Micronutrient Test

While getting routine bloodwork is a great step to keep eye on some basics of your health, sometimes we want to dig deeper. One very helpful way to get a more comprehensive look at your health is to test for micronutrient levels through a micronutrient test.

What are Micronutrients?

The term “micronutrients” traditionally refers to the essential vitamins and minerals needed in the body. On the other hand, “macronutrients” refer to proteins, carbs, and fats that are needed in “macro” or larger amounts, compared to the more microscopic yet essential amounts needed for micronutrients.

When doing intracellular micronutrient testing, we can also test for levels of essential fatty acids and antioxidants.

What does Micronutrient Testing Test for?

As listed on their website, “the benefits of the Vibrant Micronutrient Test include:

• Identifying functional deficiencies in intracellular micronutrient levels (cellular nutrient absorption deficiency).
• Identifying essential micronutrient absorption deficiencies which cause or increase the risk of chronic diseases.
• Providing a long-term nutritional status of the previous 4-6 months.”

Difference Between Regular Blood Test vs Micronutrient Test

Usually, regular blood tests test for the serum levels of different lab markers. The serum refers to the parts of the blood outside of a cell, or extracellular. On the other hand, micronutrient testing is a way to assess the intracellular environment, or inside the cell. Intracellular testing is a more accurate of testing micronutrient levels since most micronutrients are actually used or stored inside of cells. Testing the intracellular levels gives us an idea of the functional nutrition status over the past 4-6 months, whereas serum levels can fluctuate rapidly.

Image snippet ^ from https://www.vibrant-america.com/micronutrient/

Serum vs RBC Magnesium

A good example of this difference is when testing magnesium. Serum magnesium levels generally look OK for more people, since the blood tightly regulates levels of magnesium in the blood. To do so, it can pull magnesium out of cells into the serum of the blood. Intracellular magnesium, often tested as RBC Magnesium (magnesium inside red blood cells), is a more accurate depiction of how much magnesium we actually have available for use in the body. So if we were to rely on serum magnesium levels only, we might miss identifying a magnesium deficiency.

Who Should Get a Micronutrient Test?

If you suffer from:

• chronic disease like diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, and/or arthritis
• skin problems
• numbness/tingling in your hands or feet
• weakened immune system
• digestive issues/disorders like celiac, wheat sensitivity, IBS, IBD, and SIBO

If you have a history of or have experienced:

• long-term use of prescription medications
• poor diet
• obesity
• advanced aging
• stress, feeling tired, or chronic fatigue
• depression

Eating a wholesome, nutrient-dense real food way of eating is the best long-term & sustainable means of keeping the body nutrient-sufficient. However, chronic conditions (obesity, autoimmune diseases, thyroid conditions, etc) can cause nutrient depletion over time. The nutrient depletion may occur due to the disease process & inflammation requiring more nutrients to operate, malabsorption leading to nutrient insufficiencies despite nutrient intake through food or supplements, and other mechanisms.

I love using micronutrient testing when working with clients in functional nutrition coaching so that we can finally get better answers to the root causes of their chronic health issues.

Micronutrient Test Cost

Cost: *$358 (full panel) — but there also an option to select just several nutrients instead of full panel

*prices are subject to change

How To Get A Micronutrient Test

After assessing and discussing your health needs in detail, I will place an order for micronutrient testing through Vibrant. You will receive a test kit in the mail from Vibrant within several days. Once you receive it, activate the kit with the QR code and follow the instructions included in the test kit. You can easily get your blood drawn at blood draw center that partners with Vibrant. Once you have a sample collected, you will ship it directly back to Vibrant Wellness. Results will be ready within 2-3 weeks. I will review the results with you. Together, we’ll come up with a plan that works for you to get you on a path to better health.

Comprehensive Bloodwork

For an even deeper assessment of your health, Vibrant also offers comprehensive blood markers for a variety of needs. These include testing a full thyroid panel of markers, insulin levels, comprehensive cardiovascular health markers, and more. Since some doctors are unwilling to test more comprehensive markers, and since sometimes insurance plans are unwilling to cover these markers, going through an online lab like Vibrant can get you the comprehensive testing you desire. You can learn more about how I help my clients get comprehensive bloodwork here.

Ready to Test not Guess?