Our Essential: Health & Lifestyle Home Blood Test

Globulin

Globulins are a group of proteins made in the liver by the immune system which play an important role in liver function, blood clotting and fighting infection.

Albumin

A main protein made by the liver and a low level of albumin can indicate a problem with your liver or kidneys.

Total Protein

Measures albumin and all other proteins in blood, including antibodies made to help fight off infections.

Bilirubin

Measures all the yellow bilirubin pigment in the blood.
Another test, conjugated bilirubin, measures the form made only in the liver and is often requested with total bilirubin in infants with jaundice.

ALT

Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is an enzyme mainly found in the liver; the best test for detecting hepatitis.

GGT

Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) is an enzyme which is elevated in the blood in most diseases that can cause damage to the liver.

ALP

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is an enzyme related to the bile ducts; often increased when they are blocked, either inside or outside the liver.

LDL Cholesterol

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is sometimes referred to as “bad” cholesterol. High levels of LDL can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke

Non-HDL Cholesterol

Non-HDL cholesterol is the amount of “good” cholesterol, subtracted from your total cholesterol number. This will leave you with the amount of “bad” cholesterol.

HDL Cholesterol

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is sometimes referred to as “good” cholesterol – it absorbs cholesterol and carries it back to the liver, which in turn, “flushes” it from the body. High levels of HDL cholesterol can lower your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Total Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a substance that is essential for life. It helps form the membranes for cells in all organs and tissues in your body. It is used to make hormones that are essential for development, growth and reproduction. It forms bile acids that are needed to absorb nutrients from food. Cholesterol comes both from what you eat and from your body’s own production of cholesterol, which takes place in the liver.

A small amount of your body’s cholesterol circulates in the blood in complex particles called “lipoproteins”. These include some particles that carry excess cholesterol away for disposal (HDL, good cholesterol) and some particles that deposit cholesterol in tissues and organs (LDL-bad cholesterol). The test for cholesterol measures all cholesterol (good and bad) that is carried in the blood.

Total Cholesterol:HDL Ratio

This ratio examines the amount of “good” or HDL cholesterol you have in relation to your total.

triglycerides

Triglycerides are the body’s storage form of fat. Most triglycerides are found in fat (adipose) tissue, but some circulate in the blood to provide fuel for muscles to work. Extra triglycerides are found in the blood after eating a meal — when fat is being sent from the gut to fat tissue for storage. Triglycerides are a form of lipid (fat), and are therefore included as part of a lipid profile.

Creatinine

Creatinine is a waste product produced in your muscles from the breakdown of a compound called creatine. Creatine is part of the cycle that produces energy needed to contract your muscles. Both creatine and creatinine are produced by the body at a relatively constant rate. Almost all creatinine is excreted by the kidneys, so blood levels are a good measure of how well your kidneys are working. The quantity produced depends on the sex, size or age of the person and their muscle mass. For this reason, creatinine concentrations will be slightly higher in men than in women and children.

eGFR

Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) measures your level of kidney function and can be used to determine the stage of kidney disease.

Ferritin

Ferritin is a blood protein which contains iron and is used to understand how much iron your body stores.

Vitamin D

The main role of vitamin D is to help regulate the absorption of calcium, phosphate and magnesium. Vitamin D is vital for the growth and health of bone; without it, bones will be soft, malformed and unable to repair themselves normally. For most people, the majority of vitamin D is formed following the action of sunlight upon the skin but is also found in a small amount of foods.

Vitamin B12 – active

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin involved in the metabolism of every cell in the human body.

Active B12 is the metabolically active portion of B12.

Vitamin B12 performs several important functions in the body to keep the nervous system healthy. Deficiencies in vitamin B12 may cause extreme tiredness, a lack of energy, muscle weakness and problems with vision, to name but a few.

Creatine Kinase

Creatine kinase is an enzyme produced by various tissues and cell types to indicate damage or disease of the skeletal muscles.

CRP HS

C-reactive protein (CRP) is measure to asses inflammation in the body. This can be used to identify infections or other medical conditions. Particularly the CRP high-sensitivity (HS) test can be used to evaluate the risk of developing coronary artery disease.