Let Your Blood Tell a Story
This series is dedicated to helping you comprehend what specific blood tests are looking for. For most people when their doctor tells them they need a comprehensive metabolic panel, they might as well have spoken in a foreign language.
So here`s the translation: a metabolic comprehensive panel tests your blood serum, the part of blood that doesn`t contain cells. This test reveals an overall picture of your body`s metabolism; in other words it explains all of the physical and chemical processes in your body that use energy. This test gives your doctor information about things like how well your kidneys and liver are functioning, calcium and blood sugar, electrolyte levels (sodium, potassium and chloride and protein levels).
When you prepare for the test you should not eat or drink for 8 hours prior. This better allows for your doctor to get a more accurate picture of what`s going on in your blood without the interference of food and drink. These tests screen for a wide variety of problems. The glucose test in particular helps screen for diabetes mellitus and pre-diabetes. The calcium test can indicate or monitor bone diseases or diseases of the parathyroid gland or kidneys. Calcium salts, Lithium, Thiazide diuretics, Thyroxin, and vitamin D can increase levels and may interfere with this test. Depending on your health and family history your doctor may recommend yearly screenings.
``To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear`` ~Buddha