This panel measures the blood levels of arsenic, lead, and mercury.

The tests are usually ordered for patients prior to surgery to ensure normal clotting ability.  The PT and PTT Blood Tests are useful in the diagnosis of excessive, unexplained bleeding in patients who are not taking blood-thinning medications. These bleeding disorders include conditions such as nosebleeds, bruising, heavy menstrual periods, blood in the stool and/or urine, and bleeding gums, among others,

Blood Test to Detect Lead Poisoning Lead poisoning is dangerous and can contribute to numerous health complications. This heavy metal is present in gasoline, medical equipment, paints, batteries, metal alloys and more. Lead is primarily deposited in bones, and it affects individuals directly, depending on their age and health levels. It is excreted through urine and feces, but it can also be found in blood, breast milk, saliva, and sweat.

Aldosterone (ALD) is one of a group of connected hormones. They form the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system; this system is activated when there is a decrease in blood flow to your kidneys following a drop in blood volume or blood pressure

The volume measurement, or hct blood test, is the proportion of blood that the red blood cells take up. Hemoglobin, on the other hand, is a density or concentration measurement and is expressed in grams per liter or deciliter. (Hemoglobin is, if you will recall from your high school biology, the iron-based protein that transports oxygen.) RBC is a simple count and is usually expressed as the number of million red blood cells that you have per microliter. Usually, hematocrit is three times the amount of hemoglobin.

Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) increases hematocrit in most men.  Read more about how to decrease hematocrit.

NOTE: Hematocrit is also part of the CBC panel, so there is no need to order separately if your order already includes CBC.

Both chronically low and high levels of glutathione in the body are indicative of potentially debilitating health problems. Glutathione level is a crucial marker for many diseases, both chronic and acute. Given the importance of this protein to human health; discovering your glutathione levels could be one more way to monitor health levels, immune function, and the potential risk of diseases that have been associated with chronically low or high levels of this essential peptide.

This high sensitivity CRP test is used along other blood markers to assess a patient's potential risk for cardiovascular disease. To illustrate the difference between CRP and hs-CRP, traditional testing measures CRP (quantitative) within the range of 10 to 1,000 mg/L, whereas hs-CRP values range from 0.5 to 10 mg/L. In simpler terms, hs-CRP measures trace amounts of CRP in the blood. Hs-CRP is the analyte of choice for cardiovascular risk assessment

This test measures Zinc levels in red blood cells (RBC). 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. It may be more accurate than testing Zinc in blood serum.

CPK is creatine phosphokinase, an enzyme in the heart, brain, and skeletal muscle. High CPK can indicate muscle destruction, heart attacks, and central nervous system issues. Long-term exposure to high CPK can load up your kidneys and cause muscle loss and weakness. Sometimes we have no symptoms when CPK is high, but most of the time, we have body aches and soreness. Resistance training can raise CPK, so stop working out for at least five days before the CPK test.

Cortisol (hydrocortisone) is the most prominent glucocorticosteroid, and it is essential for the maintenance of several body functions. The most important physiological effects of cortisol are that it raises blood sugar levels (enhances gluconeogenesis, or breaks down glucose) and lowers inflammation and the immune system.

The reverse T3 test has to be done at the same time you do the free T3, and you then measure the ratio between the two by dividing the RT3 into the Free T3. The body produces the benign RT3 naturally to rid itself of excess of T4, but in some cases, such as high or low cortisol, RT3 is produced in excess, which can clog cell receptors from receiving T3. FT3 is usually twenty or more times higher than RT3. NOTE: Reverse T3 is analyzed using a specific technique called liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS). There's a special place in the U.S. where these precise machines needed for LC/MS panels run only on two specific days a week. So, sometimes the clock ticks a bit while we wait for samples to return from their initial collection points. Results may take 7 business days.

The pre-op (surgery) blood test includes the three test panels (CBC, CMP, and Prothrombin Time Test) most commonly ordered before a person has surgery. Pre-operative testing is usually done during the few days before the surgery. This panel lets your surgeon know what to be aware of in case of complications during surgery.