The Labs I Run

[daphne]

one can also go to www.bodylogicmd.com to find a friendly physician or lab to run the tests mentioned. The Life Extension Foundation also runs these tests.

[cpeil2]

Originally Posted by daphne

one can also go to www.bodylogicmd.com to find a friendly physician or lab to run the tests mentioned. The Life Extension Foundation also runs these tests.

Do I smell spam?

[daphne]

No spam, just mentionign a medical group affiliated with the A4M.

[marianco]

Originally Posted by CaesarWilliam

I am down in Latin America. I have never had labs done before. I have located a Blood lab in a town near hear. I want to go get my levels checked. My question is, what test do I have them run? Do I ask for a Hormone test (Testosterone, Estrogen Ect?) Or is there a specific named test? Down here you don't need a doctor for test referals and health care is cheap and very good. I just don't know what to ask for.

Look up sticky called TRT: A Recipe for Success for SWALE/Dr. Crisler's protocol including the initial labs.

The labs need to be customized to the individual. A comprehensive set of labs for my patiens would cost close to $5,000 or more. Not everyone can afford this, even with insurance, nor may it be necessary or practical in order to address the most important problems, so I customize the lab tests for the person.

A fairly comprehensive general initial lab work-up using standard blood and urine tests may include:

REPRODUCTIVE:
Free and Total Testosterone Panel (this includes Total Testosterone, Free Testosterone, Bioavailable Testosterone, and Sex Hormone Binding Globulin), Estradiol, Progesterone, Luteinizing Hormone, Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Prolactin, Prostate Specific Antigen (in men)

THYROID:
Free T4 (Free Thyroxine), Free T3 (Free Liothyronine), Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, antithyroglobulin antibody, antithyroid peroxidase antibody, thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin.

ADRENAL:
Cortisol AM, Cortisol PM, Cortisol-Binding Globulin, Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH), Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate (DHEA-s),

CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM:
fasting glucose (included in comprehensive metabolic panel when fasting), Hemoglobin A1c, fasting insulin, 3-Hour Glucose Tolerance Test (samples of blood for measuring glucose and insulin are taken at 0, 60, 120, and 180 minutes after ingesting a 1.75 g/kg glucose solution).

GROWTH HORMONE:
IGF-1 (Insulin-like growth factor I / Somatomedin-C), Growth Hormone Stimulation Test using GHRH (growth hormone releasing hormone) plus Arginine (samples of blood for measuring growth hormone are taken at 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes).

GENERAL:
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (glucose, urea nitrogen, creatinine, calcium, sodium, potassium, CO2, cholride, total protein, albumin, globulin, total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, AST, ALT)
CBC (complete blood count)
Lipid Profile (including total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, VLDL cholesterol, calculated LDL cholesterol)
Urinalysis
Magnesium
Vitamin D, 1, 25-Dihydroxy
Vitamin B12
Folate
Heavy Metal Screen (blood)

The tests are done in the morning after fasting overnight (no food or drink after dinner except for water). The patient should drink 0.5 liters of water before the test to avoid dehydration. The patient should avoid strenuous activity the day before, avoid restaurant food and stimulants such as coffee, eat their regular meals, and avoid stressful situations for at least 2 days before the test.

Cortisol-PM is done in the afternoon between 4-6 PM on the same day as the morning test.

The 3-hour glucose tolerance test and growth hormone stimulation tests should be done on different days.

ADDITIONAL SPECIALIZED TESTS:

A comprehensive 24-hour urine hormone panel (including DHEA, Androsterone, Etiocholanolone, Pregnanetriol, Cortisone, Cortisol, Tetrahydrocortisone, Tetrahydrocortisol, Allo-tetrahydrocortisol, Aldosterone, Tetrahydrocorticosterone, Allo-tetrahydrocorticosterone, Estrone, Estradiol, Estriol, Pregnanediol, Testosterone, Androsterone, 2-hydroxyestrogens, 16a-hydroxyestrone, 4-hydroxyestrone, 2-methoxyestrone, 2-methoxyestradiol, 5a-androstanediol, 5b-androstanediol, 11b-hydroxyandrosterone, 11b-hydroxyetiocholanolone, Free T3, Free T4, Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium).

24-hour urine growth hormone

Saliva test for Cortisol (4 samples in a day), DHEA-s (2 samples in a day).

Urine test for neurotransmitters (including sertonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, GABA, glutamate, epinephrine)

MRI of Brain

Chest X-Ray

EKG

The follow up tests include a subset of these tests as well as other tests depending on the situation.

[JackBauer]

Originally Posted by SWALE

Here is the standard order for my over 40 patients:

"Even though you will be fasting for 12 hours, please remember to drink lots of water. .

I just had labs done yesterday, and drank plenty the night before, but none before my blood work in the morning. (Fasting)

I chose not to drink because there seemed to be conflicting information online about it, I did not see this thread until today.

How substantial of an impact could me not drinking the morning of the lab test, have on results?

Thanks

[marianco]

Originally Posted by JackBauer

I just had labs done yesterday, and drank plenty the night before, but none before my blood work in the morning. (Fasting)

I chose not to drink because there seemed to be conflicting information online about it, I did not see this thread until today.

How substantial of an impact could me not drinking the morning of the lab test, have on results?

Thanks

Overnight, one can become dehydrated.

Dehydration will artificially raise levels on blood tests.

This will cause low test levels to artifically appear in the "normal" range when they may actually be low. Thus, one risks not finding deficiencies by not drinking water before the lab test.

The amount to drink is about 0.5 to 1.0 liter.

The albumin level is one indication of the amount of dehydration that is occurring.

[theman24]

swale can you test me if i senfd my blood through mail,im in england.

[pmgamer18]

Originally Posted by theman24

swale can you test me if i senfd my blood through mail,im in england.

SWALE aka Dr. John is not posting here anymore but you can reach him at www.allthingsmail.com he will work with your Dr. over the phone if you can get your Dr. to do this.

[Andrew Androgen]

Originally Posted by marianco

Overnight, one can become dehydrated.

Dehydration will artificially raise levels on blood tests.

This will cause low test levels to artifically appear in the "normal" range when they may actually be low. Thus, one risks not finding deficiencies by not drinking water before the lab test.

The amount to drink is about 0.5 to 1.0 liter.

The albumin level is one indication of the amount of dehydration that is occurring.

Marianco, does dehydration before a blood test artificially raise testosterone levels as well?
Thanks.

[RussianRocket]

Any luck for people in the province of Québec, Canada???? (Montreal)

I'm going to bring the list to my doc tomorrow and see if he can help me.