HHHK 515: Optimising Pathology Testing - Fasted, Rested, Hydrated & More with Steph Lowe

·57 min·5 clips

Steph Lowe gets interviewed on 10 key factors to ensure your blood test results are accurate and avoid costly repeats.

In this episode of Health, Happiness & Human Kind, host Steph Lowe is interviewed by Ellie, reversing their usual roles. The conversation focuses on optimizing pathology testing to ensure accurate blood test results. Steph outlines 10 critical factors to consider before testing. She starts with fasting, recommending no more than 12 hours to avoid false negatives or positives in markers like zinc and liver enzymes. Hydration is discussed, noting dehydration can falsely increase sodium and hemoglobin, while normal hydration should be maintained unless assessing usual intake. Resting from strenuous exercise for 48 hours is emphasized, as exercise can lower TSH and affect iron studies due to inflammation and plasma volume changes. Inflammation's role is highlighted, stressing the need to test CRP with iron studies to differentiate true deficiency from inflammation-driven issues. Supplements should generally be paused 48 hours prior, though selenium can remain elevated for weeks. Alcohol should be avoided for 48 hours to prevent falsely increased iron and liver enzymes. For women, testing in week three of the menstrual cycle ensures consistent comparisons for thyroid and iron studies. Hemolysis, or blood cell damage, can skew potassium and LDH results, and labs may report an index. Sexual activity can increase prolactin, affecting fertility-related tests. Circadian rhythm considerations are noted, especially for shift workers, to test during normal waking hours. Throughout, Steph uses client examples, like an athlete's TSH drop post-exercise, to illustrate points. The episode concludes by encouraging listeners to discuss these variables with practitioners to avoid retesting and misdiagnosis.

As heard by us

Steph Lowe shows how fasting, exercise, and timing can change what blood tests seem to say.

Health, Happiness and Humankind frames a routine blood test as a question of timing, with Steph Lowe and Ellie moving through the everyday factors that can bend results before they are read.

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Why you'd press play

If your blood test is coming up, this is the prep talk.

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