Lab Testing

Product Description

**Note: All laboratory testing requires an authorizing physician. DHA Laboratory offers a patient direct program that partners you with an authorizing physician. If you have any additional questions regarding the availability of testing, please contact our laboratory by telephone or email.**

 

The Comprehensive Wellness Panel

Hemoglobin A1c + Uric Acid, + Phosphorus + Magnesium, Serum + LDH + GGT + Iron & TIBC + Ferritin + C-Reactive Protein, hs + Homocysteine + Thyroid Profile II, Free T3, Reverse T3 + Free T4 + TPO Ab + Thyroglobulin Ab + Vitamin D 25-Hydroxy + Fibrinogen Activity + CMP (14) + Lipid Panel w/ Total Cholesterol + HNK1 (CD57) Profile + CBC w/ Diff + Urinalysis Complete

Hemoglobin A1c: Diabetes and prediabetes in adults can be diagnosed and screened for using this test. When glucose attaches to hemoglobin, hemoglobin A1c is then created. When glucose levels are elevated, more glycated hemoglobin is created.

Uric Acid: This blood test is used to detect high levels of this compound in the blood in order to help diagnose gout. The test is also used to monitor uric acid levels in people undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatment for cancer. Rapid cell turnover from such treatment can result in an increased uric acid level. The uric acid blood test is ordered when a health care provider suspects that someone has a high uric acid level. Some people with high levels of uric acid have a disease called gout, which is a common form of arthritis. People with gout suffer from joint pain, most often in their toes, but in other joints as well. The test is also ordered to monitor cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy, to ensure that uric acid levels do not get dangerously high.

Phosphorus: This test is used to see how much phosphorus is in the blood. Phosphorus is important for the nerve signaling and muscle contraction. This mineral is needed to build strong bones and teeth.

Magnesium, Serum: This test is ordered on patients who show signs of magnesium deficiency.  These symptoms can include weakness in muscles, seizures, cramping, twitching, or confusion.  This test can also be ordered on patients who are currently taking medications that can cause excretion of magnesium through the kidneys.

LDH: LD stands for Lactate Dehydrogenase, which is an enzyme that can be found in almost all of the body’s tissues. It can be used as an indicator if one has tissue or cellular damage. The importance of this test lies in the cellular respiration, which is a process where glucose from food is converted into energy that is used for our cells.

GGT: This test is used to determine why a patient would have elevated levels of alkaline phosphatase or also known as ALP. This test would be recommended for any patients with disease associated with the bile duct, and also for patients who have liver or bone disease.

Iron & TIBC: This test is used to aid in the evaluation of a number of conditions involved with red cell production and destruction, iron transport, or iron metabolism. This will assist your physician in differentiating between different types of anemia.  May also be used to help diagnose hemochromatosis (iron overload). High levels of iron are associated with kidney/liver disease and a deficiency in vitamin B6.  Low iron levels have symptoms including fatigue, headaches, or muscle pain.

Ferritin: This test is used to evaluate an individual’s iron levels in the body. Ferritin is often paired with an iron test and also a TIBC test. Ferritin levels correlate with and are useful in evaluation of total body storage iron. From this test you will be able to identify if you are deficient or high in iron levels.

C-Reactive Protein, hs: Increases when there’s inflammation in your body. Also can be used to evaluate your risk of developing coronary artery disease.

Homocysteine: This test is ordered for a variety of clinical purposes including heart conditions, and vitamin b12 or folate deficiency. Testing homocysteine can be effective in identifying abnormal levels of B12 and folate before symptoms are present. Practitioners will order this test on patients who may be malnourished or with poor nutrition. This includes the elderly, drug addicts, and alcohol addicts.

Individuals who are at risk of, or have a family history of heart disease or stroke are also strong candidates for this test. Practitioners will also order this test on patients with a family history of coronary artery disease. Young children and babies are tested for homocysteine if they test positive for homocystinuria (high levels of methionine) during routine screenings.

Symptoms that qualify a patient to have a homocysteine test include but are not limited to:

• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Rapid heart rate
• Sore mouth/tongue
• Discomfort in the arms, feet, hands, or legs
• Loss of appetite

Practitioners order this test on patients who have recently experienced a stroke or heart attack in order to guide treatment.  This is due to the test’s ability to assess an individual’s risk of cardiovascular disease.

Practitioners can also order the homocysteine test on patients over the age of 30 who are going through supplemental treatment.  This allows for the practitioner to assess whether or not certain supplements will have a negative impact on the patient’s heart.

Thyroid Profile II: Free thyroxine index (FTI); T₃ uptake (THBR); thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH); thyroxine (T₄); tri-iodothyronine (T₃)

Free T3: This test is used in the evaluation of thyroid function. T3 is a hormone produced by the thyroid gland and helps control the rate at which your body generates energy.

Reverse T3: Reverse T3 is a biologically inactive form of T3. When T4 is converted to T3 in the body, a certain percentage of the T3 is in the form of RT3. When the body is under stress, thyroid hormone levels may be outside of normal ranges even though there is no thyroid disease present. RT3 may be elevated in non-thyroidal conditions, particularly the stress of illness.

Free T4: This test is used when Free T4 may be indicated when TBG (thyroxine binding globulin) problems are suspected. It can also be used to diagnose thyroid disease and screen for hypothyroidism in newborns.

TPO Ab: This test is used to differentiate the diagnosis of thyroiditis and hypothyroidism. Thyroid Peroxidase is an enzyme that can be found in the thyroid gland. The presence of these antibodies in your blood can help determine that the cause of thyroid disease is an autoimmune disorder.

Thyroglobulin Ab: This test is used in the diagnosis of autoimmune thyroiditis. Hashimoto thyroiditis can also be detected with this test. Thyroglobulin is a protein that can be found in thyroid cells.

Vitamin D 25-Hydroxy: This test is ordered when an individual has low calcium and/or symptoms of vitamin D deficiency. This can appear as bone weakness/softness, or fractures in adults, or as rickets (bone malformation) in children.

The vitamin D test is for individuals at high risk of deficiency. It is used to monitor diseases that interfere with fat absorption. These diseases include cystic fibrosis or Crohn’s disease. This test also monitors the effectiveness of vitamin D, calcium, magnesium or phosphorus supplementation.

Individuals at risk of vitamin D deficiency include: older adults, individuals who have limited exposure to sunlight, individuals who are obese, or who have fat malabsorption.

Low levels of D-25 hydroxy are one of the earliest changes that show in individuals with early kidney failure.  People with kidney disease also show low levels.

High levels of D-25 hydroxy show due to diseases that can make vitamin D outside of the kidneys. The two primary diseases related to this are sarcoidosis or certain lymphomas.

Long term high levels of vitamin D can eventually lead to the damage of certain organs such as the kidneys and blood vessels via calcification.  If magnesium levels are low, a physician may supplement both magnesium and calcium in order to eliminate a low calcium level that is resistant to vitamin D.

Fibrinogen Activity: Fibrinogen is essential for the formation of a blood clot. Deficiency in fibrinogen can produce mild to severe bleeding disorders.

Fibrinogen Activity is used in the diagnosis of:
-Heterozygous fibrinogen deficiency
-Homozygous fibrinogen deficiency
-Dysfibrinogenemia

The Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP 14): This test is used in the evaluation of organ function and checks for conditions such as diabetes, liver disease, and kidney disease. The CMP may also be ordered to monitor conditions, such as hypertension, and to monitor patients taking medications for any kidney- or liver-related side effects. If a doctor is interested in following two or more individual CMP components, they may order the entire CMP because it offers more information and can give a more thorough assessment.

The Lipid Panel w/ Total Cholesterol: This test is used to guide practitioners regarding what treatment is best for patients who have borderline or high risk of heart disease. HDL particles are involved in the process of removing excess cholesterol and transporting it to the liver for removal.  LDL particles deposit extra cholesterol in the walls of blood vessels.  Because of this, HDL particles are known as “good cholesterol” and LDL particles are known as “bad cholesterol.”

HNK1 (CD57) Profile: This test is used Monitor the CD57 lymphocyte subset in patients with chronic Lyme disease

The Complete Blood Count (CBC): Often used as a broad screening test to determine an individual’s general health status. It can be used to:

• Screen for a wide range of conditions and diseases
• Help diagnose various conditions, such as anemia, infection, inflammation, bleeding disorder or leukemia, to name just a few
• Monitor the condition and/or effectiveness of treatment after a diagnosis is established
• Monitor treatment that is known to affect blood cells, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy

Urinalysis Complete: Detects abnormalities of urine; diagnose and manage renal diseases, urinary tract infection, urinary tract neoplasms, systemic diseases, and inflammatory or neoplastic diseases adjacent to the urinary tract.

 

Patient Preparation: A fasting specimen is required. Patients should fast for 12 hours prior to specimen collection. Discontinue any supplements containing Biotin for 72 hours prior to specimen collection. Patients should be on a stable diet for 2-3 weeks prior to collection of blood. The sample should be drawn before patients are given therapeutic iron or blood transfusion. Iron determinations on patients who have had blood transfusions should be delayed for at least 4 days.