Functional Medicine Testing for Heart Health
I recently gave a presentation on heart health to a local organization and thought you might enjoy this information. Many patients consult me about their cholesterol levels and whether they should take statin medications. Others consult me about prevention because they have an extensive family history of heart disease. Most conventional healthcare providers only order a lipid panel and check your glucose.
Did you know there are numerous additional lab tests available to help evaluate your risk for heart disease?
Read on to learn more about testing options that can be helpful to determine if you are at risk and how aggressive you should be with your approach!
In this article I will discuss the following lab categories:
· Cholesterol-Related Tests
· Protein-Related Tests
· Inflammatory Markers
· Substances that Increase CV Risk
· Metabolic Health
· Adrenal Health & Stress
Cholesterol-Related Tests (standard lipid test)
Total cholesterol
Optimal 160 to 200 mg/dL.
Triglycerides
Optimal less than 100 mg/dL.
HDL (High-density lipoprotein): this “good” cholesterol eliminates “bad” cholesterol.
Optimal above 50 in men and above 60 mg/dL in women.
LDL (Low-density lipoprotein): this “bad” cholesterol can build up in arteries. Optimal below 130 mg/dL.
Protein-Related Tests
Lipoprotein(a), an additional lipoprotein that is present in some
people and increases heart disease risk.
Optimal less than 30 mg/dL.
Apolipoprotein B (ApoB), a protein that is included in bad cholesterol.
Optimal less than 100 mg/dL.
Fibrinogen, a protein in your blood that helps it clot.
Optimal less than 300 mg/dL.
NT-proBNP (Pro-brain natriuretic peptide), a protein your heart
makes which is increased in heart failure.
Optimal less than 125 pg/mL.
Inflammatory Markers
hs-CRP (High-Sensitive C-Reactive Protein)
Optimal less than 1.0 mg/L.
MPO (Myeloperoxidase).
Optimal less than 350 mg/g.
Substances that Increase CV Risk
Homocysteine (an amino acid).
Optimal less than 8 umol/L.
TMAO (Trimethylamine N-oxide). Your gut produces this when it breaks food down.
Optimal less than 6.2 uM.
Omega 3 Fatty Acid Profile.
Optimal contingent on test panel.
RBC Magnesium.
Optimal 6.0-7.2.
Metabolic Health
Poor metabolic health, elevated blood sugar, and insulin resistance can lead to cardiovascular disease if they are not diagnosed and managed early.
Prevention is key!
I routinely test the following metabolic markers on most of my adult patients.
Hemoglobin A1c (HgbA1c)
Optimal 5.5 or less
Fasting glucose
Optimal 80-90
Insulin
Optimal 5 or less
For these particular markers, diet & exercise are the cornerstones of treatment. Working with a health coach can maximize your chance of success in making these changes into lifelong habits.
Adrenal Health & Stress
Stress is a massive contributor to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease and is commonly overlooked in conventional medicine.
The adrenal cortex produces cortisol and DHEA.
The best way to evaluate adrenal function is salivary cortisol & DHEA testing. This specialized type of testing is not available through standard clinic and hospital labs.
I have a toolbox full of strategies to help your body better manage stress for heart health.
Treat the Whole Person
Body systems do not function separately but very much depend upon and influence each other. If we want to optimize heart health, we need to optimize the whole body, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Other factors to consider when evaluating the whole person include:
➢Gut Health
➢Inflammation
➢Sleep
➢Mood
In closing, if you are concerned about heart health because of a family or personal history, I encourage you to consider some of the additional testing discussed today.
Rachel Oppitz, ND
