Are you tired but your lab results came back “normal?” This video is for you! Dr. Briana Peddle, ND, describes the following tests, and why it is important to evaluate them based on what is optimal, not what is sufficient.
1. Ferritin: this measures your iron stores. Women should have stores over 50. Often women are told that their results are normal when they are well below this, even though they still feel very tired. It is much easier to raise your levels if you don’t wait until they are at the bottom of the tank.
2. Thyroid function testing: TSH is generally a pretty good screening lab, but it doesn’t always tell us the full picture. TSH is the message the brain sends the thyroid to release your free T4 and free T3. These do the work to regulate the body’s metabolic rate controlling heart, muscle and digestive function, brain development and bone maintenance. It is sometimes helpful to run a full thyroid panel, including TSH, fT4, fT3 and thyroid antibodies in order to get the full picture. Especially if TSH is normal or at the high end of normal and you still have unexplained fatigue.
3. Vitamin D: Vitamin D status impacts energy, mood, hormones, immune system, bone health and more. Because we live in an area that doesn’t get much sun most of the year, many of us are deficient. In order to tailor your dose to what will actually make a difference, we need to know your levels.
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