Hammerhead Health

The full blood count is used as a broad screening test to check for such disorders as anaemia (decrease in red blood cells or haemoglobin), infection, and many other diseases. It is actually a group of tests that examine different parts of the blood. Results from the following tests provide the broadest picture of your health.

Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional problem in Australia. It slows your body’s production of haemoglobin, which your red blood cells need to pick up oxygen from your lungs and carry it to every cell in your body. If you have a shortage of iron you experience symptoms of anaemia, which include feeling breathless after little exercise, feeling tired, heart palpitations and looking pale.

A high Copper to Zinc ratio is believed to cause a range of detrimental health effects including growth and mental abnormalities, increased age degeneration and increase oxidative stress and cardiovascular disease risks.

Red blood cell testing provides a measurement equivocal to intracellular levels, and is therefore more insightful than a regular serum blood test.

Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin. These vitamins are usually absorbed in fat globules that travel through the lymphatic system of the small intestines and into the general blood circulation within the body. These fat soluble vitamins are then stored in body tissues.

Vitamin D is essential for bone strength as it helps the intestines absorb calcium. Calcium and vitamin D play a critical role in developing and maintaining your overall bone health, and when you don’t get enough you increase your risk of developing osteoporosis and the incidence of stress fractures.

This test measures the active form of vitamin D. Vitamin D is obtained from sunlight exposure, dietary sources, or supplements. Vitamin D is converted to 25-hydroxyvitamin D, which is the storage form of vitamin D, which is then converted to the active form 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D). Note that the 1,25(OH)2D test is not typically used to diagnose vitamin D deficiency. Instead, the 25(OH)D test is more commonly used for this purpose as it reflects the body's vitamin D status over a longer period of time.

If too much urate is produced or not enough is excreted, it can accumulate and lead to gout – an inflammation that occurs in joints.