The benefits of biomarkers
There’s no better feeling than knowing you’re putting your health and wellness first on a monthly basis. Monitoring key levels that may affect your body not only provides you with the opportunity to discuss results with your healthcare provider on a regular basis, but it equips you with insights to take action on your own time.
Today, we’re going to break down the benefits of some of our top test biomarkers, so you can better understand how they could affect your body.
Vitamin D & Inflammation Test Knowing your vitamin D and hs-CRP levels may be a first step in recognizing if there’s a potential association between inadequate or elevated vitamin D levels and inflammation in your body, so you can take steps to understand what may be causing your uncomfortable symptoms with your healthcare provider.
The biomarkers:
Vitamin D has many roles in the body including helping to keep your bones healthy and strong. It is obtained through some foods, and also forms in the body when sunlight is absorbed by your skin.
hs-CRP is a measure of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), a protein that the liver makes when there is inflammation in the body. While some inflammation in the body is beneficial to help protect organs from injuries or infections, excessive inflammation has been linked to heart disease. The reason hs-CRP is included in the Vitamin D and inflammation test is because the two may have an indirect, inverse association (e.g. those with lower levels of vitamin D often tend to have higher levels of hs-CRP).
Metabolism Test By measuring your levels of TSH, Cortisol, and Testosterone, you may better understand what you may be experiencing with your body weight and energy. Abnormalities in any one of these hormones may require further testing for that specific endocrine gland function.
The biomarkers:
Cortisol is made in our adrenal glands and is released in our bodies naturally each day. Cortisol affects energy levels by regulating the release of glucose as the main source of our body's fuel that helps keep us going during the day. It also happens to be the body's primary stress hormone.
Testosterone is produced by the adrenal cortex, the testes in men, and the ovaries in women. When it is bound to protein in the blood it is called Total Testosterone. Testosterone that is not bound to proteins is called Free Testosterone and is the biologically active form of the hormone. Measuring testosterone can help screen for certain hormonal imbalances that can impact many things including energy and weight.
Thyroid-stimulating hormone, TSH, is the hormone responsible for controlling thyroid hormone production by the thyroid gland. The hormone TSH is considered the most sensitive marker for screening for thyroid diseases and conditions.
By measuring your levels of three main thyroid hormones plus thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibodies, you can gain understanding if you may be experiencing thyroid dysfunction. These circulating thyroid hormones have an impact on many functions of the body. Your thyroid plays an important role in many of your body’s functions, how fast your heart beats, how quickly your stomach digests food, how the brain processes memories and learning, and the condition of your skin, hair, and nails
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Thyroid-stimulating hormone, TSH, is the hormone responsible for controlling thyroid hormone production by the thyroid gland. The hormone TSH is considered the most sensitive marker for screening for thyroid diseases and conditions.
Thyroid peroxidase antibodies are antibodies that can bind to thyroid enzymes, suppressing thyroid function. They are typically elevated in a condition called Hashimoto's disease, which is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the USA.
Free T3 is a hormone produced by the thyroid gland. Levels of this can fluctuate when individuals have an under or overactive thyroid gland.
Free T4 is the predominant hormone produced by the thyroid gland. Levels can fluctuate when individuals have an under or overactive thyroid gland. Testing your free T4 with this thyroid function test lets you see if your thyroid hormone production is at a normal level.
Cholesterol & Lipids Test Knowing your levels of total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides allows you to take steps and optimize your cholesterol and lipid levels to help reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease.
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Total cholesterol is the total pool of cholesterol in the body, which includes biomarkers explicitly measured like LDL and HDL, as well as smaller lipid molecules.
Calculated LDL - Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) is generally considered the "bad cholesterol" as high blood concentrations of this form of cholesterol may lead to an increased risk of heart disease. LDL cholesterol can deposit in the arteries and lead to a condition known as atherosclerosis. LDL can be calculated mathematically using triglycerides, HDL, and total cholesterol values or it can be measured directly. This test measures calculated LDL.
HDL, high-density lipoprotein, is considered the "good cholesterol" because it is able to carry cholesterol deposits away from arteries and back to the liver where it can be broken down and cleared from the body.
Triglycerides are the primary form of fat in the blood. Excessive levels of triglycerides may lead to damage to organs such as the liver and pancreas. Excessive levels may also lead to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
HbA1c Test An HbA1c test helps evaluate how well controlled your blood sugar levels have been over the past 90 days. Regular HbA1c testing can also help you see how choices you make—like diet—affect your blood sugar levels, especially if you're diabetic or prediabetic.
The biomarkers:
HbA1c is a measurement of the amount of glucose bound to the heme found in red blood cells. An HbA1c measurement lets you know how well your sugar levels have been controlled over the past 90 days—so if you want to take a closer look at your average blood glucose levels to better understand your body's glycemic control, our HbA1c Test is a great place to start.