Stress & Systemic Blood Tests

These are pre-paid blood draw, saliva or urine tests. You must make an appointment at a local LabCorp in your area for testing and follow pre-testing requirements before arrival. Your lab results will appear in your patient portal within 2-5 days for most tests, unless otherwise advised.

1. Cortisol Blood Test AM

This test is the Electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) and it measures cortisol levels in the blood.

Cortisol is a hormone produced in the adrenal glands, which are located near the top of the kidney. Cortisol is essential to many body functions and affects the immune system, nervous system, and metabolism. In addition, cortisol also helps the body respond to stress. Therefore, it is commonly referred to as the "stress hormone." In Chinese medicine stress causes and is caused by stagnated liver qi which quickly affects blood production and flow, nutrition and mood. This test is often ordered for patients with these diseases:

• Cushing's syndrome—a condition characterized by high levels of cortisol.
• Cushing's disease—a type of Cushing's syndrome in which an excessive amount of a hormone called adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) causes the overproduction of cortisol.
• Addison disease—a disorder in which the adrenal glands are not able to produce sufficient hormones like cortisol.

People with excess cortisol levels may experience symptoms associated with Cushing syndrome, such as:

• Increased weight
• Thin arms and legs
• A fuller face, increased fat around the neck or shoulder blades
• Bruising or large purple marks on the stomach, breasts, hips, and under the arms
• Muscle weakness

People with insufficient cortisol levels may experience symptoms related to Addison disease, like:

• Fatigue
• Muscle weakness
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Abdominal pain

This test also helps for selecting optimal dietary, nutritional and traditional herbal remedies that balance qi and blood.

2. Basic Stress Mastery Blood Test Panel

This test is a panel of tests that detect the effects of stress on the body. It includes a CMP-14, CBC, Lipid Panel, Thyroid Panel with TSH, Free Tri-iodothyronine (T3), Thyroxine (T4) Free Direct, A1c, AM Cortisol, and Fasting Insulin

• Complete Blood Count (CBC) Used as a broad screening test to check for such disorders as anemia, infection, and many other diseases, as it analyzes different parts of the blood.
• Thyroid Panel Total T-4 (Thyroxine); T-3 uptake; Free Thyroxine Index (FTI); T-7; and Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
• Lipid Profile Cholesterol, Total, HDL Cholesterol (High-density lipoproteins, or the "good" cholesterol), LDL Cholesterol (Low-density lipoproteins, or the "bad" cholesterol), Cholesterol/HDL Ratio Calculated by dividing the total cholesterol by the HDL cholesterol, and Triglycerides (fat in the blood)
• Liver Profile Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT or SGPT), Albumin, Serum; Albumin/Globulin Ratio; Alkaline Phosphatase; Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST or SGOT; Bilirubin, Total; Globulin, Total; Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH); Protein; GGT also known as Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase.
• Kidney Panel Urea Nitrogen (BUN); Creatinine Serum, Uric Acid. BUN/Creatinine Ratio
• Minerals and Bone Iron Total, Calcium, Phosphorus
• Fluids & Electrolytes Chloride Serum, Potassium, Sodium, Carbon Dioxide
• Diabetes Glucose Blood sugar level is the most direct single test to uncover diabetes and may be used not only to identify diabetes but also to evaluate control of the disease.
• Tri-iodothyronine (T3) normally represents only approximately 5% of the thyroid hormone and like thyroxine is almost entirely bound to the carrier proteins, with only 0.25% of the total being in the free state. Measurement of Free T-3 is of value in confirming the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism, when an elevated free or total thyroxine level is found. Abnormal total and free tri-iodothyronine concentrations can appear in T3 toxicosis, in the presence of normal thyroxine levels. Free T3 levels are not affected by carrier protein variation.
• Free T4 is the active form of thyroxine and is thought to be a more accurate reflection of thyroid hormone function. The free T4 test is thought by many to be a more accurate reflection of thyroid hormone function, and, in most cases, its use has replaced that of the total T4 test. A total T4 or free T4 test is primarily ordered in response to an abnormal TSH test result. Sometimes the T4 will be ordered along with a TSH to give the doctor a complete evaluation of the adequacy of the thyroid hormone feedback system. These tests are usually ordered when a person has symptoms of hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism.
• Hemoglobin A1C is primarily used as a means of calculating average levels glucose in the blood over an extended time. This test is used to evaluate glucose levels in the blood over the 2 to 3 months before the test. This test is very important in managing one’s diabetes. Scientists believe that keeping the blood sugar in the body within normal range can help individuals with diabetes to avoid many of the risks and side effects that people with diabetes often face. The benefit of the hemoglobin A1c blood test is that it provides information on overall glycemic health over a several month period. Other blood tests of glucose level are highly sensitive to determining glucose levels at the time the test is taken, but they do not give information on average glucose blood levels. The test works by measuring the hemoglobin A1c level. Hemoglobin is stored in red blood cells. When glucose levels are high, the sugar starts to combine with the hemoglobin. It takes the body 8 to 12 weeks to bring hemoglobin A1c levels back to normal. Therefore, if hemoglobin A1c levels are high, that means that there has been a high level of glucose in the blood over the last 2 to 3 months.
• Cortisol - Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands. Production and secretion of cortisol is stimulated by ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone), a hormone produced by the pituitary gland, a tiny organ located inside the head below the brain. Cortisol has a range of roles in the body. It helps break down protein, glucose, and lipids, maintain blood pressure and regulate the immune system. Heat, cold, infection, trauma, stress, exercise, obesity, and debilitating disease can influence cortisol concentrations. Fasting Insulin levels may be useful predicting susceptibility to the development of type II diabetes, though C-peptide has mostly supplanted insulin measurement for this role. The measurement of insulin levels is not included in The American Diabetes Association recommendations for diagnosis.