One of the most popular tests we provide is our full blood profile and extended full blood profile. You may wonder, why should I have a full blood profile if I am feeling fine? The answer is: for SO many reasons! In this blog post, we break down some of the tests included in the extended full blood profile and explain why it’s so important to keep monitoring them.
The vast majority of serious illnesses can be stopped dead in their tracks with early detection but very few show any symptoms early on. For example, you probably won’t know that you’re creeping towards diabetes until you have it, and you definitely won’t have any signs that your cholesterol is putting you at risk of a heart attack or stroke.
A full blood profile is also a highly helpful diagnostic tool for a wide range of symptoms, including tiredness and low energy, urinary symptoms, and feeling generally unwell.
Full blood count
The full blood profile includes a complete blood count, which examines all the components that make up your blood, such as red blood cells, platelets, lymphocytes, and white blood cells, among others. This is helpful because it can help us look for signs of anaemia, inflammation and infection, as well as more serious diseases such as leukaemia.
Kidney function
We rarely think about our kidneys, but good kidney function is vital to good health. Our kidney function profile examines signs that your kidneys aren’t functioning at their full potential, indicating a possible need for specialist investigation. It also gives us a good idea of whether you’ve been drinking enough water.
Liver function
The liver is an amazing organ because it has the ability to regenerate itself. However, if we don’t know it isn’t at its best, it’s difficult to know whether we need to intervene. Several things can impact our liver’s health – fatty liver, alcohol consumption and hepatitis C, for example.
Our liver function test examines several markers and liver enzymes, providing a good indication of whether your liver is functioning properly or if you need to make lifestyle changes or undergo additional testing, such as an ultrasound.
Iron profile
You’ll be surprised how many people have low iron and don’t know it. Our profile examines your serum iron level, as well as ferritin and other markers, to provide a comprehensive assessment of your iron status. Ferritin is also a helpful marker for inflammation and other health issues.
Cholesterol profile
Having a pin-prick cholesterol test for most people doesn’t provide the necessary information. The reason for this is that your total cholesterol level is composed of two different types of cholesterol – low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). Low-density lipoprotein, or “LDL” cholesterol, is the “bad” cholesterol that clogs up your arteries and increases your risk of things like heart disease and stroke. High-density lipoprotein or “HDL” is cardioprotective and a high level is a good finding.
So what we would want to see is low LDL and high HDL in an ideal situation.
Our lipid/cholesterol profile also included triglycerides, which should also be at normal levels. Knowing your cholesterol breakdown empowers you to make the necessary lifestyle changes early or seek medical management to help prevent serious illness.
Fasting glucose
Elevated fasting glucose is the first clue that you might be diabetic or heading towards type II diabetes. If your glucose test results are above normal ranges, you will likely be advised to repeat the test and consider an HbA1C test, which measures your average blood sugar over the last 3-month period. Depending on the outcome of these investigations, you may be diagnosed as “pre-diabetic” or “diabetic”. In both of these situations, but especially if it is caught early in the “pre-diabetes” stage, type II diabetes is reversible, sometimes with dietary and lifestyle changes alone and sometimes with the added benefit of medication.
Either way, uncontrolled diabetes, if left without treatment and lifestyle changes, can result in some very serious conditions and issues, and increase your risk of multiple illnesses. Especially if you have risk factors such as a family history of diabetes, preventative testing is vital.
Thyroid function
Our extended full blood profile also includes a thyroid function screen that tests for T3, T4 and TSH. Tired without reason? Losing or gaining weight without reason? It could be your thyroid.
Thyroid dysfunction can begin at any time of life. Just because you had a normal thyroid as a child or young person, does not mean that it has not changed later in life. It’s always worth checking that your thyroid is functioning properly.
Vitamin D level
The most common finding in our comprehensive blood profile is low vitamin D. Living in a cold climate means that, especially during the autumn and winter months, our vitamin D levels can plummet. Vitamin D is connected to so many conditions, from MS to chronic fatigue to fibromyalgia. In many people, low vitamin D presents as tiredness and low energy, aches and pains. It’s easily sorted with a prescribed or over-the-counter supplement (depending on your level).
It’s really simple to book a full blood profile or an extended full blood profile with us. Just click on the online booking button or call us. Our friendly team is here to answer your questions and assist you in taking this important step towards achieving your health and well-being.
