Lab Testing and Naturopathic Medicine
Did you know that naturopathic doctors in BC can requisition bloodwork? This allows for easier monitoring of our patients. However, bloodwork is not the only test I do- read on to learn more about the role of labs in my practice.
Lifelabs Bloodwork
Bloodwork is integral to my treatments plans and patient health. I ask each and every patient to have recent labs- whether these are done through their MD, NP, or through myself. If there are specific concerns I am addressing, I will ask for more specific labs. If it has been years since having bloodwork done, I ask for general panels to screen for concerns. Even if bloodwork comes back with no issues, it is valuable to get a baseline for my patients going forward.
For example, if a patient comes in complaining of general fatigue, there is quite complex bloodwork I’ll have done. A general blood panel, iron/ferritin levels, Vitamin B12, thyroid markers (TSH), and Vitamin D are my go-to’s, adding more if other concerns come up.
Naturopathic doctors also have a bit of a different perspective on bloodwork. The reference ranges for some of the tests are quite large, and results may not be flagged when they are still significant. For example, ferritin (the storage form of iron) has a large reference range: 15-247 ug/L. However, patients can still experience symptoms of iron deficiency anywhere from 15 ug/L to around 50 ug/L. I typically recommend iron supplementation for anyone who has a results lower than 50 ug/L. Other tests, such as thyroid, Vitamin D and Vitamin B12, are similar. This is why I re-check all of my patient’s bloodwork, even if nothing was flagged initially.
Hormonal Testing
Hormones can be complicated- for both men & women. I find that bloodwork for hormonal dysregulation is not enough to make treatment decisions from. Hormones fluctuate constantly, and are very different depending on time of the month, and even time of the day- so one single blood test may not reflect the true levels of hormones. Reference rages for hormones are quite large as well.
For these reasons, I opt for dried urine testing for hormones. I primarily use the DUTCH test from Precision Analytical. These provides a wealth of information including estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol/cortisone, DHEA, melatonin, as well as hormone metabolite pathways. The comprehensive nature of this test allows for me to make very specific and tailored treatment decisions.
Digestive Testing
Digestion is one of the systems I treat most. Whether patients are coming in specifically for digestion or not, there are often problems stemming from digestion that we need to work on.
Depending on the patient’s specific concerns, I may use Lifelabs: the most common ones being a celiac test (Anti-TTG), or an H-Pylori test. Other than those, I frequently run food sensitivity testing panels (through US Biotek). This tests the IgG immune system and looks at least 120 foods to check for sensitivities. SIBO breath testing is another test I run frequently, which checks for imbalance of bacteria in the small intestine- leading to bloating and digestive upset.
Other Testing
The lists of tests I can and have run is pretty long. A few worth mentioning would be Lyme testing, chronic viral infection testing, as well as neurotransmitter testing for mental health conditions.
Lab testing is an integral part of my practice, and allows me to make the best treatment decisions possible for my patients. Whether it’s ruling out conditions, finding vitamin deficiencies or monitoring chronic diseases, I use lab testing with each and every patient. If you have questions regarding any lab testing, please book a 15 minute complimentary consult.