Many a time, either in person or via phone, someone will say a variation of the following, “Look, I’m taking all these vitamins and minerals but I really don’t know what I’m doing. I think I’m eating right but I might have some vitamin or mineral deficiencies that I know nothing about. I really don’t know the consequences of these deficiencies.”
I answer slowly and thoughtfully, gathering the wisdom of decades. “Yep.”
And then I elaborate. “Perfectly reasonable. Nutritional supplements are not inexpensive and you’re probably wasting big bucks on something a health food store clerk recommended years ago and may be fully covered by your eating habits. You may also have problems with absorption of certain vitamins or genetic issues like methylation that interfere with proper utilization and may result in chronic health issues. The consequences of these deficiencies and imbalances may go unnoticed but basically your body may not be working at 100%.”
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“I’ve not been feeling my ‘best’ for years. My PCP and all the specialists keep telling me all my tests are ‘normal’. When I ask, ‘Shouldn’t we check my vitamins and minerals, you know, my nutritional status, I’m told, ‘We don’t do that’ or ‘You’re eating just fine.’”
The Vibrant Micronutrient Panel covers everything your heart desires, measuring nutrient levels both inside your cells (“intracellular”) and in the liquid they float in (“extracellular”). The test includes all your vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids.
On the negative side, health insurance companies generally do not cover nutritional tests because they’re classified as “preventive”. You can, of course, submit your paid receipt to your insurer and hope for the best, or use your HSA/FSA account.
But the best news is that the Vibrant Micronutrient Panel, which includes a report all about your results, is a reasonably priced $630. You pay this directly to the lab. Here’s a sample report.
If you’re a WholeHealth Chicago patient and are interesting in this test, talk to your provider so we can get it ordered for you.
Once you receive your test kit and are scheduled for a blood draw, you do NOT need to arrive ‘fasting’ but you should discontinue your current supplement regimen one week before your scheduled blood draw. We’ll get your test results in about 10 days, and it’s important to schedule a follow up appointment to go over them.
Although the Vibrant Micronutrient Panel is self-explanatory, I suggest a visit with your WholeHealth Chicago practitioner or our nutritionist Olivia Darrow. We’ll help you order supplements through our apothecary.
Aside from those of you who are curious about your nutritional status, those who really should get a Vibrant Micronutrient Panel include the following:
- If you suffer from: any chronic disease like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, chronic inflammation, chronic Lyme
- Chronic skin problems
- Numbness or tingling in your extremities
- A weakened immune system
- If you believe you are experiencing accelerated aging, premature menopause or andropause, chronic stress, chronic fatigue, depression
- If you have a long use of prescription drugs, a poor diet, obesity, “deconditioning,”
- If you are athletic or exercise regularly and think you’ve hit your max
- If you are on a restrictive diet, e.g., vegetarian or vegan
There are many other factors that can affect your results, some in your control, others not. But knowing your deficiencies will help you work around these:
- Your genetics
- Your use of alcohol or tobacco
- Your usual dietary habits
- Previous surgery on your stomach, intestines, gall bladder or pancreas
- The health of your microbiome including intestinal parasites
- Your prescription drug regimen
So we’ve made it very easy for WholeHealth Chicago patients to get the Vibrant Micronutrient Panel. If you are not a WHC patient, call and schedule a visit to establish care. We’d love to be a part of your health journey.
Be well,
David Edelberg, MD