The 'Biggies'---2 Lab Tests That Are Worth It!

If there were two lab tests that provided critical information about your health, wouldn’t you want to know what they are? I realize there are an enormous number of lab tests available in the ‘Prevention’ realm of health care…making it fairly easy to become overwhelmed & just do whatever!

FYI: ‘Whatever’ is NOT an option when it comes to our health. As I continue in my health studies, it’s becoming increasingly obvious that the concepts and understandings of Health, Wellness & Prevention are not completely black & white…meaning that NOT every health reference & study will have the exact same information and/or recommendations.

One of the goals in my studies has been to gather data, looking for common threads and the repetition or duplication of significant results. I also analyze the source of the information, checking for potential conflict of interest on the part of the author(s) of the studies.

There are two lab tests that continue to gain notoriety in the realm of preventive health: Homocysteine and Vitamin D3 levels. Below is basic information about them---well worth learning about!

Homocysteine:
Homocysteine is produced from methionine, an amino acid, found in normal dietary protein. Your body turns homocysteine into glutathione (the body’s most important antioxidant) and SAMe (an important ‘intelligent’ nutrient for the brain & body). If your body doesn’t have optimal amounts of B vitamins, the enzymes that turn homocysteine into these useful substances can’t to their job & homocysteine isn’t converted, causing the homocysteine level to rise to potentially dangerous levels. About 10% of the population has an inherited genetic tendency which makes them more likely to have a higher homocysteine level than the rest of the population.
When the homocysteine level rises (BAD!), the SAMe and glutathione levels fall (BAD!). As this is occurring, the rising homocysteine level causes damage to the arteries, brain & even DNA.
Studies: (Just a few of the numerous ones done…Note the dates of these studies--this is not new information!)
British Medical Journal 325:1202 (2002) & Journal of the American Medical Association 288:16, 2023-31 (2002)-- A review of 92 studies found that high a homocysteine level isn’t just associated with a higher risk, it actually causes heart disease.
New England Journal of Medicine 343:2, 135-6 (2000)-- Cancer is triggered by damaged DNA. High homocysteine levels make DNA more vulnerable to damage & harder to repair. The homocysteine level rises when tumors grow and falls when they shrink.
New England Journal of Medicine 346: 7, 476-83 (2002)--Studies are showing that if you lower homocysteine levels you can significantly lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. An elevated homocysteine level is strongly linked to neuronal damage in the brain.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 74:1, 130-36 (2001)—Homocysteine levels of 4766 men & women ages 65-67 in 1992 were measured. This group was then followed for deaths over the next 5 years, during which 162 men & 97 women died. They found (reconfirmed, actually) the relationship between heart attacks, strokes & elevated homocysteine levels as well as a strong relation between homocysteine and all causes of mortality, meaning that homocysteine is an accurate predictor of how long a person is going to live, whatever the eventual cause of death may be.
There is no ‘official’ safe level for homocysteine, but experts believe that a level below 6 units is ideal.
-->What to do?? Basic healthy dietary recommendations are highly encouraged: Eating at least 5 servings of fruits & veggies/day, cutting down on fatty meats & focusing more on fish & protein from vegetables, incorporating garlic into your daily diet (or supplement), minimizing salting of food, minimizing coffee, tea, & alcohol, stopping smoking, correcting estrogen deficiency, supplementing with a high-strength & good quality multivitamin daily AND specific homocysteine-lowering supplements, such as vitamins B2, B6, B12, folic acid, trimethyl glycine (TMG) & zinc.

Vitamin D3:
Vitamin D plays a major role in metabolism, along with muscle, cardiac, immune & neurological functions, as well as in the regulation of inflammation. As Dr. Michael Holick states in The Vitamin D Solution, “If I had to give you a single secret ingredient that could apply to the prevention—and treatment, in many cases—of heart disease, common cancers, stroke, infectious diseases from influenza to tuberculosis, type 1 and 2 diabetes, dementia, depression, insomnia, muscle weakness, joint pain, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis and hypertension, it would be this: vitamin D.” Holick goes on to say that 3 out of 4 Americans are deficient in vitamin D, up from 1 out of 2 twenty years ago.
Holick presents a plan for rebuilding & maintaining optimal levels of vitamin D in 3 basic steps: Sensible sun exposure, Ensuring adequate calcium intake along with good dietary sources of vitamin D, and Supplementing.
As an aside (for clarification), the UVB rays are what stimulate the production of vitamin D. Remember it this way: UVA rays are ‘Aging’ (Bad---cause wrinkles!) and UVB rays are ‘Burning’ (Potentially burning---if exposed too long---but beneficial in sensible exposure).
The vitamin D that is made in your skin is vitamin D3. Vitamin D2 is made from yeast & is used to fortify foods & supplements & is not as effective in maintaining 25-vitamin D levels.
Studies: (Just a few of the numerous ones done…)
Neurology 62:1, 60-65 (2004): Munger, KL et al. Vitamin D intake and incidence of multiple sclerosis.
Annals of Epidemiology 19:7, 468-83 (Jul 2009) Garland, CF et al. Vitamin D for cancer prevention: Global perspective.
Archives of Internal Medicine 168:11, 1174-80 (2008) Giovannucci, E et al. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and risk of myocardial infarction in men.
New England Journal of Medicine 354:21, 2285 (2006) Terris, S. Calcium plus vitamin D and the risk of fractures.
Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention 13:9, 1502-8 (2004) Feskanich, JM et al. Plasma vitamin D metabolites and risk of colorectal cancer in women.
The only test for vitamin D status is 25-vitamin D or “serum 25(OH)D.” The recommended zone of healthy 25-vitamin D: 40-60 nanograms/ml.
-->What to do? Unless you’re one of those who can get daily (or near daily) sensible sun exposure & not living in a northern location, Dr. Holick has found that healthy adults taking 1000 IU of vitamin D/day usually reach their peak blood level within 5-6 weeks.

One more thing…Remember that just taking a vitamin D supplement or a good B complex supplement isn’t the entire picture. NEVER forget the importance of the basics that should be in place every day in our lives: a quality Multivitamin/mineral supplement, good quality water, quality sleep, heart-pumping exercise…these provide the foundation for good health---but you knew that, right? :)

Blessings on your health!
Sana

References:
Holford, P: The New Optimum Nutrition Bible: 2004, Crossing Press
Holick, M: The Vitamin D Solution: 2010, Plume Press