Description
Overview of the Nutrition Test Most people won’t know they’re deficient in any key nutrient unless they get tested. Some nutrient deficiencies can immediately affect your quality of life, such as confusion, cramps, sunken eyes, nausea and vomiting from low sodium levels. But for others, the problem may go undetected for decades. Fortunately, most nutritional deficiencies are easy to correct once identified. By taking this nutrition test, you will gain insight into your diet and nutritional status so you can better manage all of your dietary and supplementation needs. Which nutrients are analysed: Sodium Potassium Calcium Magnesium Iron Copper Zinc Selenium Sodium Few people suffer from sodium deficiency today. Sodium is needed for the acid-base balance, the water and salt balance in the body, as well as it affects the balance between sodium and potassium in blood pressure. Although deficiency is less common, low levels can occur in, for example, hard physical exercise, people who sweat a lot and drink a lot of water, or people with certain chronic diseases. Symptoms of sodium deficiency: Confusion Cramps Sunken eyes Nausea and vomiting Symptoms of high sodium levels: High blood pressure Swelling Migraine Heart failure Potassium Potassium is the third most abundant mineral in the body. Just like sodium, potassium is needed for the body’s water balance, to regulate blood pressure and for the body’s nerve and muscle functions. Both too low and too high amounts of potassium can affect the heart. In deficiency, insulin is not released and sugar is not converted into energy and instead stored in the liver, which can lead to hypoglycemia. Symptoms of potassium deficiency: Muscle contractions Muscle weakness Fatigue / weakness Cardiac arrhythmias Symptoms of excessive potassium levels: Nausea Weakness Irregular heartbeats Calcium Calcium is best known for being needed for the skeleton and teeth, but is also needed for nerve signals, muscle contraction, blood coagulation and various enzymatic processes and is needed to transport nutrients through our cell membranes. Calcium can also have a calming function for the nerves. Symptoms of calcium deficiency: Osteoporosis Muscle cramps Numbness or tingling High blood pressure Symptoms of high calcium levels: Kidney stones Fatigue, indifference and mental depression Constipation Magnesium Magnesium has a calming function and is needed for hundreds of different enzyme reactions and for the absorption of other minerals (calcium, phosphorus, sodium and potassium). Magnesium and calcium often work together, for example in our muscles and nerves. Magnesium acts as a natural antihistamine. Symptoms of magnesium deficiency: Muscle cramps Fatigue or insomnia Irritation and depression Arrhythmias in the heart Symptoms of high levels of magnesium (very rare): Diarrhoea Nausea Iron Iron is known for its oxygen-binding ability and is needed to transport oxygen to the lungs and our cells, and has an essential role for our blood and immune system. Iron is very toxic and dangerous in excessive amounts. Some people (about 1 in 250 people) have difficulty excreting iron and instead store it in the body, often without knowing it. Therefore, you should never take extra iron without first measuring your values. Symptoms of iron deficiency: Fatigue Pale skin, dry hair and dry skin Shortness of breath Intermittent claudication Symptoms of excessive iron levels: Nausea, stomach pain or vomiting Pain, low sex drive, cardiovascular problems or liver problems Increased risk of cancer and other degenerative diseases Copper Copper is needed for the cardiovascular system, bone structure, brain, nerves, connective tissue and thyroid, among other things. Copper is also needed to form superoxide dismutase (SOD) which is a powerful anti-inflammatory enzyme. Copper and zinc often work together. Elevated levels of copper are often linked to elevated levels of oestrogen. Symptoms of copper deficiency: Anaemia Skeletal problems Degeneration of the nervous system Disrupted brain function Symptoms of high levels of copper: Depression, depression and learning difficulties PMS and mood swings Weakened immune system Zinc Zinc is one of the minerals that many are low on. Zinc is needed for our growth, our genitals, enzymatic reactions, digestion, for the synthesis of DNA and RNA and much more. Vegans, the elderly, pregnant women and nursing mothers are often at risk of deficiency, as are people who eat a low-calorie or low-protein diet (zinc uptake increases with protein). Symptoms of zinc deficiency: Loss of appetite Impaired sense of taste Impaired wound healing ability Skin problems Weakened immune system Symptoms of high levels of zinc: Weakened immune system Anaemia Irritation in the stomach Selenium Selenium is an important antioxidant and protects the body from oxidation reactions, which can destroy cells and accelerate ageing. Selenium is also important for the immune system and protects against certain heavy metals such as quicksilver and arsenic. However, selenium is toxic if ingested too much. Symptoms of selenium deficiency: Increased risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and heavy metal poisoning Growing pains in children Infertility Symptoms of high levels of selenium: Affects the gastrointestinal tract Impaired growth of hair and nails Nutrition Test measures the ratio between: Sodium / Potassium Magnesium / Calcium Potassium / Calcium Copper / Zinc Why measure the ratio of minerals? The ratio, i.e. the balance between different minerals, is often at least as important to review as the individual values. Being at the right levels of sodium/potassium can affect blood pressure and the heart and vessels. The ratio between copper/zinc has an effect on the hormones oestrogen and progesterone. Potassium/calcium is an important ratio for the thyroid gland, while magnesium/calcium plays a role in cardiovascular health, bone health, metabolic and inflammatory diseases. How does the Nutrition Test work? The Nutrition Test is a blood test via a stick in the finger where you squeeze blood and drip into a test tube. The test should be taken on an empty stomach in the morning. The test is performed at home and then sent to our lab for analysis and you will receive your ytest result digitally. If you would also like to test your vitamins, we offer our Vitamin Test.
