Labs to Request Annually
Even though I use a lot of specialty lab tests in my practice that are SO helpful like GI Map, DUTCH Hormone Testing, Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA), etc. I also love to use plus find a ton of value in routine lab tests. They often get overshadowed, but you can honestly learn a lot about your health from them! Plus, routine labs are easier to come by and typically cheaper/able to be covered by insurance!
So whether you set up an appointment with your doctor or another healthcare provider or want to request some labs for yourself via companies like DirectLabs or Walk In Labs, here is what you should make sure gets ordered! (P.S. make sure to save this post to your “favorites” for easy reference in the future.)
Labs to Request Annually
FULL THYROID PANEL
Have you ever asked to get your thyroid checked and your doctor comes back with just a TSH value and says you're "normal" but you feel far from it? Please know that TSH is just one piece of the thyroid puzzle as the production of active thyroid hormone (Free T3) is a multi-step process. So make sure that when you go to get your thyroid checked, you check all of the following essential thyroid puzzle pieces.
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
Free T4 - inactive thyroid hormone
Free T3 - active thyroid hormone
Reverse T3 - inactive thyroid hormone
Thyroid Antibodies: TPO, TgAb
IRON PANEL
Another “full” lab panel that often gets overlooked as your body’s serum and/or storage iron status is just one piece of the iron puzzle. In the body, iron is recycled via the reticuloendothelial system (RES). So to get a better picture of whether or not your body’s iron is being recycled/utilized properly, you will want to ask for the following lab markers.
Serum Iron
Serum Ferritin - Ferritin is an intracellular protein that stores iron in the tissues. It’s important to note that drawing this marker via serum (an extracellular medium) may not adequately depict intracellular ferritin status
Serum Transferrin - Iron transport protein that recycles iron from the tissues to the blood
Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC) - measures the blood’s ability to bind iron with transferrin
% Saturation - the percentage of iron bound to transferrin
+ add on Serum Ceruloplasmin - marker for bioavailable copper status, which regulates iron recycling
BLOOD SUGAR
Listed below are very standard lab values for assessing the body’s blood sugar levels and utilization.
Fasting Glucose
Fasting Insulin - hormone responsible for allowing glucose into the cells for use as fuel or storage
Hemoglobin A1c - roughly a 3 month average of glucose levels
NUTRIENTS
The following nutrients listed below are important to routinely assess due to their insight on the levels of oxidative stress in the body. Please ensure you’re drawing the proper form of each nutrient as listed below.
Serum Copper
Plasma Zinc
Vitamin A (retinol)
Vitamin D (25-OH)
Red Blood Cell (RBC) magnesium
BASICS
Lastly, I’ve included your standard lab panels typically drawn.
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
Complete Metabolic Panel (CMP)
Lipid panel
C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) - high-sensitivity inflammatory marker
What to Always Keep in Mind When it Comes to Your Lab Results:
Always request a copy of your results so you can look them over yourself or with a practitioner
Certain lab markers may need to be interpreted in correlation with their relationship to other lab markers
There is a difference between a normal reference range and an optimal reference range so if your labs come back "normal" and you're not feeling normal, look at them a little closer
Optimal Lab Reference Ranges:
When you review any set of labs, you'll notice a reference range is listed and results that fall outside of that range will be flagged as high or low. This works well for: identifying whether or not there is a disease state. This does not work well for: identifying optimal health. So below I’ve listed the optimal reference ranges I use in practice to help my clients better understand their lab results and symptoms.
***BIG NOTE: This isn't a perfect science. Different people may feel their best at different ranges. Your practitioner's advice, your medical history, and your current symptoms take precedent before the ranges found below.
FULL THYROID PANEL
TSH: 1.0-2.0 µIU/mL
Free T4: 1.3-1.7 ng/dL
Free T3: 3.3-4.0 pg/mL
Reverse T3: Varies in relation to free T3. Typically want Free T3/Reverse T3 ratio to by >0.2
Thyroid Antibodies: TPO, TgAb: As close to 0 as possible
IRON PANEL
Serum Iron: ~100 mcg/dL
Serum Ferritin: 20-50 ng/mL
Serum Transferrin: ~300 mg/dL
Total iron binding capacity (TIBC): 250-450 mcg/dL
% Saturation: 35-45%
Serum Ceruloplasmin: ~30 mg/dL
BLOOD SUGAR
Fasting Glucose: 75-90 mg/dL
Fasting Insulin: less than 6 mIU/L
Hemoglobin A1c: 4.5-5.2%
NUTRIENTS
Serum Copper: 70-110 ug/dL
Plasma Zinc: 90-135 ug/dL
Vitamin A (retinol): not less than 30 mcg/L
Vitamin D (25-OH): 30-50 ng/ml
Red blood cell (RBC) magnesium: ~6.5 mg/dL
BASICS
C-reactive protein (hs-CRP): less than 1 mg/L
Interpreting Your Lab Results:
I'll always be a big advocate for getting professional help with your lab interpretations and treatment plans. At KaelyRD, we help our clients navigate the conventional vs optimal lab reference ranges. We help our clients connect the dots between their lab results and symptoms they are experiencing. We then use the information to craft personalized nutrition, supplement, and lifestyle recommendations to help best support their needs. Interested in learning more about working 1:1, click here to fill out a quick application form to schedule a free consultation call.
Are You a Provider Looking to Better Understand and Interpret Your Client’s Lab Results?
Click here to apply to for my Leveraging Labs Program. It’s part course, part mastermind, part business coaching that sets you up for success selecting and selling labs confidently. Start upleveling the lives of your clients by applying today!