Are you getting the nutrients you need?

by Nicole Gould, RD LD

We all know that vitamins, minerals and antioxidants are essential to our health.  As a Registered Dietitian I encourage clients to eat a wide array of fruits and vegetables daily to ensure they are getting enough of these vital micronutrients.  However, sometimes a balanced diet is not enough to correct deficiencies. You may even be taking a multi vitamin, but according to researchers at the University of Texas, “50% of those taking multivitamins are still nutritionally deficient.”

So how do you know if you are lacking these nutrients?

Though you may be familiar with standard blood tests for vitamin deficiencies, did you know that these tests offer just a snapshot at that particular time of your vitamin and mineral stores?  They only measure static quantities of vitamins and minerals present in serum, primarily reflecting dietary intake, and are not particularly useful when assessing the history of a person’s nutritional status.

While doing some research, I found SpectraCell Laboratories, Inc. was used by several doctors, dietitians and naturopaths and I was extremely impressed with their technology.  SpectraCell is a specialized clinical testing lab company established in 1993 and offers a patented MicroNutrient Test.

The technology was developed at the University of Texas, by the Clayton Foundation for Research, as a diagnostic blood test for helping clinicians assess the intracellular function of essential micronutrients.  Also, because it tests micronutrients at the cellular level, you do not need to be fasting for the test.

This test goes beyond traditional testing, by measuring the function of selected vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other essential micronutrients.  According to SpectraCell, a functional deficiency encompasses many factors that reduce the efficacy of a nutrient.

In other words, a given nutrient may be present, but it may not be functioning normally, and the biochemical pathways that depend on this nutrient will be defective.  A deficient or defective pathway may operate at a sub-optimal level for many months, or even years, before a clinical symptom becomes apparent.  This is what makes the test so useful.  It can catch diseases or conditions linked to nutrient deficiencies even before symptoms appear!

I am so excited that Vital Choice Healthstore now offers the SpectraCell MicroNutrient test.  For more information please call me at Vital Choice at 440-885-9505 or email ngouldrd@gmail.com.