Anti-aging medicine is a specialty founded on the application of advanced scientific and medical technologies for the early detection, prevention, treatment, and reversal of age-related diseases. Research into methods to retard and optimize the human aging process is designed to prolong the human life span. Anti-aging medicine is based on the scientific principles of responsible medical care consistent with those of other healthcare specialties.
Included in this important package:
Wellness #2 Profile with 55 results including:
Complete Blood Count (CBC) used as a broad screening test to check for such disorders as anemia, infection, and many other diseases, as it analyzes different parts of the blood.
Thyroid Panel Total T-4 (Thyroxine); T-3 uptake; FreeThyroxine Index (FTI); T-7; and Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
Lipid Profile Cholesterol, Total, HDL Cholesterol (High-density lipoproteins, or the "good" cholesterol), LDL Cholesterol (Low-density lipoproteins, or the "bad" cholesterol), Cholesterol/HDL RatioCalculated by dividing the total cholesterol by the HDL cholesterol, and Triglycerides (fat in the blood)
Liver Profile Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT or SGPT), Albumin,Serum; Albumin/Globulin Ratio; Alkaline Phosphatase; Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST or SGOT; Bilirubin, Total; Globulin, Total; Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH); Protein; GGTAlso known as Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase.
Kidney Panel Urea Nitrogen (BUN); Creatinine, Serum; Uric Acid; BUN/CreatinineRatio;
Minerals and Bone Iron, Total; Calcium; Phosphorus;
Fluids & Electrolytes Chloride, Serum; Potassium; Sodium; Carbon Dioxide
Diabetes Glucose Blood sugar level, the most direct test to uncover diabetes, may be used not only to identify diabetes, but also to evaluate how one controls the disease.
Estradiol - one of the three estrogen hormones ; In men, the testes and adrenal glands are the principal source of estradiol.
IGF1 Somatomedin-C (SC) is produced in the liver in response to stimulation by growth hormone secreted by the pituitary gland. This insulin-like growth factor level is used to evaluate disturbances of growth and to monitor treatment with growth hormones.
Testosterone, Total and Free Testosterone is a hormone that causes male characteristics. The testosterone blood level is used by men to investigate abnormal sexual development and sexual dysfunction. Small amounts are produced in women's ovaries and levels are tested to evaluate virilization.
Urinalysis Complete with Microscopic Examination - Detects abnormalities of urine and urinary tract infection (UTI); diagnoses and manages renal diseases, urinary tract infection, urinary tract neoplasms, systemic diseases, and inflammatory or neoplastic diseases adjacent to the urinary tract.DHEA, SULFATE - A hormone produced in the adrenal gland that causes the formation of male features and used to monitor treatment with drugs that reduce DHEA.
Vitamin D 25-hydroxy. Vitamin D sufficiency, along with diet and exercise, has emerged as one of the most important preventive factors in human health. Hundreds of studies now link vitamin D deficiency with significantly higher rates of many forms of cancer‚ as well as heart disease‚ osteoporosis‚ multiple sclerosis and many other conditions and diseases.
Vitamin D tests are used to determine if bone malformation, bone weakness, or abnormal metabolism of calcium (reflected by abnormal calcium, phosphorus or PTH tests) is occurring as a result of a deficiency or excess of vitamin D. Because vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and is absorbed from the intestine like a fat, vitamin D tests are at times used to monitor individuals with diseases that interfere with fat absorption, such as cystic fibrosis and Crohn's disease, to assure that they have adequate amounts of vitamin D. Vitamin D tests are used to determine effectiveness of treatment when vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus, and/or magnesium supplementation is prescribed as well.
The Iron and Total Iron-binding Capacity test is used for testing differential diagnosis of anemia, evaluation of thalassemia and possible sideroblastic anemia, and the evaluation of iron poisoning. Specimen collection must be done before patient is given therapeutic iron or blood transfusion. Iron determinations on patients who have had blood transfusions should be delayed at least four days.
Progesterone tests measure the amount progesterone in a blood sample. Progesterone, a female hormone produced by the ovaries during ovulation, helps prepare the lining of the uterus (endometrium) to receive the egg if it becomes fertilized by a sperm. If the egg is not fertilized, progesterone levels will drop and menstrual bleeding begins. During pregnancy, the placenta produces high levels of progesterone as well, starting near the end of the first trimester and continuing until the baby is born. Levels of progesterone in a pregnant woman are almost 10 times higher than they are in a woman who is not pregnant. Certain types of cancer cause abnormal progesterone levels in men and women.
Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA,s) - Work up women with infertility, amenorrhea, or hirsutism to identify the source of excessive androgen; aid in the evaluation of androgen excess (hirsutism and/or virilization), including Stein-Leventhal syndrome and adrenocortical diseases, including congenital adrenal hyperplasia and adrenal tumor. DHEA-S is not increased with hypopituitarism. It is low in Addison disease.
An androgen, DHEA,s is a male sex hormone that is present in the blood of both men and women, aids in developing male secondary sexual characteristics at puberty, and can be metabolized by the body into more potent androgens, such as testosterone and androstenedione, or changed into the female hormone estrogen. DHEAS is produced by the adrenal cortex, which is the outer layer of the adrenal glands, with smaller amounts being produced by the woman's ovaries and man's testes. DHEAS secretion is controlled by the pituitary hormone adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and other pituitary factors. Since DHEAS is primarily produced by the adrenal glands, it is a marker for adrenal function. Adrenal tumors, hyperplasia, and cancers can lead to the overproduction of DHEAS. Elevated levels may not be noticed in adult men, but can lead to amenorrhea and visible symptoms of virilization.
Human Growth Hormone (HGH) is one of several endocrine hormones such as progesterone, testosterone, estrogen, melatonin and DHEA that decline in production as we age. As the name suggests, human Growth Hormone is an endocrine hormone that makes humans grow. HGH is a complex protein molecule of 191 amino acids that are linked in a specific sequence and is secreted in pulses by the pituitary gland. These pulses vary between 10 and 30 per day and the pulses can be strengthened by exercise. Doctors have often prescribed HGH for children who needed a growth boost however growth deficiencies do not just affect children, they can be a significant problem for adults as well. HGH is critical for tissue repair, muscle growth, healing, bone strength, brain function, physical and mental health, energy, and metabolism. The rate that HGH is produced at peaks during adolescence, at time when normal growth is accelerated and production of HGH will decrease with age, 14% each year on average. While GH is not as active in adults, it aids in regulating bone density, muscle mass, and lipid metabolism. Deficiencies can lead to decreased less muscle mass, bone densities, and altered lipid levels.
Estrogens is a test to evaluate for ovarian estrogen producing tumor in the premenarcheal and postmenopausal female; evaluate estrogen excess in males. Estrogen analysis can aid in establishing time of ovulation and optimal time for conception. Serial samples must be collected over a period of several days to evaluate baseline and peak total estrogen levels. Elevated estrogen levels can also eclipse testosterone in men, zapping sex drive. Yes, men have estrogen too. It is often said the most widely spread hormone receptor in the body is the estrogen receptor. When a man is exposed to estrogenic chemicals -- such as bisphenol A (BPA), the endocrine disruptor found in plastics and food-can linings -- he can experience erectile dysfunction and weight gain.
The A1c (Glycohemoglobin) test evaluates the average amount of glucose in the blood over the last two to three months. This is done by measuring the concentration of glycated (also often called glycosylated) hemoglobin A1c. Hemoglobin is an oxygen-transporting protein that is found inside red blood cells (RBCs). The predominant form is hemoglobin A. In 2010, the American Diabetes Association affirmed the decision of an international expert committee recomendation to use the A1c test to diagnose diabetes with a threshold >/= 6.5%. Point-of-care A1c assays are not sufficiently accurate at this time for diagnostic purposes.
Free T4 is the active form of thyroxine and is thought to be a more accurate reflection of thyroid hormone function. The free T4 test is thought by many to be a more accurate reflection of thyroid hormone function and, in most cases, its use has replaced that of the total T4 test. A total T4 or free T4 test is primarily ordered in response to an abnormal TSH test result. Sometimes the T4 will be ordered along with a TSH to give the doctor a more complete evaluation of the adequacy of the thyroid hormone feedback system. These tests are usually ordered when a person has symptoms of hyperthroidism or hypothyroidism.
Free Tri-iodothyronine (T3) normally represents only approximately 5% of the thyroid hormone and like thyroxine is almost entirely bound to the carrier proteins, with only 0.25% of the total being in the free state. Measurement of free T-3 is of value in confirming the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism, when an elevated free or total thyroxine level is found. Abnormal total and free tri-iodothyronine concentrations can appear in T3 toxicosis, in the presence of normal thyroxine levels. Free T3 levels are not affected by carrier protein variation.
Homocysteine, an amino acid normally found in the body has a metabolism that is linked to that of several vitamins, especially folic acid, B6, and B12, and deficiencies of those vitamins may cause elevated levels of homocysteine. Studies suggest that those with elevated homocysteine levels have a much greater risk of heart attack or stroke than those with average levels. Increased concentrations of homocysteine have been associated with increased tendency to form in appropriate blood clots. This can lead to heart attack, strokes, and blood vessel blockages in any part of the body.
C-reactive protein (CRP)test is a blood test that measures the amount of C-reactive protein in your blood. C-reactive protein measures general levels of inflammation in your body, high levels of CRP are caused by infections and several long-term diseases. However, a CRP test cannot show where the inflammation is located or what is causing it, other tests will be needed to find the cause and location of the inflammation.
Measurement of CRP by high sensitivity CRP assays may add to the predictive value of other markers used to assess the risk of cardiovascular and peripheral vascular disease.
Vitamin A is needed for growth and for strong teeth and bones. With age, it helps keep your skin and eyes healthy. Vitamin A is present in liver, dairy products, fish liver oils, dark green and yellow-orange vegetables, and in fruits. Too much vitamin A may cause symptoms that include itchy skin, headache, and hair loss.
FSH & LH - The amounts of FSH and other hormones (luteinizing hormone, progesterone, and estrogen) are measured in both a man and a woman to determine infertility. The FSH level may help determine whether male or female sex organs (testicles or ovaries) are properly functioning.
Vitamin B12 helps make red blood cells. It is also important to nerve cell fuction.
Detect B12 deficiency as in pernicious anemia; diagnose folic acid deficiency; evaluate hypersegmentation of granulocyte nuclei; follow up MCV >100; diagnose macrocytic anemia; diagnose megaloblastic anemia; evaluate alcoholism, prenatal care; evaluate malabsorption, neurological disorders, or the elevation of B12 as seen in liver cell damage or myeloid leukemia.
Folic Acid (Folate) is a B9 vitamin that our bodies uses to make new cells. It is important because it can help prevent major birth defects of the baby's brain and spine (anencephaly and spina bifida) by 50% to 70%. Women need folic acid every day, whether they're planning to get pregnant or not, for the healthy new cells the body makes daily. The amount of folate inside the red blood cell (RBC) is usually at a higher concentration inside the cell than in the serum. Folate may also be ordered to help in diagnosing the cause of behavioral or mental changes, especially in the elderly. Necessary for normal RBC formation, tissue and cellular repair, and DNA synthesis, folate is found in leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits, dry beans and peas, liver, and yeast.
The NMR LipoProfile test is an advanced cardiovascular diagnostic test that uses nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to provide rapid, simultaneous and direct measurement of LDL particle number and size of LDL particles, and also direct measurement of HDL and VLDL subclasses. This detailed lipoprotein particle information allows health professionals to make more effective individualized treatment decisions than previously possible based on standard lipid panel testing. The atherosclerotic culprit not LDL cholesterol, but LDL particle number.
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG), a protein, is produced by the liver and binds tightly to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), testosterone, and estradiol (an estrogen) and transports them in the blood in a metabolically inactive form. The amount of SHBG in circulation is affected by sex and age, increased or decreased testosterone or estrogen production, and can also be affected by diseases and conditions such as liver disease, obesity, and hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. SHBG and testosterone levels may be ordered on an adult male to help determine the cause of infertility, erectile dysfunction, and decreased sex drive, especially when total testosterone results are inconsistent with clinical signs.
Cortisol, the major adrenal glucocorticoid steroid hormone, is usually under feedback control by pituitary ACTH and the hypothalamus. Causes of low cortisol include pituitary failure or destruction, with resultant loss of ACTH to stimulate the adrenal, and metabolic errors or destruction of the adrenal gland itself (adrenogenital syndromes, tuberculosis, histoplasmosis). The diagnosis of hypoadrenalism usually requires confirmation with ACTH stimulation, due to the circadian rhythms of cortisol and other factors. Causes of increased cortisol, which may initially present as simply a loss of normal diurnal variation, include pituitary overproduction of ACTH, production of ACTH by a tumor (notably oat cell cancers), and adrenal adenomas.
