Is in-depth and expensive blood work worth it?

A number of new startups suggest looking at your blood for improvements in energy, mood, and even lifespan. Growing up, the only time I'd have blood work was if something was wrong. Doctors would run tests to check levels relating to negative symptoms. Blood counts to check for infections or problems with the immune symptoms. A metabolic panel to examine the kidneys. If my levels fell within a desired range, no action was taken.
But increasingly, folks looking to optimize their health are taking a new approach to blood work, seeking out the tests and reading them like tea leaves. Results aren't just to indicate sickness or stressors. They're supposedly a gateway into more energy, better sex and a happier, longer, life.
That's the selling point for a number of companies offering full blood-work panels outside of regular doctor visits. Brands like Life Labs, The Bespoke Wellness Group and Inside Tracker tout the benefits of personal analytics based on blood work. The detailed information gives you a more complete understanding of both how your body works now and how it might work better.
It's info that comes with costs and risks. Packages including comprehensive testing, pages explaining that data, and personalized follow-up plans run about $600. While companies have privacy policies in place, handing over sensitive information is never 100-per-cent safe, as shown with the recent bankruptcy of 23andMe.
Still, blood work offers factual information about what's going on in your body. Changes to your diet, workout and supplement routines can be shown in the results, offering empirical feedback when health matters can often feel like guesswork. Recently, I underwent a comprehensive blood-work panel from Canadian startup NiaHealth. The hope was that by checking my levels and crunching the numbers, I'd be able to make some changes.
The past few months, I've been feeling exhausted. I've been having trouble completing workouts at the gym. I'm foggy during meetings, and getting up in the morning can feel like a herculean task. Nothing is wrong exactly, but things are not great. With continuing fatigue, I wanted to make sure something else wasn't going on with my health. Because I don't have a family doctor, blood work seemed like one of the best bets to do that.
'I encourage patients to get our blood work done on a semi-regular basis,' said Amanda Jaeger, a naturopathic doctor with Step Up Massage and Rehab.
Naturopaths are limited in what they can offer. Compared with a physician, their focus is generally around optimization rather than medical care. For Jaeger, the tests help zero in on the cause of certain problems and catch things that might not be obvious on a surface level.
'There are things that some people accept as normal − things like period cramps or fatigue − that don't necessarily have to be that way.'
Through her clinic, Jaeger is able to make recommendations for supplementation and lifestyle changes based on numbers in the blood work. Even if folks' biomarker levels are within 'normal' ranges, that can make meaningful impacts on patient's day to day.
'When it comes to reference ranges, there are some stark differences from the lowest to highest. … I'm trying to look for optimal functions rather than normal ranges.'
For my NiaHealth test, I chose a panel with fifty-plus biomarkers plus a testosterone add on. There was also a thirty-minute consultation with a nurse practitioner from their team to explain my results.
While a lot of startups in the blood-work space offer comprehensive biomarkers with their tests, Jaeger notes that most people can get by with less. A complete blood count, a comprehensive metabolic panel, a TSH screening for thyroid, vitamin D and inflammatory markers are cheaper tests or things that can be assigned through public health that give a great overview of what's happening with your body. Still, accessing those tests can be difficult from a walk-in clinic or if you don't have a primary doctor.
My blood work came in less than a week after my visit to a local clinic. During the half hour NiaHealth consultation, a nurse practitioner pointed to borderline cholesterol levels, iron levels above average and some vitamin deficiencies. The website's dashboard offered graphs and grades for my results that were easy to read.
Overall I was at a B+. Suggestions for my diet included trying fatty fish. Offers for exercise included breaking up my walks throughout the day and trying to jog. While I ranked a perfect score for my testosterone, my levels are on the lowest end of normal, and suboptimal, according to previous tests I'd done with InsideTracker.
The nurse practitioner with NiaHealth was kind and informative, but after walking through my levels, there was hardly time to address the fatigue that had jump-started the process. She suggested that to better understand the causes of elevated biomarkers tests would need to be done with my (non-existent) primary-care provider. Nonetheless, getting the blood work done was helpful in planning some next steps. And for some, that can be an absolute game changer.
For former bodybuilder and current fitness coach Dominic Kuza, checking blood work was key to getting lean and achieving physique goals both for himself and his clients. An out-of-pocket blood panel revealed unaddressed thyroid issues that were a major setback for his training, requiring medication and lifestyle changes to get on track. Based in America, his basic blood panel did not include testing for thyroid functions or hormones.
'Through my own blood work I've found things that were completely overlooked by doctors, but this was due to how basic of a panel that a physical with your doctor contains,' said Kuza.
'Blood work gives us information that allows us to see how our body is functioning internally and why someone might be having a hard time progressing in the direction they are hoping to.'
For everything a blood-work panel offers, costs and potential privacy issues are important to consider when deciding whether you'd like to move forward with the work. In the case of NIA Health, it has a privacy policy that says it will not share personal information except in the case of service providers, legal compliance or the sale of the business.
There are also valid concerns that private companies offering health services weakens Canada's universal health care and encourages a two-tier system. Not everyone has the means or desire to spend $600-plus on tests. At the moment, that limits customers to wellness and health fanatics rather than the general public. But knowing the stats on what's happening in your body − and what those stats mean − is one way you can start taking better control of your health.
Without seeing the numbers and some general recommendations from the folks at NiaHealth, any changes would have been largely guesswork. Still, it's a big spend for general feedback such as trying a Mediterranean diet, exercise and the value of vitamin D.
For anyone looking to get the benefits of blood work without breaking the bank, working with your doctor and requesting basic panels is still your best bet.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

CTV News

14 minutes ago

• CTV News

Does face yoga actually work? Experts weigh in on its slimming, anti-aging effects

Face yoga involves a series of poses and stretches, as well as massage of the face. Oscar Gutierrez Zozulia/iStockphoto/Getty Images via CNN Newsource Puckering, puffing, scrunching and stretching your face may look silly, but in some spaces, it's the serious business of face yoga. The trendy facial workout involves a series of exaggerated poses and repetitive movements meant to target the muscles in the face, trading full-bodied yoga moves such as 'downward dog' for the lip-pouting 'duckface' and other expressions. Popular for being both cost-effective and product-free, face yoga testimonies can be found all over social media, with some influencers and self-proclaimed gurus promising a 'natural facelift' effect capable of toning, slimming and reducing fine lines on the face. But how much are these promised benefits a stretch of the truth? And how much is backed by science? Here's what a yoga instructor, a dermatologist and the author of one of the few face yoga studies out there have to say. The science behind face yoga The face is made up of layers of skin, fat and muscle sitting on top of the skull. Underneath the top layer of skin, or dermis, there is a layer of subcutaneous fat pads, which sit on top of the muscles, explained Dr. Anetta Reszko, a New York-based dermatologist and clinical assistant professor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College. These muscles help us smile, frown, chew and make other facial expressions. 'The fat and the muscles work together to give the face volume,' Reszko said. 'But over time, as we age, or if we don't use those muscles because of Botox, they can atrophy (and) become smaller.' This atrophy can cause the fat pads on top of the muscles to fall, giving the face a more sagging or hollow appearance, Reszko said. 'The idea behind facial yoga is you're working below that level, growing the muscle layer below the fat,' said Dr. Murad Alam, the vice chair of the department of dermatology and professor at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. 'As you grow the muscle, that would restore some shape to the face.' Alam, who is also a practicing dermatologist, conducted one of the few known studies to test this face yoga hypothesis in 2018 on a small cohort of middle-aged adults. After 20 weeks of daily, 30-minute exercises, a panel of dermatologists observed improved facial fullness among the 16 participants who completed the program, the study reported. 'The place where we noticed the biggest change was the cheeks,' Alam said. 'Which makes sense, because the cheek muscles are among the biggest facial muscles, so if you exercise them, the growth of them is going to be the most noticeable.' Due to the limited sample size and lack of direct measurements, further clinical trials would be needed to affirm this volumizing effect, Alam noted. Generally, medical research without a drug or device is difficult to fund, he said. 'Is this a replacement for cosmetic procedures? Not really, because the amount of improvement was not as significant and (other cosmetic) aspects of aging weren't studied,' Alam said. 'But it's potentially useful to people who absolutely do not want any cosmetic procedures because they're concerned about the safety or the cost or the inconvenience.' What else could face yoga do? In Reszko's dermatology practice, she recommends face yoga exercises for increasing blood and lymphatic fluid circulation in the face. Our faces have hundreds of lymph nodes that use fluid to drain waste and fight infection, Reszko said. During sleep, lymphatic fluid can accumulate in the face from lying down, causing a 'puffy' appearance immediately upon waking. Moving, stretching and massaging the face for 10 to 15 minutes every day could help reduce puffiness, Reszko said, referencing other techniques such the traditional Chinese gua sha stones that are meant to serve a similar purpose. This drainage can be especially helpful for patients who recently underwent cosmetic surgery or those with chronic allergies, she said. Increasing blood flow to the face may also make the skin appear more flushed and hydrated as well, Reszko said, but this effect is usually temporary. If you tend to hold tension in your neck, shoulders, jaw, forehead or anywhere else on the face, face yoga also could be helpful to relax the muscles, said Annelise Hagen, a yoga instructor and self-proclaimed pioneer of the technique who authored the book 'The Yoga Face.' 'Tension is a huge enemy for a lot of us. We are making these faces without realizing it all the time.' Hagen said. 'A lot of the work I do is just trying to teach people how to notice and be more mindful, relax and take a breath.' For Hagen, face yoga is more than just a workout or a cosmetic bio-hack — it's a way to be more in tune with your face. In her classes, she may encourage people to lift the corners of their mouth for a neutral, 'smiling Buddha face.' Or for the neck and jaw, she'll do the 'lion's breath,' opening her mouth wide, sticking out her tongue, rolling back her eyes and exhaling. 'When you're approaching the face from a yogic perspective, it's about being mindful of what we do with the face and acknowledging that it's kind of a manifestation of something inside,' Hagen said. 'Some people may approach it differently, but anything that can make you feel more serene, calm and better about the face that you're in, I think is legitimate.' Can face yoga be harmful? Generally, face yoga exercises are harmless, Alam said. To cause wrinkling, frown lines, bruising or other trauma to the face, a person would have to apply painful force. On the other hand, if someone is serious about taking up a daily face yoga routine, Reszko suggests avoiding movements that rub or stretch the delicate under-eye area. The skin around the eyes tends to be thinner and more sensitive than the rest of the face. For more dramatic interventions like firming wrinkles or treating acne, she recommends seeking the advice of a board-certified dermatologist.

CBC

5 hours ago

• CBC

Sask. NDP and ALS society calling on province to investigate Moose Jaw health centre

Social Sharing Saskatchewan's Opposition NDP and the province's ALS society are calling on Minister of Health Jeremy Cockrill to launch an investigation into the Dr. Goodenowe Restorative Health Center in Moose Jaw. Last week, the CBC reported that Dr. Dayan Goodenowe, who runs the centre, tells patients with ALS that his supplements can stop and reverse the progress of the disease. On his YouTube account, he says, "stopping the progression of ALS actually isn't that hard." He backs up his claim by pointing to some patients who say they feel better on his supplements. He also told CBC he's working on studies to verify their effectiveness. Goodenowe charges ALS clients $75,000 US for his three-month live-in treatment program. In CBC's story, some patients who took part said it did nothing to improve their condition. The NDP and the ALS Society say there's no published scientific evidence to back up Goodenowe's claims. They say all of the science indicates ALS is a death sentence. They said businesses should not be allowed to prey on vulnerable people. "We're talking about people with an incurable disease, who are desperate for hope, being misled with promises that are not backed in any scientific evidence. This is false hope being sold for profit," NDP rural and remote health critic Jared Clarke said at a news conference Friday. "We cannot allow unregulated facilities to target vulnerable people with misleading claims without any oversight or accountability. So today we are urging Minister Cockrill to act." Denis Simard, executive director of the ALS Society of Saskatchewan, echoed that call at the news conference, saying "we would invite the ministry to do a special investigation." Simard made a similar request months ago. In a Feb. 12 letter, he asked Cockrill to look into Goodenowe's business and "take appropriate action to prevent the dissemination of false medical information that could exploit those facing ALS." 'It is a private business' Cockrill refused CBC's request for an interview. In a written statement, he indicated there's nothing the provincial government can do because Goodenowe's centre, "has no ties to the Saskatchewan health care system." In interviews with CBC, Goodenowe regularly emphasized that he is not a medical doctor and his facility does not offer medical treatments or services. He has a Ph.D in Medical Sciences with an emphasis in psychiatry from the University of Alberta. "It is a private business, not a provincially regulated health centre or affiliate," Cockrill wrote. "The individual operating it is not a licensed medical doctor, so he does not fall under any established health regulatory body." Clarke said that if Cockrill is accurately describing the situation, that's an even stronger reason for him to do something. "To me that's why an investigation is important, to be able to assess whether there is a gap here [and] whether we need additional legislation," Clarke said. Simard agreed. "OK, we don't have an actual place in the law that allows us to investigate this. Let's create one," he said. "Let's find a way that's going to allow us to protect the most vulnerable in our province." In its research, CBC was directed to section 80 of Saskatchewan's Medical Profession Act, 1981, which seems to indicate that it is against the law in the province for someone who is not a registered medical professional to offer medical services. It says it's an offence in Saskatchewan if someone, "for hire, gain or hope of reward (i) engages in, professes to engage in or advertises to give advice in any aspect of practice; or (ii) furnishes any medicine or treats any disease or ailment by medicine, drugs or any form of treatment, influence or appliance." If found guilty of this offence, "and liable on summary conviction," the offender would be subject to a fine of up to $5,000. CBC asked the minister if this law might apply in this case. He didn't respond to the question. Goodenowe expanding operations In his written statement, the minister added that "we are not aware of any Saskatchewan residents living with ALS who have accessed Mr. Goodenowe's services." He didn't explain why he made that point. Simard noted that in CBC's story, the ALS patients were all from the United States. "These are all people that are being harmed by this process and I think we have a right to protect them," Simard said. He said this question is not going to go away for the provincial government, because Goodenowe is planning to expand his operations in Moose Jaw. In April, Goodenowe announced the Moose Jaw Vitality Project, which his website describes as "a $100 million community health initiative providing free access to cutting-edge health services and monitoring technologies for all residents of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan." The project is planned to involve five facilities, including the restorative health centre, a cafe and a facility that will manufacture Goodenowe's supplements, which he has manufactured in the United States until now. Simard said Moose Jaw city council should be paying attention to this as well. "Let's make sure that this person has no approvals moving forward, so that until this is fully investigated, until we can fully validate what is being done by this individual, nothing should happen at any other level," he said. For his part, Simard said he has warned Saskatchewan's 73 ALS patients that they should have nothing to do with Goodenowe or his facility.

CTV News

6 hours ago

• CTV News

You probably don't need foods with added protein, nutritionists say

A Thai peanut, vegetable and tofu bowl is displayed for a photograph in Coronado, Calif., on April 29, 2017. (Melissa d'Arabian via AP, File) The human body needs protein. Proteins carry out countless functions inside cells and they are vital for the growth, repair and maintenance of muscles, bones and skin. And with food companies rolling out high-protein versions of a huge range of foods, including milkshakes and granola bars — and even pancakes and popcorn — you might be tempted to think you need to add more to your diet. But nutritionists say that if you are getting enough food, you are probably getting enough protein. 'Adding protein to foods is very beneficial — for the profits of that food,' said Federica Amati, nutrition lead at Imperial College London and head nutritionist at the health science company ZOE. 'It is not based on health, it is not backed by science.' The amount of protein you need depends on your age, weight and personal nutritional needs and it is especially important for children and older adults to make sure they eat protein-rich foods. Here's what to know about how much protein you need and how to ensure you're getting it from the best sources. Protein is so critical that your body knows how to make it Protein is a macronutrient, or a basic kind of food like fat or carbohydrates that your body needs to function. There are thousands of proteins, assembled from smaller molecules called amino acids — most of which can be made by the body. 'Because protein is so important, our body has adapted really well to making sure that it can reassemble and change the building blocks of these amino acids to make sure we have what we need, as long as we're eating adequate amounts of food,' Amati said. Still, the body can't make all the amino acids, so some must come from food. If you aren't starving, you are probably getting plenty of protein The World Health Organization recommends that healthy adults get about 0.4 grams of protein per pound of body weight (0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight). That's roughly 60 grams for men and 50 grams for women per day, based on body weights of 165 pounds (75 kilograms) for men and 143 pounds (65 kilograms) for women. In most rich countries, the average adult gets far more, Amati said. Protein deficiencies are mostly seen in malnourished people on subsistence diet in poorer countries, she said. Bridget Benelam, a nutritionist with the British Nutrition Foundation, said it was important to get protein from different foods, like dairy, fish, beans, nuts, vegetables and meat. She said studies suggest vegetarians and vegans have lower protein intake than meat and fish eaters, but that their average protein levels are still OK. Having some protein at every meal is also a likely a good idea. 'It appears to be better for preserving muscle function if you have some protein throughout the day, rather than just having it all in one meal,' Benelam said. Protein can be found in a huge range of food Plant-based sources of protein include foods such as beans, lentils, peas, nuts, seeds, tofu, tempeh and meat substitutes. Fish, meat, poultry, eggs and dairy foods such as milk and yogurt are also good sources of protein. Amati said that proteins from animal-based sources may be easier for the body to break down compared to plant-based proteins, which tend to have more fiber. 'If you eat a piece of beef, you're getting protein and things like zinc and iron, but you're also getting more saturated fat,' she said. In comparison, Amati said eating protein-rich foods like chickpeas or beans also provides the body with fiber, something that's lacking in most of our diets. You probably don't need to buy products with added protein 'Unless you have a specific health issue that requires you to have more protein, most people in countries like the U.S. and the U.K. do not need more,' said Benelam of the British Nutrition Foundation. Amati, of Imperial College London, said people should scrutinize the ingredient list of protein-enriched products to make sure they aren't loaded with sugar and fat. For people trying to build more muscle, she recommended a more direct solution: exercise. 'If you're worried about your body composition and muscle strength, you have to lift (heavier) weights and give your body a challenge,' Amati said. 'Eating a protein bar is not going to help.' The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Maria Cheng, The Associated Press