[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @Noor – the following tests would be a good starting point for investigation if you’re concerned about his growth and delayed puberty:

• IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor 1) measures the average growth hormone activity in the body which helps with height and puberty

• Full thyroid panel measures metabolic function which is needed for growth. If there’s sluggish thyroid function, growth will also be impacted. You can find a list of low thyroid symptoms HERE from the Thyroid Balance course to see if he has any other signs of thyroid dysfunction at play. Insist that a full thyroid panel is ordered because TSH and free T4 alone are not enough to see what’s happening with thyroid function.
• Sex hormones like testosterone, LH (Luteinizing Hormone), and FSH (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone) can also help assess puberty progression
• Key nutrients like vitamin D, iron panel (including ferritin), and RBC zinc (red blood cell, not serum) would also be helpful.

Since calcium is important for bone growth, and Vitamin D helps with calcium absorption, making sure vitamin D is optimal is important. Zinc also promotes growth by helping with cell division and bone health, and iron helps growth by getting oxygen to cells and boosting energy, which are both essential for strong bones and muscle development.

We can also probably guide you better if you provided more information about your son. Does he have any other symptoms? What’s his diet like? Does he consume animal proteins? Does he get enough protein and zinc-rich foods? How about calcium rich foods?

How’s his sleep? And activity level? Both exercise and sleep both promote growth hormone release.

You might also be interested in reading this study that showed how children who took both calcium and a probiotic, Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 and Lactobacillus casei CRL 431, for six months showed modest improvements in growth. They gained more weight, had better weight-for-age scores, and saw increases in both monthly weight and height growth compared to children who only took calcium. While it’s only 1 study, it demonstrates the power and importance of our gut microbiome.

Hope this helps give you some better direction. Let us know if you have any follow-up questions.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @DXB – labs should always be interpreted in the context of the individual. Without additional information or other markers, I’ll provide information based on assumptions.

First, I’m going to assume that these labs were drawn in an overnight fasting state (9 to 12 hours) first thing in the morning, and only water was consumed. Otherwise, lipid results, especially LDL and triglycerides, will not be accurate.

Given the clinically high LDL, getting a more detailed view of the characteristics of the particle size would be helpful to see if they are the “light and fluffy” or “small and dense” type. More advanced lipid tests like the Cardio IQ can shed more light. Did you watch that lesson? High LDL could point to possible oxidative stress, metabolic syndrome, a diet high in refined carbs or possibly fatty liver/hyperlipidemia.

Since Triglycerides are at the lower end of the optimal range, and HDL is in the upper range, I would again be suspicious of oxidative stress and the possibility of autoimmune activation.

This handout shares examples of oxidative stressors. You mentioned that you exercise a lot. Are you allowing enough recovery and different levels of intensity or is it all high intensity go-go-go type of training?

Would you happen to have other test results to share like hs-CRP for general systemic inflammation, a liver panel, thyroid panel with antibodies, blood sugar panel including fasting insulin?

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @Inga-55 – just letting you know that I replied to your other discussion where you clarified that it’s eclampsia and not preeclampsia that your daughter had.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @Inga-55 – eclampsia is a more severe form of preeclampsia that leads to seizures (convulsions) in a pregnant woman. It can cause serious health problems for both mother and baby, including organ damage, premature birth, and in extreme cases, death. So this is where allopathic treatment is in fact needed and necessary.

Here is an excellent article written by my colleague Sarah Russell who specializes in pre and post-natal health on the topic of preeclampsia. https://buildnurturerestore.com/5-tips-to-avoid-preeclampsia-blood-pressure-ranges/

Aspirin has been used for decades and is well researched, and while there may be natural alternatives to aspirin, none of them have been tested the same way aspirin has in terms of efficacy.

buildnurturerestore.com

5 tips to avoid preeclampsia blood pressure ranges

Preeclampsia is a serious and complex condition that can lead to severe pregnancy complications. In my previous two blogs, I discussed blood tests to help predict the risk of preeclampsia and risk…

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hello @LAK – if you can please provide more context, we’ll be able to better guide you. Here are some guiding questions:

• How old is your son?
• Why were these tests done?
• Does he have any symptoms?
• Was he sick at the time of testing?
• What time were these tests taken and was he fasting overnight (only water)?
• Does he take any supplements, multi’s?
• What’s his diet like?

In terms of B12 specifically, we actually aim for a level above 600 pg/ml, so it doesn’t really seem concerning even though it’s flagged outside of “normal” reference ranges. Is he taking any multi’s or even powders that may contain B12?

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @naslam1603 – when looking at enzyme supplements, each unit reflects the enzyme’s ability to break down its specific substrate. So it helps you gauge the enzyme’s potency and effectiveness.

So for example, protease is an enzyme that helps us break down our proteins. Now to be able to quantify how well the enzyme works in testing conditions, they use hemoglobin as the protein that will get broken down as a consistent way to compare enzyme activity.

So the HUT unit for protease stands for Hemoglobin Unit Tyrosine Base. It’s measuring how much 1 unit of protease can break down hemoglobin into tyrosine.

So let’s take a practical example. If your bottle says Protease (5000 HUT), that means for every gram of the protease enzyme, it has the activity to produce 5000 units of tyrosine equivalents from breaking down hemoglobin.

And the same goes for the other types of enzymes and their substrates.

So lactase breaks down lactose, the sugar found in milk. The units are called Acid Lactase Unit (ALU). Lactase (1000 ALU) means that it can break down 1000 units of lactose.

Amylase breaks down starch into simple carbs. Its unit is called Dextrinizing Unit (DU). It measures how much starch can be broken down into dextrin by the amylase enzyme.

Lipase breaks down fats (triglycerides) into fatty acids and glycerol to help with fat digestion. Its unit is called Federation Internationale Pharmaceutique (FIP). So Lipase (1000 FIP) means the enzyme can breakdown 1000 units of fatty acids from fats.

Etc..

Does that make sense?

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @sheetalramchandani1 – you can send an email to support@bbettermembership.com with the list of tests you need.

Also please provide your full name, email address, date of birth, billing & shipping address (if different) to open the requisition file. You can then order the tests directly with the lab.

Specify if you want the GI Map with or without zonulin.

As for the micronutrient test, what nutrients are looking to measure? The OAT test does already cover some B vitamins, glutathione and NAC. If you’re looking for mineral testing, here’s a sample report of a dried blood spot and urine test for Toxic & Essential elements. Let me know if that’s what you’re looking for or not.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@Noor while it’s not impossible to get enough calcium without dairy, calcium needs do peak during adolescence because it’s a critical time for bone development. So it’s definitely possible that he needs more calcium. I would recommend you track his diet for a week (you can use our fillable 3-day food journal to help with that) and then upload his results here for help interpreting his calcium intake.

For reference and comparison, the RDA (recommended daily allowance) for calcium in 13 year old males is 1,300mg per day compared to 700 to 1000mg per day for younger children.

If dairy is minimal or absent in his diet, incorporating fortified non-dairy sources (like plant milks) and foods like tofu, beans, and leafy greens can help bridge that gap. If he doesn’t consume these, then supplementation may be warranted.

It’s important to know that calcium absorption is a game of cofactors. Just because someone consumes enough calcium doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be able to absorb it properly – and that is usually the bigger issue. As I mentioned in my original reply, vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption (including digestion and absorption of vitamin D) so definitely test for that. So are magnesium and vitamin K2 for example.

Testing calcium in blood isn’t a reliable measure to check dietary calcium deficiency since the body balances blood calcium levels by drawing from bones when necessary. I recommend you watch the Calcium section in the Mineral Balance course to understand how calcium homeostasis works, and how to help correct a calcium need. Start HERE.

A dexa scan on the other hand checks for bone density which can suggest calcium deficiency over time but it’s not typically ordered for young teens unless there’s strong reasons for it but discuss it with the specialist. That’s why I suggested analyzing his dietary intake as an easy first step.

Regarding lactose intolerance, we produce the lactase enzyme in the brush border of our gut lining, so helping support gut health may help improve tolerance to dairy over time. Certain probiotic strains, like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, have also shown some potential in breaking down lactose in the gut which can improve tolerance. Do your children consume fermented foods?

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @LAK – definitely worth repeating a full thyroid panel if he’s going to be retested anyway since biotin can interfere with thyroid results. Please watch this video from the Interpreting Basic Blood Chemistry course for tips on how to prepare for a blood test to ensure better accuracy.

There are comprehensive stool tests like the GI Map for example that look for parasites, but no test is fully accurate. Parasites are very quick to shed their DNA once out of their environment so they can very often be missed.

You might find our Parasite Cleanse Program helpful in determining if testing or a cleanse is necessary and whether a person is prepared for a cleanse. It answers questions like “Do I need a parasite cleanse?” and “Am I ready for a parasite cleanse” using symptom questionnaires and also discussing testing options to help you figure out what’s best for your family.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@naslam1603 have you seen the Digestive Enzyme Support video from the Gut Health Masterclass course? I discuss a variety of different enzyme formulations for different circumstances. Hope that helps.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @Inga-55 – thank you for sharing more information about your diet and symptoms.

Can you tell us more about these headaches you’re having? What’s the frequency? What’s the timing of the headache? What’s the location of the headache? And what do you do or take to manage the pain?

You mentioned you drink plenty of filtered water. How much?

When did you start Enalapril? Headaches are one of the common side effects: https://www.drugs.com/enalapril.html

Since you mentioned these started after menopause, have you checked your hormone levels recently? Drops in estrogen and even low levels of estrogen can trigger headaches in women, including fatigue so you may want to consider testing sex hormones: estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, free testosterone, DHEA-s

As for your diet, it’s great that you focus primarily on whole foods. Just be cautious with eating tuna frequently, as it is rather high in mercury since it’s a large fish.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@LAK it’s interesting that you mention he’s thin because his suboptimal high TSH did jump out at me and did make me wonder what may be going with thyroid function.

Although it’s not clinically high, a TSH above 2 uIU/ml may be something to pay attention to. This suggests the pituitary is sensing a need for more thyroid hormone (which raises TSH and can also raise growth hormone). However, his thyroid is in fact producing ample amounts of free T3 and T4 levels (which may make it difficult to gain weight). So there is a possibility of an early thyroid imbalance presenting here and getting a full thyroid panel including thyroid antibodies might be a good idea.

However, you did mention that he’s taking something containing B12. If it also contains biotin, it can interfere with thyroid test results, so I wouldn’t rely too heavily on them.

As for his CBC, two markers stood out: his eosinophil count at 5% and lymphocytes at 51.9%, which is lower than his neutrophils. Typically, neutrophils should be in higher amounts, and when this pattern occurs, it could indicate a viral infection. That’s why I asked if he was sick around the time of testing.

When eosinophils are elevated above 3%, it may indicate that the immune system is responding to parasitic infections or allergies. If parasites are involved, they can contribute to difficulty in gaining weight as well.

Do let us know if you have any follow-up questions.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@Annie – in an effort to cater to all learning needs, I’ve added this as a future project for my team. We have all the audio files separately, so I’m confident we can find a way to combine them into one big audio file. I’ll keep you updated on our progress and let you know once it’s ready.

Aside from the Gut Health Masterclass, is there another course you’ve started that we should prioritize for you?

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@Annie if you have a normal sized tub, I’d use that over a plastic tub for the purpose of soaking in a bath.

The tub can be filled halfway with warm water, ensuring the legs and waist are fully submerged. Then, between 1/2 cup to 1 cup of Epsom salt is added. A soak for 10-15 minutes is all that’s needed. That’s it!

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@Kkol was he sick at the time of testing? This pattern can indicate a possible viral infection. You can learn more about the different patterns HERE from the Interpreting Basic Blood Chemistry course.