The 4-Hour Body_ An Uncommon Guide to Ra - Timothy Ferriss [193]
Of the blood tests, SpectraCell was, across the board, the most immediately impactful for the case studies I supervised. It’s here.
Use these tests as a starting point, beginning with the least expensive and adding only when needed or as budget allows. More sophisticated tests can be prescribed by a physician if the basics show abnormalities.
Not sure what CBC or TSH is? In the beginning, I wasn’t either, but you can learn any of them in 60 seconds. For that matter, you could learn all of them in 60 minutes. Use www.fourhourbody.com/bloodtests to look up unfamiliar blood test terms, or to get a better understanding of your own results.
Here are a few guidelines to prevent you from going Woody Allen neurotic:
1. If you can’t act on it or enjoy it, don’t bother testing it. No one needs to learn they’re predisposed to a disease they can do nothing to fix. Focus on actionable items and ignore the rest.
2. Take the same tests at the same time. Timing matters … a lot. To compare before and after results for a given test, aim for the same time of day, same day of the week, and (if female) same point in your menstrual cycle. Testosterone levels, as just one example, can easily change more than 10% from 8 A.M. to 12 noon.
3. If you get an alarming result, repeat the test before making big changes. One acquaintance removed almost every food from his diet—“I’m allergic to them all!”—without realizing that food allergy testing is notoriously error-prone. If you get an alarming result, repeat the test. If you have the budget, consider using a different lab or, better still, sending two identical samples to the same lab under different names. I did the latter with several tests, including 23andMe, to ensure the results were consistent. 23andMe passed, but many others did not. Get a second opinion before doing anything drastic.
I owe special thanks to Dr. Justin Mager for helping me navigate the world of testing.
THE MENU
Insurance will often cover the first one or two comprehensive tests you have performed, and I encourage you to speak with your doctor about this option.
I prefer to keep my testing activities (and results) out of insurance files and usually pay with a credit card. For this reason, I’ve listed the cash costs for each test. Skip to “BodPod” if your eyes gloss over with the blood details.
Comprehensive Blood Panel: Free–$600
These standard blood draws were performed at the Clear Center of Health near San Francisco and analyzed by Hunter Laboratories (www.hunterlabs.com):
***Chem 6: $210
Includes: CMP, lipid panel, ferritin, iron, MG, TSH, FT3, FT4, cortisol, insulin, CBC, UA, Plac, vitamin D
***Male V: $360
Includes: estradiol, PSA, DHEA-S, LH, pregnenolone, cortisol, free and total testosterone, IGF-1 (indicative of growth hormone)
Additional Male Tests:
DHT: $22.80
FSH: $40
Progesterone: $40
Female Health Profile2
(can overlap with Chem 6): $400–700
Includes: homocysteine, lipoprotein (a), prealbumin, thyroid panel, DHEA-S, estradiol, progesterone, FSH, LH, C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP), iron, ferritin, hepatitis, HIV.
Inflammatory markers: Detect bleeding disorders, abnormal blood clotting, and assess your risk of having a heart attack.
Cardio C-Reactive Protein (CRP): $30
Homocysteine: $30
Fibrinogen: $40
Glyco A1C: $25
Liver enzymes: Use these tests to assess whether your liver has a disorder, a disease, or has been damaged, whether by diet, supplements, or something else.
ALT: $6
AST: $6
***BodPod (www.fourhourbody.com/bodpod): $25–50 per session The official bodyfat measurement device of the NFL Combine. Just sit inside a sealed capsule and alternating air pressure will determine body composition.
***DEXA (search “DEXA body fat” in Google): $50–100 per session Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) is my favorite option for measuring bodyfat percentage, as the results include valuable information besides body composition, including mass imbalances and bone density.
***ZRT at-home Vitamin D test kits (www.zrtlab.com/vitamindcouncil): $65–220 Determine your vitamin D