More and more people are now taking control of their health and wellness through wearable technology and digital health apps that allow them to track things such as sleep patterns and the number of daily steps. But this only gives you half of the story. To get the complete picture of your state of health, you also need to look at critical biomarkers, as these can help you to identify areas where you may be able to make improvements to your health through small changes in your diet or lifestyle habits – after discussion with your doctor of course.
What are biomarkers?
The National Cancer Institute defines biomarkers as “a biological molecule found in blood, other bodily fluids, or tissues that is a sign of a normal or abnormal process, or a condition or a disease.” An excellent example of a biomarker is ferritin, which helps identify iron deficiency anaemia and LDL cholesterol, which can lead to a higher risk of developing heart disease. Specific nutritional biomarkers can also indicate nutritional status concerning dietry constituents such as carbohydrates and vitamins.
How can biomarkers help with health and wellness?
Firstly, it is essential to understand that we are all individuals, so what might be an average biomarker level for one person may be abnormal for another. This is where biomarker tracking may come in useful. Understanding the essential biomarkers you need to track for your particular health concern will allow you to gain insights to help you make the lifestyle changes necessary to optimise your health (after discussion with a medical professional).
Where should I start with biomarker tracking?
Some vital health biomarkers that may help you improve your bone and muscle strength, energy levels, and mood can be checked using Test2Go’s General Health Profile Test. The Testing Biomarkers in this test include: #Cholesterol Biomarkers Cholesterol has a crucial role in our bodies as it helps us absorb nutrients from our diet, maintain healthy cells, and regulate the balance of salt and water within our bodies. However, having a high level of LDL cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease. The cholesterol biomarkers checked in this test include:
- HDL percentage
- HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein)
- LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein)
- Non-HDL Cholesterol Total Cholesterol
- Total Cholestrerol HDL Ratio
- Triglyceride
#Kidney Function Biomarkers Our kidneys are essential to our overall health as they are responsible for removing excess fluid and waste from our bodies. They also remove the acid produced by our bodies cells to maintain the balance between minerals, salts and water. If our kidneys are not functioning correctly, this can lead to the muscles, nerves and tissues in your body not working as they should. The kidney function biomarkers checked by this test are:
- Creatinine
- Glomerular Filtration Rate
- Urea
#Liver Function Biomarkers The liver plays a similar role in our bodies to the kidney in that it regulates the levels of chemicals in our blood and removes any excess through bile. It also processes blood leaving the stomach, breaks down and balances the associated nutrients, and processes any medicines we take into forms that are easier for the body to use and that are non-toxic. It has been shown that the liver has more than 500 vital functions! The liver function biomarkers checked by the General Health Profile Test include:
- Alanine Transaminase (ALT)
- Albumin
- Alkaline Phosphate (ALP)
- Aspartate Aminotransferase (ALT)
- Gamma Glutamyl Transferase (GGT)
- Globulin
- Total Bilirubin
- Total Protein
#Iron Studies Biomarkers Iron has a vital role to play in the production of red blood cells, and a low level of iron in your body can cause anaemia which results in fatigue. Studies have shown that women are more likely to suffer from low iron levels due to their monthly menstrual cycles – but men can suffer from it too. The iron level biomarkers checked by this test include:
- Ferritin
- Iron
- Total Iron Binding Concentration
- Transferrin
- Unsaturated Iron
- Unsaturated Iron Binding Concentration
Conclusion Testing your general health biomarkers with our test will help you to quickly identify if there are any problem areas you should discuss with your doctor. NB. It is important to note that our tests are not a substitute for seeing a doctor, particularly if you have symptoms. You should not make a diagnosis or start any treatment without a consultation with a doctor or a suitably trained health professional.
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