Nutrition Checkup

The Serum Calcium test measures the calcium level in your blood. Most of your body’s calcium (about 99%) is stored in bones and teeth to keep them strong. The rest (1%) circulates in the blood and helps your muscles move, nerves work, blood to clot, and heart to keep a steady rhythm.

Calcium in blood comes in two forms:

• Bound calcium, attached to proteins like albumin
• Ionized (free) calcium, which is active and helps many body functions

This test measures total calcium (both bound and ionized). This test cannot show if you have enough calcium in your diet. It also cannot detect bone diseases like osteoporosis. The body keeps blood calcium levels steady. It does this by taking calcium from bones during mild shortages.

The Vitamin B12 measures the amount of vitamin B12 in your blood. Vitamin B12 is important for a healthy nervous system, making red blood cells, and creating DNA in your cells. Low B12 levels are common in older adults, children, vegans or vegetarians, people with diabetes, those who had gastric bypass surgery, breastfeeding women, and people with conditions like Crohn’s disease that affect vitamin absorption. High B12 levels can occur in liver diseases, certain blood disorders, or from taking vitamin supplements. Usually, high levels from supplements are not harmful, as extra B12 is removed through urine.

The Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid) test analyzes the levels of vitamin B9 in the blood. Vitamin B9 is a part of the B complex of vitamins and is an essential nutrient, meaning the body cannot produce it and has to be taken into the diet. Folate is the naturally occurring form of vitamin B9, whereas folic acid refers to a supplement that is added to food and drinks. The deficiency of vitamin B9 (folic acid) can also lead to macrocytic anemia in which the size of the RBCs becomes larger than normal.

A CBC (Complete Blood Count) test evaluates red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs}, and platelets. Each of these blood cells performs essential functions–RBCs carry oxygen from your lungs to the various body parts, WBCs help fight infections and other diseases, and platelets help your blood to clot–so determining their levels can provide significant health information. A CBC test also determines the hemoglobin level, a protein in RBC that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of your body. Evaluating all these components together can provide important information about your overall health.

Magnesium is a mineral micronutrient which plays essential roles in body processes including enzyme functions, energy production by metabolism, contraction of muscles, and nerve functioning. It also helps in the metabolism of calcium and hence helps in the maintenance of healthy bones. Magnesium is supplied to the body from dietary sources and is absorbed in the small intestine and colon. It is subsequently absorbed into the bones and tissues. Only about 1% of the total amount of magnesium absorbed remains in the blood within a narrow normal range. The normal range of magnesium concentration is maintained in the body by utilizing the amount absorbed from food and excreting the excess through urination.

Deviation from the normal range of magnesium concentration causes Hypomagnesia (shortage of magnesium), or Hypermagnesia (excess of magnesium). Both these conditions impact normal body processes in the short term and may give rise to other conditions in the long term.

The Phosphorus, Serum test is used to evaluate the level of phosphorus in your blood. Phosphorus is an inherent component of all living cells in the system and most, 85 percent, is located in the tissues of bones and teeth, while the remaining 15 percent is part of the blood and other soft tissues. Your body obtains its daily phosphorus requirements through dietary sources and under normal conditions, once the necessary amounts of phosphorus are absorbed by the cells and tissues, the remaining is eliminated via the urine.

Besides consuming a wholesome diet enriched with sufficient amounts of phosphorus, it is also important to ensure ample intake of calcium and vitamin D, to maintain overall health.

The Vitamin D (25-Hydroxy) test measures the levels of vitamin D in the body. Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that can be synthesized in the body upon healthy exposure to sunlight or absorbed from dietary sources. It exists in two forms: vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). Vitamin D2 is present in plants, such as yeast or mushrooms, and is available as a supplement in fortified foods. Vitamin D3 is found in foods like cheese, green vegetables, mushrooms, egg yolks, and fatty fish.

Both forms of vitamin D need to be converted in the liver and kidneys before the body can use them effectively. This test shows the total level of vitamin D (D2 + D3) circulating in the body and guides your doctor in recommending the right treatment or lifestyle changes if needed.

Zinc is a mineral which is a micronutrient (required by the body in small amounts). It has a number of essential roles in the body. Zinc is a structural component of a number of proteins. It is essential in the synthesis of proteins and DNA, for cell division, and is necessary for proper enzymatic activity. It is also essential in the proper functioning of the immune system and in wound healing. Zinc is essential for proper physical and mental growth and development of children. It is also essential for the senses of taste and smell.

Zinc is absorbed primarily from dietary sources. It is transported in the serum bound to proteins, namely, albumin and alpha-macroglobulin. Excess zinc is disposed out of the body primarily through the feces, and a small amount through urine and sweat. The absorbed amount of zinc is utilized by almost all the cells of the body but is not stored anywhere in particular.

The Protein Total, Serum Test measures the total amount of the various types of proteins in the serum. Proteins are known as building blocks of all cells and tissues. They are very important for the growth and development of the body. The proteins are responsible for forming the structural part of most of the organs and help in making up of enzymes and hormones which regulate the functions of the body.

In the blood, two classes of proteins are found which include albumin and globulin. Around 60% of the total protein is formed of albumin which is produced by the liver. Albumin works as a carrier protein for various small ions and molecules. It also acts as a source of amino acids for tissue metabolism and as the principal component which is involved in the maintenance of osmotic pressure.

The rest of the proteins present in the plasma are globulins which include enzymes, antibodies, carrier proteins, hormones, and various other types of proteins. In the blood, the protein total serum levels are relatively stable, which means that there is a fine balance in the loss and production of the protein molecules.

If this delicate balance is disturbed due to any illness or disease then this test is done to analyze the reason for it.

The Serum Iron Studies Comprehensive package measures the level of iron in the body. It comprises a series of blood tests, including serum iron test that helps to evaluate iron level, total iron binding capacity (TIBC) test that helps to assess the ability of the body to transport iron in the blood, unsaturated iron binding capacity (UIBC) test that reflects binding of iron with transferrin, which is the main protein that binds with iron, transferrin saturation test that checks how many places on the transferrin that can hold iron are doing so, and ferritin test that detects ferritin protein in the blood and helps determine how much iron is stored in your body.