Hey ,

There are definitely things you can do when you are suffering from acne! It is however important to be sure that it is acne. There are four components that together form acne:
1. Increased oil production – This can happen when androgens (like a derivative from testosterone called DHT or dihydrotestosterone) are increased. Causes for this can be insulin resistance (click here and here to see a list of symptoms that might be indicative of insulin resistance). 

One of the symptoms of PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome) is also acne, again caused by increased androgens often exaggerated by insulin resistance. Signs & symptoms of PCOS are: irregular or absent ovulation, increased facial hair growth, male pattern balding, and acne.

Zinc can help decrease DHT and a supplement could help you if you aren’t getting enough zinc.
2. Increased skin cell stickiness – This can cause pores to be blocked, trapping the oil. A lack of vitamin A could be a cause. If you eat a lot of orange vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, etc) and your hands and skin turn orange, you might not be able to process beta-carotene efficiently to the biologically available vitamin A due to genetic reasons.

Getting your vitamin A from animal food sources in this case is something that might help you. Great animal sources are for example liver (you can find a great recipe right here and here if you don’t like liver that much). If you like to work with supplements, make sure the ingredient list says ‘retinyl palmitate’. This form of vitamin A doesn’t use the enzyme that converts beta-carotene to vitamin A and bypasses that problem.
3. Bacterial overgrowth – The microbiome on the skin can feed off the oil and dead cells trapped in the pores. Tea tree oil can help since it has antibacterial properties. Make sure you start with a diluted version since high concentrations might irritate the skin in some people.
4. Inflammation – Once the immune system starts fighting the bacterial overgrowth, the skin gets inflamed. This is causing red skin you can see sometimes with acne. Supporting the immune system can help. Nutrients that support the immune system are vitamin D, vitamin A, zinc, vitamin B12 and folate. Omega 3s are great as well! They will help resolve inflammation. Usually, I recommend 2000-4000 mg of DHA+EPA with my clients when they experience inflammation.

Having an anti-inflammatory lifestyle helps as well. Try to reduce sugar, refined foods, and cheap vegetable oils and focus on quality oils like Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Alcohol, unfortunately, is inflaming. Chronic stress as well. Try to avoid foods that your immune system sees as a threat like food sensitivities and food allergies. Focus on good quality sleep. Incorporate nuts and fish into your diet and try to eat foods rich in antioxidants like organic blueberries, strawberries, spinach, kale and cabbages.

Gut health can for sure play a big role in acne as well. Did you mean by sialic, sialic acid storage disease or celiac disease? Celiac disease can change nutrient absorption. Healing your gut is probably an important part of your healing journey as well.

Let us know if you would like some guidance for that as well!

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If you feel like getting the most out of other tests, I would first work with him on the low-hanging fruits (which includes bringing his vitamin B12 up), then retest. It is my personal preference to make sure that obvious causes don’t show up in more advanced testing.

Having a white blood cell panel done can also confirm how you are processing since you would be able to compare apples to apples.

If the rash turns out to be fungus an advanced stool test could be something you could consider

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I hope you aren’t worried about the color of your urine. Riboflavin, one of the B vitamins, can cause urine to be bright yellow. If you like to know if the B complex is the cause, just stop taking it for a couple of days. Your urine should turn into its old color quite fast.

Some symptoms can be related to a suboptimal thyroid hormone balance. You can find a complete course about thyroid health in the monthly courses. I would watch the video called ‘Signs & symptoms of Thyroid Dysfunction’ and if you feel this is you watch the video ‘Testing Thyroid Function’. Your previous labs from August 2022 showed evidence of this as well. Symptoms like feeling cold, memory problems, hair loss, constipation and depression can all be related to this.

Shortness of breath is often more a sign of anemia. I’m glad you are taking B vitamins. Usually, after 6 weeks of taking B vitamins some form of improvement should already be noticeable.

Hey ,

There are some pearls hidden here. To help you in the best way possible I would like to know if you experience any symptoms. It helps the interpretation of these lab values. It also helps to know if you experienced forms of stress when you had your labs drawn.

Alkaline phosphatase needs nutrients. For example, low zinc can result in lower alkaline phosphatase levels. In my experience, when Alkaline phosphatase is below 70, this is often the case. If you like to learn about symptoms that fit a low zinc status, I recommend you to take a look at the monthly course section and check the mineral balance course.

Your liver enzymes (AST, ALT) could indicate a need for more vitamin B6 for the same reasons. We like low values for these enzymes, but we like them not to be too low.

I’m honestly a little confused about your basophil score. You don’t seem to have any. You might want to check the laboratory and ask if this was because the lab report only shows 1 digit behind the dot.

Are you experiencing any symptoms like feeling cold, fatigue concentration problems, perhaps hair loss, maybe shortness of breath or hair loss? Your thyroid hormone production looks a little low to me. There are also clues that the size of your red blood cells is suboptimally high. This can be caused by a vitamin B6 insufficiency, but insufficiencies in folate and vitamin B12 can cause this as well.

Hey ,

I have taken a look at the lab reports you shared with me and I’m glad you shared them. There are a lot, so it will take me a little longer to digest all the reports, but I wanted you already give some important pearls:

The Detoxygen gene report already provides a lot of unique insights. It’s very important to realize that genes and variations of genes don’t determine a future. The way to look at these reports is that they emphasize a unique way of living for this person to their benefit.

The Detoxgen Report from 2019 shows your husband has a genetic variation on his ApoE gene. This can contribute to elevations in cholesterol. The most common ApoE variations are called ApoE2, ApoE3 and ApoE4. The ones carrying the ApoE4 gene are at more risk for certain diseases like high cholesterol or Alzheimer’s disease. The test doesn’t name the variation, so I can’t tell if the variation measured in this test is actually ApoE4, but the test shows a gene variation on the ApoE gene that has a disadvantage for the carrier. Again, this emphasizes that some lifestyle choices impact your husband more than others. It is not a guarantee for the development of certain disease states!

The test shows also a genetic disadvantage in producing an enzyme called SuperOxide Dismutase (SOD2 it is called in the test). This enzyme is a powerful enzyme that is needed to remove a special type of free radicals called Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS).

Everybody produces ROS because ROS is created when we burn energy.

‘Slower’ working variations in genes that produce superoxide dismutase are also associated with higher levels of cholesterol as well.

There is definitely a genetic component.

What can you do?
To a degree, you can overcome this problem by providing the body with more nutrients to build superoxide dismutase. Manganese is one of those nutrients. Having a diet rich in antioxidants becomes also very important. Having a diet rich in Omega 3s is something he could benefit from as well. I usually recommend my clients take 1000 mg of EPA+DHA.

Exercise increases energy burning. In his case, if he is working out aggressively, you can recommend him to focus on moderate medium-intensity workouts. His body can benefit from this since the free radical production goes up when we exercise.

There are more genes involved in cholesterol metabolism of course, but the ApoE disadvantage and the SOD2 disadvantage can contribute.

In his personal case, choosing organic foods will impact his health more as well. There is another gene (GSTM1) which usually helps detoxify pesticides, but your husband is missing this gene. It is a regularly often occurring deletion of this gene, but this cocktail of genes plays into each other and can create an extra impact on his health with certain lifestyle choices.

GGT
His GGT lab value is in the lab values consistently elevated. Statins can cause elevations in GGT. So does oxidative stress. It is therefore hard to see if the elevations of GGT are triggered by statins or oxidative stress from some other source. 

GGT usually elevates when the body is in need of more glutathione. Supplementing with Glutathione can be something you could consider.
 

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For the cholesterol issues I would first work on the low-hanging fruits: remove cigars, reduce(but preferably eliminate) the fat & alcohol.

Since he didn’t have any physical symptoms, was this blood test done as a regular check-up? Or was there another reason?

I am suspicious of mold/yeast issues. Perhaps you could first watch this movie and answer this questionnaire and share your findings. It will provide us with a better judgement of what we could recommend!

Hey ,

A lot of pearls here..! There is definitely some immune system activation. A rash or irritation on the foot can be a sign of a fungus. I recommend that you take a look at that.

His ferritin (which is the storage form of iron) is at the high end of the normal range. This can happen when the body for example tries to protect itself against infections since microbes can use iron for their advantage.

Immune system activation could cause explain a drop in platelets. So does a folate and vitamin B12 deficiency – it might be something you could check.

Cheese and wine are also often great food sources for yeast and fungi in the gut, which might also be at play here.

High Cholesterol
Cholesterol is transported in molecules that taxi them around. These are called HDL and LDL. To understand cholesterol problems it’s good to realize that these molecules aren’t the same as cholesterol. The main function of HDL and LDL is to transport fatty-like substances (and cholesterol is one of them).

This means that diets that are high in fat can cause elevations in LDL or HDL. Depending on the amount of cheese and other fats in the diet, his LDL levels could be elevated because of that. High-sugar diets can also raise cholesterol since the liver transforms the abundant sugar into saturated fats so the fats can be stored in fat cells.

If his immune system is struggling, this could alter cholesterol values as well. Make sure your husband at least gets enough nutrients to support his immune system (check this handout). Getting enough vitamin D, A, zinc and vitamin B12 are needed for the production of white blood cells (and platelets by the way, which are low on your husband’s lab value report). His serum vitamin D looks alright, but his B12 levels look on the low side. I usually recommend my clients to aim at serum levels above 600.

You mentioned he doesn’t have any symptoms. I would be curious to know how his blood pressure is by numbers. Do you know?

Cholesterol is leaving the body through bile. Most of it is reabsorbed though. It is the fibre in plant foods that can bind to cholesterol so reabsorption gets reduced. A lot of people don’t get that, so it might be worth checking. With men, I usually aim for between 30-38 grams of fibre. Do you know if he gets that?

Creatinine
He could be a little dehydrated after sitting in the plane for 9 hours. This could cause his creatinine to be a little higher. Still, it would be a good idea to retest in a while to rule out problems with the kidneys.

Cigars
Saved this one for last. I know he likes it, but cigars can fore sure elevate cholesterol values, unfortunately!

I hope this helps!

Hey ,

In addition to Bernadettes excellent tips & questions, sometimes stress related causes can cause hair loss 2-6 months later (for example with telogen effluvium). Don’t only look at the current stresslevels, but check also stresslevels from a few months ago!

Hey ,

There are some unique pearls to these labs, but before we dive into that, recently a community member posted the same question. You will benefit from reading those comments for sure (just click here).

It would be interesting to know if he has other symptoms. Does he also experience high blood pressure? How is his weight? Is it stable? Is it low or high? Other things that are interesting to know are: how is his current diet? And is his current diet something he is doing for a longer time? A final question I have for you: is he using any medications?

Insulin resistance and a slow thyroid both can elevate cholesterol (besides dietary factors of course). Read the comments of the previous question if you like to learn more about that.

Is your husband currently experiencing any symptoms? His immune system seems to be struggling with something. His ferritin is also on the higher end of the normal range. Is or was he recently by any chance on iron supplements? These questions will help to interpret the lab values. 

Hey ,

I will take a look at your labs more thoroughly later. I did see fasting insulin was measured in 2022. That’s great! I often recommend my clients to have a fasting insulin between the 4-7 mIU/L. Back then his fasting insulin levels were 14.

I didn’t see a thyroid panel somewhere (I could have missed it of course, I didn’t see all the lab tests yet), but it would be worth looking into.

You did mention you thought the fatty liver could be the cause of his high cholesterol and I agree. If he has been weight stable over all these years, if he never really gained weight and if he was mostly physically active his whole live, I do believe it is worth checking his genes.

Many people believe the main function of LDL and HDL is to transport cholesterol, but LDL and HDL main function is to transport phospholipids and fatty acids. High LDL and HDL also means more fat transport. When fat is dropped in the liver, this could then cause a fatty liver as well.

There is something called cholesterol induced fatty liver disease (click here if you like to learn more). It would be interesting to know the variations of your husband’s APOB, LDLR, LDLRAP1 and PCSK9 genes. Some variations cause elevations in cholesterol.

If he uses statins, he will benefit from Coenzyme Q10 as well. CoQ10 is critical for endothelial function in the lining of blood vessels. I usually recommend 100mg of the ubiquinol form. Having serum vitamin D levels up in the 50 ng/mL.

Again, I need a little time to work through all your labs and I will come back to you later!

Hey ,

Thank you for sharing his labs! Since you mentioned your husband does a check up every 6 months, perhaps you could share his previous cholesterol and GGT values as well.

Billiary congestion can cause high cholesterol values. Genes as well. If there is a genetic component and if he has trouble lowering cholesterol with a healthy lifestyle, with these numbers, checking for genes could provide you more insight into how well he can manage certain lifestyle factors.

Other factors play a role as well. For example insulin resistance can elevate cholesterol and is often seen in patients with NAFLD. We can’t directly see insulin levels on your lab, but HbA1c an glucose are often used to get a sense of insulin levels. Through a functional medicine lens, his glucose and HbA1c do show insulin resistance is at play to a degree. Unfortunately, the best way to measure insulin is still, measuring insulin. Having fasting insulin levels measured is something I would recommend. Here you can find more information.

An underactive thyroid could also contribute to elevations of cholesterol, since the liver slows down breaking down cholesterol as well. Has he ruled out an hypothyroid state? If not here is a video about how to test for that.

Could you tell us more about his life? How long is he struggling with this? How does he eat & drink? How is his sleep? Is he stressed? Does he have an active lifestyle? Is or was he sick? How has his weight changed over the years? Are there other symptoms present?

Billiary Congestion & Inflammation
Fortunately the echo exam doesn’t show traces of gallstones, but there is inflammation. I would advise you to make sure his serum vitamin D levels are in range. Vitamin D influences a lot of the inflammation regulating genes and genes related to his immune system. Do you know if they have been measured recently?

DHA & EPA can help resolve inflammation. Omega 3’s might be helpful in reducing the inflammation as well.

Low normal White Blood Cells(WBC)
The WBC are low normal which might be indicative for some kind of infection. His eosinophils on the other hand are high. Eosinophils elevate with allergic reactions or parasites. Also nutrient insufficiencies can cause lower WBC. Nutrients like vitamin D, zinc and vitamin A.

If you could tell us a little more about your husbands life, it would help us to provide you with some more customized advise.

Hey ,

Does he has nasal congestion without flu like symptoms? If so allergies and food sensitivities can still play a role. They can also contribute to eczema. This handout provides several root causes of eczema and they are in line to earlier mentioned advises as well.

Postnasal drip can also cause nasal congestion. In the majority of cases a reaction to milk products (also the lactose free versions) can contribute to postnasal drip. Eliminating milk products entirely might be something you could start with.

Your right about sweat. Some infants can get rashes if they sweat and the sweat ducts are obstructed. This can also happen when they sweat more then normal for example, when it’s hot and humid or if they’re overdressed.

Parasites can also cause itching and skin problems. A simple white blood cell differentiation could provide more insight. With parasites a class of white blood cells called eosinophils are often elevated. Stool tests can also be done to examine if parasites are at play. The condition there is that the parasites must be in the stool to be detected.

The way the rashes present themselves can also provide clues to what could be at play, but this needs to be assessed by someone with the proper training like a dermatologist.

I hope you have some starting points to work with.

I can imagine your worries, but with everything at play in his young life, he is very lucky to have you!

Hey ,

I’m sorry to hear! I can imagine that you’re worried.

Being new in this world can be quite a challenge for the immune system. Every infection is new and the immune system is really busy learning how to deal with all these viruses and microbes that are out there. This is why kids can become sicker easily.

Targeted food choices can help to provide nutrients that are important for the immune system. Nutrients like vitamin A, zinc and vitamin B12 are important for the formation of white blood cells. Vitamin D of course is also important since it regulates up to 5 percent of our genes and a lot of them are related to immune function.

Although most of the vitamin D we make we can get from the sun, some food sources like salmon and eggs do contain vitamin D as well.

Vitamin A you can find for example in orange vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots and butternut squash. Also, spinach, bell peppers and broccoli are great sources of vitamin A.

Zinc can be found in beef, lamb, poultry, eggs, legumes, cashew and almond nuts and pumpkin seeds.

Vitamin b12 can be found in animal sources like fish, beef, poultry and eggs.

Some of the food sources above can contain salmonella like eggs, fish and poultry. Also, dairy products can contain salmonella. Cooking & preparing them will prevent exposure, but make sure your hands are disinfected when you help feed your kid.

Salmonella and Enteropathogenic E.coli
Symptoms of these infections overlap and symptoms you should watch out for are stomach cramps, vomiting, fever and diarrhea.

Salmonella and E. Coli infections do happen more often in kids, but without symptoms there is no need for worries. A lot of people do carry these microbes for life without any problem as well. But if there are symptoms like diarrhea consult your healthcare provider.

Red spots
It is hard to say what causes the red spots. But I could give you some alternative angles to explore. With red spots in the back and stomach area, allergies (and food sensitivities) can also be at play. Nickel allergy for example can cause red spots on places where buttons are.  Did you ever do some allergy testing? 

Some fabrics in clothing can cause skin problems as well. Wool, silk, and synthetic fibres can cause rashes. Have you ruled these out as well?

Sometimes a sensitive skin can also be easily irritated. Soaps, detergents, wipes… if you are using them, replace them with allergen-free options and see if the rashes become less.

I hope this gives you some other angles to explore as well!

Hey ,

The upper tolerable intake of mastic gum isn’t well studied. We do know it is well tolerated. Dosages used in most research are between 1 and 3 grams and in these ranges benefits have been found.

Some people do get some reactions from it (headaches, upset stomach and dizziness for example) so it would be wise to go slow and easy here. You can try a new dosage 2-3 weeks and see how you react.

But if you don’t experience differences, you probably or going over the most effective dosage for you and higher dosages won’t help you!