Some nutritional problems and deficiencies can be diagnosed and monitored through simple procedures like a blood test. Depending on your condition, a blood test alone may be sufficient for a diagnosis, but for other conditions, more tests may be necessary. When you get the results of your blood tests, talk with your health care provider about the results. You may have to undertake dietary changes to address your nutritional issues and get the nutrients you need.
Blood Tests for Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is usually diagnosed though blood tests and intestinal biopsy. The blood tests are done because individuals with celiac disease have abnormally high levels of certain autoantibodies in the blood; these are proteins that react to the tissues of the individual's own body. According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, or NDDIC, blood tests to check for these autoantibodies include a test for anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies and anti-endomysium antibodies. More blood tests may be ordered if these tests yield negative results but celiac disease is still strongly suspected.
Iron Deficiency Blood Tests
Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency and the primary cause of anemia in the United States, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC. Common tests to determine iron levels include hemoglobin and hematocrit tests, and tests to determine if anemia is caused by iron deficiency include a complete blood count, serum ferritin or serum iron tests, and transferrin receptor or saturation blood tests, states the CDC. If your iron levels are low, an iron supplement may be suggested, and dietary modifications may be necessary, including adding meat, chicken, fish and iron-fortified foods.
Diabetes Blood Tests
Diabetes is a disease that involves abnormally high blood sugar levels. Blood tests to help with a diagnosis of diabetes include a fasting plasma glucose, or FPG test; an oral glucose tolerance test, or OGTT; and a random plasma glucose test, says the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, or NDIC. The fasting plasma glucose blood test measures blood sugar in a person that has fasted for at least eight hours and is the preferred method of diagnosing diabetes because it is the most convenient, says NDIC. The OGTT is more sensitive and can diagnose pre-diabetes, but involves fasting for eight hours and drawing blood, then drawing blood again two hours after drinking a glucose preparation. The random plasma glucose test is simply a blood test that measures glucose, without fasting or preparation.
Cholesterol Blood Tests
Blood tests to check cholesterol levels are simple blood tests that can be done with nine to 12 hours of fasting before blood is drawn. A typical cholesterol test will measure total cholesterol levels; LDL or "bad" cholesterol levels; HDL levels, the "good" kind of cholesterol; and triglycerides. High total cholesterol levels, LDL or triglycerides can all contribute to heart disease, so it is important to be aware of these numbers and adjust your diet accordingly.
