# testing for vitamin/mineral levels?



## dk_40207 (Jun 23, 2005)

I was wondering if anyone had any experience w/ getting blood tests run to see levels of vitamins and minerals. I asked a dr. about this once and they said that such tests didn't exsist :nerd: . I know that they do--but I'm not sure if it something that can be covered by insurance or do you go to an independant lab? I know that these tests are routinely done in other countries :shrug:


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## Marilyn in CO (May 12, 2002)

I know of holistic MDs & NDs in Boulder/Denver, CO that run detailed blood tests that are different than a regular blood test. My mom and a close friend had these run some years back. One can also get a hair analysis which detects toxicity and defiencies.


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## Kee Wan (Sep 20, 2005)

Most physicians in this country do NOT do any vitamin or mineral testing. If they did, things would be VASTLY different. Various sources suggest that between 50 adn 95% of illnesses in this country are cause ed by deficiencies/imbalances in just these vitamins and minerals. 

By FAR the best resources that I can recommend as far as finding a physician/lab to do the testing, and actually getting it done are in the series of books by Dr. Sherry Rogers. She is physician on teh East coast, and her books (available from Prestige Publishing - as well as used from Amazon) are FULL of resources for these tests - as well as how to determine when/why to use a particular assay and precautions about how to test and when and what to double check in the results. HEr books are impecably well reearched and absolutly awesome. References are not obscure research journals and weird scientists, they are mainstream medical journals that have HUGE audiences of physicians and such. JAMA, Lancett, and so forth. 

You CAN get these tests done - Start with her books, take them to a physician, and go from there. In some cases, you cannot find a physicina to order the tests, and she offers other ways to skin that cat too.....

Her books are:
The High Blood Pressure Hoax (vitamins/minerals/diet and HBP)
Detoxify or Die (toxins overloading the system, howe to clear out and het healthy)
Tired or Toxic (similar, but slightly older. 
The EI Syndrome revised (abotu Environmental Illness and how to get better)
You are What you Ate (about macrobiotics)
The Cure is in teh Kitchen (again macro)
Macro Mellow (maro lite for those eating macro with families who are not)
Depression, Cured at Last (about the biochemical interrelations between brain and nutrition, how to get "brain happy" wihtout prosac)
Pain Free in 6 Weeks (about nutritional links to chronic pain)
No more Heartburn (how the foods and diet you have affects your heartburn, and what can be done WITHOUT prilosec)

For years, I made the offer to people when I recommended her books, if you get her book - the one that most closley matches your symptom, and read it, cover to cover and find that you get nothing from it, I will buy it from you. TO this day, I own none. (I live with mom at the moment and borrow hers)


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

I've had some vitamin tests done so I know they are real. I use doctors to confirm diagnosis, then I choose my own homopathic treatment.


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## dennisjp (Mar 3, 2006)

Thanks for the info, Kee Wan


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## DenverGirlie (Dec 22, 2005)

Marilyn in CO said:


> I know of holistic MDs & NDs in Boulder/Denver, CO that run detailed blood tests that are different than a regular blood test. My mom and a close friend had these run some years back. One can also get a hair analysis which detects toxicity and defiencies.


These doctors I saw in person at one of our local "health stores" - Vitamin Cottage.

They wrote a book called "Fantasic Vogage - Live long enough to live forever"

I can only remeber one of the guys names "Terry Grossman m.d."

anyways, they do just this, run test, determine what your levels are and start supplementing from there.

One of the doctor's takes 50+ supplements a day the other guy takes like 200 supplements a day! Too much money for me, but I take about 30 or so (when I take them that is... I'm really bad about pills.)


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## Karen (Apr 17, 2002)

Kee Wan, thank you so much! I've ordered "Pain Free in 6 Weeks" and read that it contains much of the info on toxicity as her other books. I figured I'm getting a 2 for one...LOL! After reading the reviews at Amazon.com, I'm really looking forward to it.


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## Marilyn in CO (May 12, 2002)

Hi DenverGirlie, Actually the MD, I personally know of, is Dr. Joe Montonte of Boulder. He put my mom on some pretty high amounts of supplements and they were expensive but she was given 6 months to live and she lived 13 years beyond that, taking those supplements. I know what you mean by not liking to take handfuls of pills/vitamins. I hate swallowing pills. I take as few as I can get by with. I muscle test myself daily to gauge what my body wants.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

A blood test for vitamins is good news to hear. I always thought it needed a liver biopsy! I used to take 2 multivites per day to feel any better, now I take one and 1000mg of D and feel even better. I'd rather have a food based source but the reality is I forget to eat as often as I forget to take the vitamins!


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