Haemoglobin

• Haemoglobin

  A good measure of your blood’s ability to carry oxygen throughout your body. Elevated haemoglobin can be an indicator of lung disease, whilst a low result indicates anaemia.

Iron Studies

This simple iron test measures how much iron you have in your blood, as well as the amount of iron you have stored in your body. This iron test can be used to diagnose anaemia or monitor an existing iron deficiency. This iron test can also be used to investigate iron overload syndrome (haemochromatosis) which is an inherited condition where your body cannot remove excess iron.

This iron test measures:

• Iron

  An essential trace element is necessary for forming healthy red blood cells and for some enzymes.

• Transferrin

  A protein that binds iron and transports it around the body (also known as TIBC). High levels indicate iron deficiency.

• Transferrin Saturation

  Low levels typically indicate iron deficiency, and high levels can indicate iron overload.

• Ferritin

  Ferritin is a marker of iron stores in the body, and is used to assess iron status. Low levels can indicate iron deficiency, which is a common nutritional deficiency that can lead to anaemia, fatigue, and impaired immune function.

Copper and Zinc

• Copper

  Found in organ meats, shellfish, chocolate, mushrooms, nuts, beans, and whole-grain cereals. Helps protect cells from damage, and is needed for forming bone and red blood cells.

• Zinc

  Found in liver, eggs, seafood, red meats, oysters, certain seafood, milk products, eggs, beans, peas, lentils, nuts and whole grains. Needed for healthy skin, wound healing, and helps fight illnesses and infections.

• Caeruloplasmin

  Ceruloplasmin is a carrier protein that transports more than 95% of copper in the blood. Low caeruloplasmin combined with low blood copper suggest copper deficiency.

Urate

If too much urate is produced or not enough is excreted, it can accumulate and lead to gout – an inflammation that occurs in joints.

• Urate

  If too much urate is produced or not enough is excreted, it can accumulate and lead to gout – an inflammation that occurs in joints.