Micronutrient analysis

[Saree_maree]

I'm curious to know if anybody here has undergone intracellular micronutrient analysis (the one my doctor ordered is from a laboratory called Spectracell), and if so, if they felt it gave them any useful information. I'm a little skeptical about shelling out $200+ dollars for labwork when I can just get regular serum levels checked for free.

 

Thanks.

[jmcbn]

I'd be a little skeptical myself given that you should be getting all the micro-nutrients you need from eating a wholesome, healthy, nutritious diet...

What exactly is your doctor looking for?

[Tom Denham]

I am a little skeptical about Spectracell after looking at their website and the mass of positive comments that come up with a google search. I question the professionalism of a lab that offers home testing to anyone willing to pay the fees. The fees notable and the chances of most people doing themselves real good without the help of a doctor guiding them about how best to respond is poor in my opinion. Now don't get the idea that I blanket endorse whatever a doctor says. I have fired several over the past few years. 

 

Having expressed my skepticism, I work with a functional medicine doctor whose testing identified a variety of deficiencies that surprised me. I eat a lot of beef, but am apparently not absorbing vitamin B well, so now I supplement. I was spending time in the sun every day, but was deficient in vitamin D, so now I supplement daily. My doctor is using a different lab for testing and I have no idea about comparability of technique and validity, but I have appreciated what the testing I underwent found and the direction my doctor has given me in response. 

[praxisproject]

I have a whole herd of deficiencies (including a genetically induced B12 deficiency, which messes up my methylation function) and some tests are very legitimate and provide incredibly valuable diagnostic information (I would not have been tested for my genetic issue if it were not for my blood test results).

 

I'm outside the USA so not sure on the laws there, but from a quick look, SpectraCell Labs do appear to do some forms of tests which are not well respected (the lab is listed on QuackWatch), which could be of concern, but it also might be for a test other than the one you're looking at.

 

It doesn't mean their test is bad or the results are wrong (although they could be if it's not professionally recognized), but it also may mean it's not superior to other tests, not equal or costs more without a perceived benefit. On the flip side, they could be more cutting edge and therefore not yet proven or higher cost because it's very new.

 

One thing I find odd from their site is that they're quite specific that this test is on white blood cells.

I don't think any of my tests have been on white blood cells and my naturopath was able to identify a number of anomalies, but maybe the kind of tests we have in our country are different. Tests vary radically from country to country and even sometimes within countries. It could possibly be the best in your area, or even the only accessible lab which can perform a certain type of test, or the only one that provides the actual data from the test (some say silly things like "normal" or "in range", without specifying the data, which inhibits diagnosis, especially when trying to match one result against another).

 

Might be worth a second opinion, given the cost.

Or ask for a cost/result comparison via another testing method (if one is available).

A good doctor should listen and answer your questions.

[Saree_maree]

I have a stress fracture from running, irregular menses, and a history of eating disorders (AKA the "female athlete triad"). I went to my primary care physician on the advice of my orthopedist for a bone health workup. In addition to the expected tests (Vitamin D panel, basic metabolic panel, parathyroid hormone level, DEXA scan, blood counts), she recommended the SpectraCell micronutrient analysis to assess for any "hidden decificiencies."

 

I work in healthcare (I am a critical care nurse) and while I do place a lot of value on lifestyle-related health maintenance and promotion (I'm on this forum, right?), I am pretty much firmly in the camp of conventional, mainstream medicine when it comes to diagnosis and treatment of illness and injury. I spoke to a couple of physicians at work about this test, and none of them had ever heard of it or thought it had any value beyond regular serum testing.

 

My serum levels were all normal, so I have opted not to undergo the SpectraCell testing. I am also seriously considering finding another primary care physician. I felt that she was selling me this test like some kind of used car salesman. Thank you everybody for your input.