Full Description
This test is useful for
- Alopecia
- Anemia
- Bone Density
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Depression
- Dermatitis or Poor Wound Healing
- Detoxification Therapy
- Fatigue
- Gastrointestinal Symptoms
- Hypertension
- Inflammation
- Immune Function
- Impaired Glucose Tolerance
- Kidney Function
- Nutritional Deficiencies
- Parkinson's-like Symptoms
- Sexual Impotence or Decreased Testosterone Production
- Vision Problems
For More Detail:
Please contact us at (714) 864-3730 or pe@anti-fragilityhealth.com to order your test.
Toxic and Essential Elements
Elements are the basic building blocks of all chemical compounds, and human exposure to them occurs both from natural and anthropogenic sources. Many elements are considered nutrients and are essential for the proper functioning of the body. These are generally divided between macrominerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium and zinc, and trace minerals including selenium, iodine, boron and molybdenum.
Conversely, there are a number of elements that are toxic to the human body, interfere with its functioning and undermine health—such as mercury, lead, cadmium, aluminum, and arsenic. These toxic metals have no known physiological functions. They can be toxic to organ systems and may disrupt the balance of essential nutrients. Toxic metals and essential element status can be assessed in urine, blood, feces and hair.
Doctor's Data has always employed the best-available techniques as a specialist and pioneer in essential and toxic elemental testing. In fact, we were one of the first clinical reference laboratories in the world to employ ICP-MS and high-resolution ICP-MS for elemental analysis.
Detailed Information
Red blood cell (RBC) analysis is an invaluable method for assessing insufficiency or excess of elements that have important functions within cells or on blood cell membranes. An important feature of this analysis is that the cells are not washed, because this would result in partial loss of some important elements, such as calcium, that bind to the plasma membrane.
RBC element levels are very useful for:
- Cardiotonic influences (magnesium, potassium)
- Anti-inflammatory processes (selenium, copper, zinc)
- Anemia (copper, iron)
- Immunological function (zinc, copper, magnesium)
- Glucose tolerance (chromium, manganese and possibly vanadium)
Disorders specifically associated with zinc deficiency are also addressed by this analysis. These disorders include loss of visual acuity, dysgeusia, dermatitis and poor wound healing, alopecia, amino acid malabsorption, sexual impotence, decreased production of testosterone, depressed immune function and growth retardation.
Accurate assessment of essential element status is highly recommended for the determination of appropriate supplementation. The absorption, transport and metabolism of essential elements is highly integrated and regulated. Inappropriate supplementation or dietary imbalance of elements can have significant adverse health effects. For example, excess intake of zinc or molybdenum can result in copper deficiency and, although essential, excess retention of manganese can have serious neurotoxic effects.
RBC element analysis is also useful for the assessment of ongoing or very recent exposure to specific toxic elements that accumulate preferentially in erythrocytes. These toxic elements include arsenic, cadmium, lead, methylmercury and thallium. It is important to keep in mind that elevated levels of the toxic elements in these cells reflect only recent or ongoing exposure and do not provide information about the net retention of the metals in the body.
RBC element analysis should be performed prior to and intermittently throughout the course of detoxification or chelation therapy. Monitoring essential element status is necessary to identify needs for and effectiveness of supplementation. Replacement and maintenance of adequate levels of essential nutrients can markedly reduce the apparent adverse "side effects" associated with the use of detoxification agents and the general effects of mobilization of toxic elements. It is important to note that some diseases are associated with abnormal levels of blood cell elements that could be misleading with respect to nutritional status. For example, blood cell copper can be temporarily elevated during inflammatory response while liver levels are not.
Usage Directions
Before You Start:
Please read all of the directions, and familiarize yourself with the collection procedures.
The test requires no special diet but It is recommended that the blood be drawn before breakfast after an overnight fast. Other collection times can cause deviations in patient results. Please refrain from taking non-essential medications, and dietary supplements that contain minerals for 72 hours prior to the specimen collection, unless otherwise instructed by your physician. Never discontinue prescription medications without first consulting your physician. Phlebotomist
More Instructions: