Every single chemical reaction in our body needs enzymes, and every single reaction needs a coenzyme, or helper. Guess what coenzymes are? They're vitamins and minerals. Guess how many chemical reactions happen in the body every second? 37 billion billion. That's 37 with 21 zeros, every second!

This is why a diet that's rich in whole foods, as well as vitamins and minerals, is essential to health. Calories are abundant in our life, but the majority of Americans are deficient in one or more vitamins or minerals at the minimum amount to prevent a deficiency disease. That's right, we're overfed and undernourished.

How do you know if you're one of the 90% that's lacking in something essential? Let’s talk about the tests you can use to find out, and more importantly, what to do about it.
~Dr. Mark Hyman

Vitamin D: 80% of Americans are deficient in this vitamin. Why? We are not outside enough! Those who live in the northern part of the country are particularly at risk for deficiency due to the angle of the sun during winter. 10am-2pm are the ideal times to be outside to get sun exposure for vitamin D levels, but most people will also need supplementation to maintain optimal levels. Vitamin D is actually a hormone: it regulates bone density, supports the immune system and has a big impact on our overall health.

• Normal: 30-100 ng/mL
• Optimal: 50-80 ng/mL

MCV: This is a measurement that tells you how large your red blood cells are. We care about this because it is a marker for iron, B12, and folate deficiency. All of these deficiencies can lead to fatigue or sub-optimal energy levels throughout the day.

• Normal: 70-100 fL/red cell
• Optimal: 80-90 fL/red cell

Methylmalonic Acid (MMA): Marker for B12 status. B12 is critical in gene expression, methylation, nerve function, mood, pretty much everything. Vegans have a high likelihood of being deficient in B12 because it’s only found in animal products.

• Normal: 0-378 nmol/L
• Optimal: < 300 nmol/L

MTHFR: This is one of the most well known genetic markers. This gene regulates homocysteine and our ability to methylate. So if you have elevated homocysteine levels (>8), then you should check your MTHFR status. This gene can tell you how your body is able to use b-vitamins, repair DNA, utilize detoxification pathways, and much more. 

C677 is the most clinically important gene: no mutations = lowest risk factor, two mutations = highest risk

MTHFR (A1298C): no mutations= lowest risk factor, two mutations = highest risk

Red blood cell magnesium level (RBC Magnesium): This miracle mineral is required in over 300 chemical reactions in the body and is essential for the production of ATP, which is the energy that our body uses. Your car uses gas, your body uses ATP. 

• Normal: 1.5-2.5 mEq/L
• Optimal: 2.0-2.5 mEq/L

Zinc: This is your immune-boosting and testosterone-boosting mineral. It’s responsible for maintaining your hair volume as well as repairing your gut lining. It’s also important for your thyroid to work properly.

Normal: 0.66 to 1.10 mcg/mL

HbA1C: HbA1C is a measure that calculates your average blood sugar over the last 6 weeks. This is a better indicator of your body’s metabolic health than a single measure of blood sugar because it gives us more data points. Your body should be able to regulate your blood sugar tightly—not allowing it to fall too low or go to high. 

• Normal: 4.8% - 5.6%
• Optimal: 4.8% - 5.5 %

Ferritin: Ferritin is the storage form of iron, and is one of the most accurate ways to measure iron levels. Ferritin levels should be between 50-150 in women and 100-300 in men. I can’t tell you how many times I see women with ferritin levels less than 50, or worse, in the single digits. This is because pre-menopausal women lose blood each month due to their menstrual cycles, which makes it harder to maintain levels. Many women are undereaters as well, which makes achieving optimal levels more difficult. If ferritin is high it could be a sign of inflammation, or it could be a sign of a genetic disorder called hemochromatosis or iron storage disease, which can be very dangerous.

• Normal men: 30-400 ng/mL
• Optimal men: 100-300 ng/mL
• Normal women: 15-150 ng/mL
• Optimal women: 50-150 ng/mL

*If you have low levels of ferritin you should contact your doctor, who may also run additional tests including: transference saturation, serum iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), hemoglobin, and hematocrit.

DNA Health Test by Nordic Laboratories
DNA Health  is a test by a company called DNA life. It looks at a lot of genetic markers, including MTHFR. The DNA Health  test is a great option to individualize your approach to optimizing your health based on your genetics.

ION test by Genova Diagnostics
Up to 90% of Americans are not getting enough of the nutrients that are critical for healthy functioning. ION is a micronutrient test that measures all of the essential vitamins and minerals to make sure they are at ideal levels so you can experience optimal health. The ION test also looks at fatty acids, organic acids, and antioxidant levels.

Additional blog to read
Vitamin D: the new super-nutrient? 

The content in this course has been made available for informational and educational purposes only. This content is provided on the understanding that it does not constitute medical or other professional advice or services. Always work with qualified healthcare practitioner when making changes to your medication, diet or overall healthcare plan.