One of the main goals we have for our clients is to use innovative products and diagnostic services as your foundation for optimal health through preventative medicine. Preventative medicine is important – what good would your renewed energy and zest for life be if all of a sudden you found your kidneys were failing or you were at risk of developing heart disease. That’s where our comprehensive health analysis comes in. During your initial consultation, we collect a great deal of information that is used in evaluating your overall health with added focus on preventative medicine. Read below for a full description of the types of information we collect and the blood tests we use to to assess your overall level of health.
Vital Signs
Your vital signs are collected by your health care provider. They are helpful in assessing basic body functions and include your heart rate, weight, height, blood pressure (systolic and diastolic) and respiratory rate. The most important is your blood pressure. Levels for a healthy adult are 120 systolic and 80 diastolic (“one twenty over eighty”). We use your blood pressure in conjunction with several other factors, including your age, whether you smoke, have a family history of heart disease, and your HDL (good) and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. Together, these factors are used in assessing your risk of developing heart disease. With guidance from your health care provider, you can minimize your risk and maintain optimal cardiovascular health.
The Pituitary Gland
The pituitary gland is sometimes called the “master” gland of the endocrine system because it influences the functions of the other endocrine glands. As function of the pituitary gland declines with normal aging, we see a decline in the functioning of these important endocrine glands and a resultant decline in health and vitality.
Through a variety of sensitive feedback loops, the pituitary gland adjusts the hormonal output of the other endocrine glands. We evaluate your pituitary function by measuring your levels of two pituitary hormones: thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) which is made in the pituitary gland and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) which is produced by the liver in response to growth hormone from the pituitary gland. TSH is part of the body’s feedback system to maintain stable amounts of the thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) in the blood. Similarly, IGF-1 levels are tightly regulated through the brain and pituitary .
The Thyroid Gland
The thyroid gland controls metabolism which is the rate at which the body converts food and oxygen into energy. It does this by producing hormones called thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Levels of these hormones influence heart rate, body temperature, alertness, mood and many other functions. We evaluate your thyroid function by measuring your level of free thyroxine (T4) and free triiodothyronine (T3). We also check TSH, which is the signal from the pituitary, but rely more on T4 and T3 as they are more direct measures of how well your thyroid is working.
Testosterone
Testosterone is a steroid hormone produced predominantly in the testes and to a lesser extent in the adrenal glands. Testosterone protects against cardiovascular disease, hypertension and arthritis. Testosterone is important for maintaining muscle mass, avoiding unwanted fat and promotes emotional health and a strong libido. To evaluate your testosterone we measure your levels of free and total testosterone.
Prostate
The prostate is a small gland found only in men. The prostate produces a thick white fluid called prostatic fluid which provides a vehicle for sperm. It also produces a protein called prostate-specific antigen (PSA). PSA is a nonspecific marker of prostate health, it may indicate inflammation of the prostate gland or prostate cancer. We measure your PSA level to screen for prostate cancer.
Growth Hormone
Growth Hormone (GH) is vital for normal bone and tissue growth and development prior to puberty and is the major hormone of repair and regeneration throughout life. We evaluate your GH level by measuring your level of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1). IGF-1 is released by the liver in response to stimulation by GH, carries out many of the actions of growth hormone on the body and is directly related to the amount of GH released by the pituitary gland.
It is important to keep in mind that growth hormone positively affects every organ of the body. It has been scientifically found to help maintain muscle, reduce body fat, improve energy levels and mood, improve memory, increase exercise capacity, strengthen bones and many other benefits including strengthen the immune system which is our first line of defense against cancer. This may explain why cancer rates are lowest in people in their teens and twenties when their growth hormone levels are the highest.
Estradiol
Estradiol, like testosterone, is a sex hormone. Although most important for female sexual development, it is also present in males in much smaller concentrations. It is the major estrogen in humans. Much of a man’s estrogen may come from conversion of testosterone to estrogen in fat cells. Estradiol has not only a critical impact on reproductive and sexual functioning, but also affects other organs including bones, the heart and the brain. In men, a little estrogen is good, too much estrogen though, may have negative effects including increased abdominal fat, anxiety, depression, and potentially diabetes, heart disease and cancer. We monitor estradiol levels continuously and recommend saw palmetto as part of our program to help keep estrogen levels in check.
Insulin
Insulin is a hormone that is produced and stored in the beta cells of the pancreas. Digested food breaks down into basic components such as glucose, a main source of energy for the body. Insulin is vital for the transportation and storage of glucose at the cellular level; it helps regulate blood glucose levels and has a role in lipid metabolism. Elevated levels of insulin increase your risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, becoming obese and other debilitating diseases.
Heart
When evaluating the health of your heart, we asses a number of factors including your risk of developing heart disease or having a cardiac event, and to determine if you have an existing heart condition. Measuring your cholesterol (LDH and HDL) and triglycerides levels are helpful in evaluating your risk of developing heart disease or having a cardiac event.
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