Lab Testing

Product Description

**Note: All laboratory testing requires an authorizing physician. DHA Laboratory offers a patient direct program that partners you with an authorizing physician. If you have any additional questions regarding the availability of testing, please contact our laboratory by telephone or email.**

The Fundamental Elements Panel includes:

B12 & Folate, Iron & TIBC, CBC w/ Differential, Ferritin

Vitamin B12: Detect B₁₂ deficiency as in pernicious anemia; diagnose folic acid deficiency; evaluate hypersegmentation of granulocyte nuclei; follow up MCV >100; diagnose macrocytic anemia; diagnose megaloblastic anemia; evaluate alcoholism, prenatal care; evaluate malabsorption, neurological disorders, or the elevation of B₁₂ as seen in liver cell damage or myeloid leukemia.

Folate: A vitamin that unfortunately cannot be produced by the body. The only way to gain this vitamin is through food. Folate is essential for RBC formation and also for the repair of tissues and cells.

Folate (Folic Acid) test use:
-Detect folate deficiency
-Monitor therapy with folate
-Evaluate megaloblastic and macrocytic anemia
-Evaluate alcoholic patients

Testing the folic acid level is primarily used in the diagnosis of megaloblastic anemia.

Iron & TIBC: Used to aid in the evaluation of a number of conditions involved with red cell production and destruction, iron transport, or iron metabolism. This will assist your physician in differentiating between different types of anemia. May also be used to help diagnose hemochromatosis (iron overload). High levels of iron are associated with kidney/liver disease and a deficiency in vitamin B6. Low iron levels have symptoms including fatigue, headaches, or muscle pain.

CBC w/ Differential:

The complete blood count (CBC) is often used as a broad screening test to determine an individual’s general health status. It can be used to:

• Screen for a wide range of conditions and diseases
• Help diagnose various conditions, such as anemia, infection, inflammation, bleeding disorder or leukemia, to name just a few
• Monitor the condition and/or effectiveness of treatment after a diagnosis is established
• Monitor treatment that is known to affect blood cells, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy

Ferritin: The ferritin test is used to evaluate an individual’s iron levels in the body. Ferritin is often paired with an iron test and also a TIBC test. Ferritin levels correlate with and are useful in evaluation of total body storage iron. From this test you will be able to identify if you are deficient or high in iron levels.