@Kkol would you happen to have the results of the thyroid antibody values? I just want to make sure that there isn’t the start of autoimmune activation. It can be trending but will look “normal” until one day it’s not.

Regarding the low TSH, it’s actually a normal response when the brain senses too much T4 being produced. I explain this feedback loop in more detail in this video from the Thyroid Balance course.

I also encourage you to watch the lesson on reasons for high T4 here and encourage you to consider ultrasound imaging of his thyroid if that hasn’t been done yet.

With regards to his blood work, for someone who consumes junk foods, carbs and sugar, I’m actually surprised to see such low values, which makes me suspicious of fasting insulin. If insulin is elevated, that can drive down fasting glucose and make it appear normal. Also since triglycerides are higher, which is common with a high carb/sugar diet, I’d encourage you to retest a blood sugar panel that includes fasting insulin.

A lot can be improved with diet changes and quitting smoking (if it’s become an addiction), and I understand it’s not as easy with a 17-year old. But if you explain these results to him, he may be motivated to make changes.

If he likes to read, I’d also recommend my book UNJUNK. That may motivate him to make healthier choices with more awareness about the impact of his food choices.

Please let me know what struggles you face with him regarding making changes, and I’ll try to help you find solutions. I’ve had to get pretty creative with my own kids too so I may have a few tricks up my sleeve that I can pass on.. but raising their level of awareness is always a good starting point.

@Kkol your fasting glucose and HbA1C actually seem optimal in these results. I’m not sure if you’ve already watched the videos explaining the lipid panel in our Interpretating Basic Blood Chemistry course, but I’d encourage you to watch at least this one about Total Cholesterol & LDL Cholesterol.

How is stress? This all by itself can increase cholesterol. And from your results, ALT liver enzyme does seem to be somewhat suboptimally elevated. We like to see liver enzymes between 10-30. Yours is at 28. Something seems to be causing a higher turnover of liver enzymes. Liver dysfunction can also increase cholesterol.

What is important when analyzing a lipid panel is to also look at the ratio of triglycerides to HDL. This helps assess cardiovascular risk. The ratio should be < 2, which it is in your case. It can be further improved however by quitting smoking. Smoking directly decreases the “good” cholesterol HDL. You can learn more about HDL and Triglycerides in this video lesson.

Without much other information, it’s hard to pin point what may be at play but the given the suboptimal ALT and low eGFR which is the kidney filtration rate, there seems to be a need for detox support (another reason to quit smoking) and an increased need for hydration.

Hope this helps.

Hi @ivona_n – yes, spraying silver hydrosol can be done if it’s needed as an anti-microbial. But if you used the antibiotic ointment Neosporin and it didn’t help, the silver may not be helpful either.

If it’s irritated, dry and inflamed, consider Xylitol nasal spray like this one by Xlear for example. Xylitol also acts like a biofilm buster in case there’s any bacteria/fungus hiding. In fact, this is part of a mold detox protocol which uses xylitol to break up biofilm and then silver hydrosol to “kill” bacteria, and then antifungal sprays to kill fungus.

A nasal probiotic may also be helpful. Often times we think about killing bad bugs, but if we restore microbiome balance, our own “good bugs” can often fight off the “bad bugs”.

Sinus probiotics 1-2 x per day can help support normal sinus flora and repopulates the good guys. NasoBioTex and Lanto Sinus are 2 brands that use a well-studied strain of Lactobacillus sakei shown to help sinus health:

• https://www.epothex.com/products/nasobiotex-l-sakei-powder?msclkid=626bd684cdf017cdff1db52ab3a279e7&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Nasobiotex%20Search%20Campaign&utm_term=nasobiotex&utm_content=Naso%20Search
• https://lantohealth.com/products/lanto-sinus-probiotic-15g

Hope these help! Please let us know!

@iryna_klevetenko

Yes, we have several ways to help reduce an H Pylori overgrowth. You can find that in Protocols>Health Conditions which you can find HERE.

And as for Candida overgrowth, we have a Symptom Dictionary handout, a guide that you can read through for more information, and a video lesson to watch from the Gut Health Masterclass:

1. Symptom Dictionary handout

2. A guide “Candida Overgrowth: How to Tackle It”

3. A video lesson on how to “fight” fungal overgrowths. But keep in mind that often times, it’s a matter of optimizing immunity and ensuring that the 3 major digestive players (gallbladder, pancreas and stomach) are functioning optimally otherwise that can set the stage for digestive dysfunction including overgrowths. And before doing any kind of anti-fungals, it’s important to make sure the right order of operation is in place first. You can learn more about that HERE.

4. Diet is also important. It’s recommended to avoid simple carbs (sugar and flour products) when trying to eliminate candida, but grains, fruits and starchy vegetables can definitely still play a role in the diet in limited quantities. I share more about that HERE in the Beginner’s Health Roadmap course when talking about diet. Below the video, you’ll see practical examples for those with insulin resistance. The same would apply to those struggling with candida overgrowth.

Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any clarifying questions.

@Kkol did you consult with Dr Donatella Casiglia? I checked a few health groups I’m in, and here are other names that were recommended:

–Dr. Suhel in Mubadala Health Dubai (bio includes thyroid disorders)

–Dr. Hubert at American Hospital (seems mostly related to diabetes)

–Dr. Rabia Cheraquaoui at MediClinic (supposedly has a more functional approach and her bio includes thyroid autoimmune disease)

I do not personally know any of these doctors, but they came in highly recommended by others in health groups I’m in. Hope this helps!

@adoobeh99 – thank you for sharing your results with us. Based on the DEXA scan results, the spine shows osteoporosis, which indicates significant bone loss and increased fracture risk.

Contrary to popular belief, bone health goes beyond just consuming enough calcium, and should be addressed holistically to include the right nutrient co-factors, hydration, movement, hormone balance and gut health/digestion. Please watch this video from the Mineral Balance course to better understand the holistic approach to increasing calcium and supporting bone health.

1. Nutritional support to consider:

   • Calcium: 1,200–1,500 mg/day, in split doses, preferably from food (sardines with bones, leafy greens, dairy, sesame seeds) is generally recommended for osteopenia/osteoporosis
   • Magnesium: 400–600 mg/day (citrate form if there’s constipation or glycinate for general health) to support calcium absorption. Taking too much will lead to loose stools.
   • Vitamin D3: Test your levels. The optimal range is 50-70 ng/mL
   • Vitamin K2 (MK7): 100–200 mcg/day to direct calcium into bones, not the arteries
   • Collagen: 10–20 g/day to support bone matrix
   • Protein: Get in at least 1.2 g/kg body weight daily. Here’s a handout that can help.
   • Multi-Nutrient Formula with trace minerals: my preference for osteoporosis is the Grow Bone kit by Renew Life because it has all of the nutrient co-factors and trace minerals. You can learn more about it by watching this video here.

2. Movement:

   • If you’re not already exercising, consider adding in more weight-bearing exercises like walking, light jogging, and hiking to strengthen bones.
   • Add in resistance training 2 to 3 times / week to stimulate bone formation

3. Hormonal Balance:

   • Check thyroid (TSH, Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3, anti-TPO, anti-TG) and parathyroid (PTH) function.
   • Measure estrogen levels, as low estrogen accelerates bone loss. If low, consider bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. If you missed our guest expert call last month with Dr. Berkson – it is a MUST WATCH!!

4. Gut Health/Digestion:

   • We need good strong stomach acid, good production bile & flow, and robust pancreatic enzyme release to break down our minerals. We also need healthy brush border to absorb our minerals in the small intestine. Therefore, if you have any gut related symptoms, this could be affecting nutrient/mineral absorption. Let us know if you have any gut related symptoms so we can guide you further. Reducing gut inflammation and supporting microbiome health is key.

5. Lifestyle:

   • Avoid smoking, excess caffeine and alcohol
   • Hydrate well; re-mineralize with electrolytes if using a reverse osmosis filter or sweat a lot
   • Prioritize sleep and mitigate stress

As you can see, there’s a lot that can be done besides “taking a calcium supplement” which is the typical recommendation for osteoporosis. Most people aren’t deficient in calcium; they’re deficient in the co-factors needed to get calcium into the bones.

So ultimately we must increase bone-building nutrients including more protein & collagen, strength train, address hormone imbalance or deficiency, and make bone-friendly lifestyle choices. Hope this is helpful!

If and when you repeat the DEXA scan again in 6 months to a year, please feel free to share your results. I have seen dramatic improvements in clients so just know that it’s possible!

@Kkol what about his anti-TG and anti-TPO values please?

Fasting insulin is ideally <5-7. Elevations can drive fasting glucose down – just keep that in mind.

Similarly, Hemoglobin A1C can be affected by lower hemoglobin. Keep that in mind too.

@Kkol yes, I’m also suspicious of a need for detox support. Both the liver enzymes and kidney function were not optimal. But again, it could be due to dehydration and the large consumption of caffeine previously. It would be interesting to see the changes in a month or two after cutting down on caffeine, hydrating more and eliminating toxins such as smoking.

@Kkol reducing coffee consumption will for sure help reduce the burden on the liver since it gets detoxed through Phase 1.

I also have a rule that I share with clients who drink coffee – for every cup of coffee, make sure you drink 1 1/2 cups of spring water. No more than 1 cup per day and none after 12pm.

Switch to herbal teas instead throughout the day. Green tea can be a great way to wean off coffee since it still gives caffeine without the stimulation thanks to the natural L-theanine it contains. Other supportive herbs include dandelion root for liver support & stinging nettle tea for minerals & adrenal support.

If you’re going to drink a beverage, may as well make it therapeutic.

We also have this great handout on coffee alternatives which will be less acidic than decaf. Hope it helps.

Hi @Hasnaa – the picture is beginning to get a bit clearer. Her cortisol (stress hormone) is clinically high. Cortisol is the master hormone over thyroid. High cortisol can contribute to hypothyroid function, and as I explained in a previous reply, that can lead to irregular periods and amenorrhea. I explain the different ways high cortisol affects thyroid function in this video from our Adrenal Balance course.

Also, chronic stress/high cortisol is also a contributing factor for PCOS as you can see from the Symptom Dictionary handout I shared with you initially here. Therefore addressing the “stress” is key. This can be mental/emotional stress, physical stress (lack of sleep, low calorie diet, over-exercising, etc), or physiological stress (parasites, toxins, high blood sugar (which we ruled out), chronic simmering infections like viruses or bacteria). From the previous results you shared, I do suspect parasites might be at play. A parasite cleanse might be warranted.

From your assessment, do you suspect her stress is physical or mental/emotional and may warrant outside professional support? Or do you suspect it could be physiologically (internal) induced stress?

We also know from previous labs you uploaded that she’s lacking key nutrients to make thyroid hormones and convert them into the active form. We know she’s suboptimal in B12 and iron, and clinically low in copper. These are all critical for thyroid conversion.

Since we also need vitamin A and selenium for thyroid conversion and we haven’t measured these, increasing foods rich in these nutrients is a good proactive approach. Another option is supplementation such as a thyroid combo formula that combines all of the nutrients needed such as Pure Encapsulations Thyroid Support Complex (many other brands available). This one doesn’t contain iron and copper however so that would be needed separately through food and/or supplementation.

And going back to basics, is she consuming enough protein and iodine to make thyroid hormones in the first place?

Given the low RBC, suboptimal B12, and lower ALT liver enzyme, a methylated B Complex such as Thorne’s Basic B Complex may help the possible anemia and liver detox support. To ensure there is good bile flow, taking D-Limonene for 30-60 days (1000mg, taken 1-2 x per day, 3/4 way through a meal), can help improve detoxification.

-There was in fact signs of dehydration (high albumin and protein), so please encourage her to drink more water if she’s not in the habit.

In Summary, Here’s the Order of Action Steps:

-Increase hydration (previous tests showed pattern of dehydration)

-Increase animal proteins with each meal (follow my VPF principle). This will help thyroid, iron & B vitamins.

-Increase thyroid nutrients through food or supplements (see previous reply with links to both)

-Prioritize reducing mental/emotional and physical stress (if any). Read this handout.

-Boost copper through supplementation for 60 days, then retest copper and iron panel to see if there’s improvement

-Consider D-limonene to clear up possible biliary tract congestion for 30-60 days to improve bile flow, then after 30 days, consider adding a B Complex supplement for 3 months.

-Once bile flow and liver detox are well supported, consider doing a parasite cleanse (a likely physiological stress)

Hope the above gives you a clearer direction on where to begin taking action.

@Hasnaa please keep in mind that these are serum values. This means it’s highly influenced by what she consumed the day or so before testing. If she had a steak dinner for example or a lot of pumpkin seeds for example, her zinc might show up as clinically high. That’s why I prefer RBC zinc and copper testing as it shows cellular status over 2-3 months rather than what’s in the blood at the time of testing.

So if it doesn’t make sense, it might be worth retesting with RBC values. If the doctor won’t order it, it’s possible to order through Valeo Health and self-pay for the tests you need. Our members get a discount to their services. You can find more info here.

@Hasnaa Thanks for sharing the updated tests. Here are my observations, and I have a few questions:

-Vitamin B12 is suboptimal low. Does she consume enough animal protein? If not, please encourage her to start adding more animal sources with each meal following my VPF principal.

-Fasting glucose and fasting insulin seem optimal, but we don’t have HbA1C as part of the full picture.

-Serum Zinc is clinically high. This usually happens if someone is supplementing with zinc before taking the test (think multi-vitamins, protein powders, immune supportive formulas, etc) or if they consumed a zinc-rich meal the day before testing. Was that the case in this situation? And as I shared with you before, serum zinc is highly influenced by what a person consumes the day or so before, whereas RBC zinc shows what’s happening inside the cell over 2-3 months.

-Serum Copper is clinically low. This can drive down white blood cells and therefore weaken immunity, and also drive anemia because we need copper to absorb iron! And zinc and copper are antagonists. Too much zinc can deplete copper and vice versa. Since Covid, I have actually seen this dynamic because everyone was supplementing with high dose zinc blindly for months on end, and unknowingly depleting their copper levels. Can you shed light on what you think is leading to high zinc and low copper? Was she supplementing with zinc?

-Ferritin is suboptimal low! Again, likely due to low copper leading to poor iron absorption and storage. This will absolutely affect thyroid conversion, and should be addressed. Figuring out why her copper is low and zinc high will offer clues so please let me know what your thoughts are about these dynamics.

Vitamin A and selenium were not measured, but should also be considered.

Hi @Hasnaa – thanks for sharing the updated labs. Unfortunately, not everything requested was measured but nonetheless, below is a summary of key dynamics:

-Albumin is clinically low. This can be due to hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid), possible liver dysfunction, oxidative stress or a need for more vitamin C. Although the H Pylori stool test was negative, it’s not a quantitative measure. I much prefer the stool test by Diagnostic Solutions since it uses PCR technology and provides a value/number instead of just “positive” or “negative”. I’ve also seen a lot of fast negatives. And since the possibility of hypochlorhydria keeps coming up with each blood test you share, it may be worth repeating it again with a functional stool test.

-ALT liver enzyme is suboptimal low again. This again can indicate possible early stage fatty liver, liver congestion, and/or a need for more vitamin B6 since this enzyme is dependent on B6. If a liver scan has not been done recently, it may be worth discussing a scan with your doctor to rule out pathology.

-The EBV viral panel shows a pattern of past infection. None for CMV. Chronic viral infection can lead to low WBC and high iron, so supporting immunity is key, especially ensuring immune nutrients vitamin A, D, and Zinc are optimal. I had suggested testing vitamin A but this was not done. And serum zinc was measured, not RBC zinc. Serum values can be influenced by what a person ate the night before so it’s vulnerable to fluctuations, whereas RBC (red blood cell) measures what’s in the cell over the past 2-3 months and is more reflective of zinc sufficiency/status.

In Summary, Action Steps to Take:

-There is still suspicion of hypochlorhydria and possible H Pylori overgrowth. Have you tried the at-home baking soda challenge yet? If not, here’s the video (3 min mark) to watch and consider.

-Measure vitamin A

-RBC zinc and RBC copper (they dance together)

-As previously suggested, supporting liver health and liver detox using food, supplements and lifestyle therapies is a great proactive effort that can only benefit overall health. Given the likely need for vitamin B6, a methylated B Complex can provide support with liver detox. My preference is Thorne’s Basic B Complex.

You can find additional ways to support detoxification in this video. All of the supplements and tools mentioned in the video are linked below the video, and handouts such as how to do a castor oil pack are attached under the tab called “Materials” above the video from desktop view. And finally, sweat daily (and hydrate)! Investing in a portable sauna is a great health investment. Use code BERN for 10% off.

@Kkol I’m also interviewing people who have never signed up to B Better before, so it’s all relevant. If you can spare an hour, I’d appreciate your insights regardless.

@Kkol I completely agree with you. Our Android app officially released yesterday, and our iOS version is soon to follow. So hopefully, accessing the community will become much easier again soon!

I’m actually conducting member interviews to gather feedback about the new website. Would you be available and interested in sparing an hour of your time to share what you like, don’t like, what we can improve, and what is missing? If so, I’ll get in touch by email privately to arrange a time to speak over zoom. No pressure if you don’t have time, or prefer not to share. 🙂