Nutritional Profile
What markers are tested?
A full Nutritional Blood Profile examines and maps your Methylcobalamin/Active B12, Vitamin D, Methylated folate/5 MTHF, Serum folate, Ferritin, Transferrin, and Iron levels.
Each of these are important for different reasons.
Why do you need it?
B12:
Low levels of B12 can lead to depression, irritability and fatigue. It is also a major player in the methylation cycle (cellular detox, immune and nervous system regulation) and can affect the immune system, hormonal system (including thyroid) nervous system and detox pathways.
Vitamin D:
Vitamin D is a hormone precursor, and needed for a healthy hormonal and immune system, DNA repair and healthy metabolic processes. Deficiency is linked with hormonal imbalance, mood disorders, autoimmune dysfunction, increased cardiovascular risk and recurrent infections.
Ferritin:
the major iron storage protein of the body, levels of which can be used indirectly to measure iron levels (necessary for the regulation of thyroid hormones). This is more effective than looking to iron levels as in most cases ferritin levels will drop before serum iron, anaemia or RBC morphology occurs. The body will do whatever it takes to keep serum iron at an optimal level so this makes ferritin the most sensitive test to detect iron deficiency. Increased ferritin levels can indicate inflammation, liver dysfunction and oxidative stress.
5 MTHF:
The active form of folate. Lowered levels can indicate a genetic mutation in the 5 MTHFR gene or poor intake. Low levels lead to methylation issues and are implicated in dysfunction of the immune system, hormonal system (including thyroid) nervous system and detox pathways.
Transferrin:
A protein of the beta globulin group which binds and transports iron around your blood. In a situation where there is inadequate iron or ferritin available or optimal cellular function, your liver should normally respond by producing this protein to carry around more nutritional support to cells. So, an irregularity in your levels indicates an imbalance of iron in the role of cellular energy and metabolism, which is why it’s important to look at all the iron, nutrient and hormone levels at the same time to see the best course of action.
Why does The Lucy Rose Clinic run this profile?
Accurately measuring your nutritional profile is extremely important for thyroid conditions as certain deficiencies and excesses directly influence thyroid function.
Beyond this, health concerns that find their root cause in poor thyroid function can be compounded by further nutritional problems, which means this is another area that your practitioner will seek to correct, to get you back on track to health, as quickly as possible!