the body. It is often elevated in cancer patients, but, also predisposes individuals to development of cancer in the future.
-Vitamin D
Vitamin D plays many important roles in the body including hormone production, immune health and mental health. Testing Vitamin D is especially important in the winter for those living far from the equator.
-Vitamin B12
This is an important vitamin for neurological health. Vegetarians and vegans are at the highest risk for B12 deficiency.
I hope you found this helpful. I can post specific ranges for the tests if anyone is interested.
The target ranges vary form one the country to then next, as do standardized units.
You hit the basics of what's important! I found out recently my triglycerides are high! And my vitamin D was low. Blood tests helped me fix that!
Glad to hear you are actively taking control of your health.
if TGs are high I highly recommend you test insulin.
TGs are elevated with elevated glucose.
excellent post.
http://www.forever29nutrition.com/lower-cancer-risk-83/
another that's huge is testosterone for men. one of my friends wrote the book on how the healthy range of testosterone in men has declined 30% in 30 years which leads to all kinds of health problems: http://amzn.to/2nOdDFr
gut health is also pretty huge. Dr. Purlmutter goes into how gut bacteria is responsible for so much more than we realize and the types of bacteria we're feeding with westernized diets is leading to diabetes and neurological disorders which is being referred to as type 3 diabetes: http://amzn.to/2shxGQZ
keep up the great content!
Agreed. Testosterone and DHT ratio is very important.
I agree with gut health I read all of Dr. Perlmutter's books. Unfortunately that's not an easy blood test.
true it isn't, and probably one of the main reasons is the importance of the gut microbiom hasn't been the focus of modern medicine. for instance, in order to get a FMT transplant in the US, isn't really approved for much because of the FDA. what gets the most attention, dollars, and research sadly is pharmaceuticals and not more natural means which are arguably more effective as your post explains.
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STOPI like to go once a year, what do you recommend..i know some people go multiple times a year.
I would say it depends on what your baseline values are. If they are good then once every couple years is fine. If not, make lifestyle changes and reassess in a few months.