Believe it or not, a registered dietitian (RD) can order lab tests to improve an individual's diet, help them better manage a disease, and enhance overall client health. A registered dietitian is a healthcare professional specializing in nutrition, meal planning, and using nutrition to reduce disease risks and manage a healthy body weight.
Nutritional testing in personalized health care is critical for staying as healthy as possible minimizing the risk of obesity, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. Proper diet management also helps individuals avoid complications associated with nutrition-related diseases.
The article informs practitioners and patients about the types of nutritional lab tests RDs can order to maximize client well-being — and why they're essential for superior health.
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Understanding Nutritional Testing
Nutritional testing typically involves blood or urine testing that measures specific levels of nutrients within the body. This determines how well an individual is managing a chronic disease or whether or not they have disease risk factors.
Nutritional testing allows for personalized nutrition and health care optimization, which can dramatically enhance quality of life. It helps detect nutrient deficiencies and other factors that require short-term or ongoing treatment.
In addition to nutritional testing, RDs can order various tests that evaluate health, overall well-being, disease risks, and how well an individual manages their diet and the risk of disease-related complications.
Lab Tests Ordered by RDs
The complete breakdown of lab tests RDs might order include:
Blood Tests
Vitamin and Mineral Levels
It's crucial to monitor vitamin and mineral levels, particularly in individuals at risk of nutrient deficiencies, which may cause health concerns when consumed in too high or low amounts.
Examples include:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6, Folate, and other B vitamins
- Vitamin A
- Iodine and Selenium
- Iron, Zinc, and Copper
- Magnesium, Calcium, and Potassium
Examples of nutrition tests RDs can order include:
- Micronutrient tests by SpectraCell Laboratories
- Cellular micronutrient assay by Cell Science Systems
- Metabolomics from Genova Diagnostics
- NutrEval® Plasma by Genova Diagnostics
Maintaining proper nutrient balance is the key to optimizing body functioning and maintaining exceptional health.
Lipid Profile
High cholesterol and elevated triglycerides increase the risk of heart and blood vessel disorders, such as coronary artery disease (CAD), heart attacks, and strokes.
Diet plays a vital role in healthy cholesterol and triglyceride management, significantly impacting cardiovascular health. Routine lipid panels are crucial to screen for early signs of chronic disease risk factors.
Blood Glucose and Insulin
RDs must often monitor blood sugar levels in people with diabetes and assess insulin sensitivity, hemoglobin A1C, and other diabetes biomarkers.
Blood glucose testing and insulin tests determine how well a client adheres to their diet plan, if their personalized diet plan is working, whether or not they should make lifestyle changes to reverse prediabetes, and which diabetes medication doses might be necessary.
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
CBC is a blood test that evaluates overall health and well-being. It can detect anemia, infections, immune system diseases, and other conditions requiring better management of dietary changes or medications. RDs can order and evaluate CBC tests.
Celiac Disease Testing
Simple blood tests can detect Celiac disease, as individuals with this condition exhibit elevated levels of specific antibodies when they consume gluten. To prevent adverse symptoms, those diagnosed with Celiac disease must adhere to a gluten-free diet.
Kidney Function Tests
RDs often help manage patients with kidney disease, particularly those undergoing dialysis. Blood tests that help measure kidney function include estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and cystatin C.
Homocysteine Tests
Homocysteine tests use a blood sample to determine heart disease and stroke risk factors.
Hormone Blood tests
Thyroid hormone, testosterone, estrogen, and other hormones play roles in metabolism and other essential body functions. Balancing hormones aids in healthy weight management, improves mood, boosts energy levels, enhances bone and muscle health, and much more. Diet can affect hormone levels within the body.
Urine Tests
RDs can also order urine tests that detect, diagnose, and help address potential health issues linked to a poor diet or underlying medical conditions. Examples include:
Micronutrient Excretion
Micronutrient excretion tests assess vitamin and mineral levels via urine analysis, detecting potential micronutrient deficiencies that must be addressed through diet, lifestyle modifications, or dietary supplements.
Hormone Urine Levels
RDs can order urine hormone tests to evaluate cortisol, testosterone, estrogen, and other hormones measured in the urine.
Kidney Function Urine Tests
Urine tests that evaluate kidney function include microalbumin tests, urine creatinine, urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR), urine specific gravity, and a urinalysis. These tests analyze the urine for proteins, blood, and overall kidney functioning to determine if dietary changes are necessary.
Additional Testing Recommended by RDs
Additional tests RDs may recommend for their patients include:
Food Sensitivity and Allergy Testing
Food sensitivity and allergy testing help a registered dietitian plan meals based on which foods an individual can safely tolerate.
Food allergies cause allergic reactions, some of which are life-threatening, after eating specific foods. Common food allergens include:
- Tree nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews, pecans, etc.)
- Soy
- Wheat
- Peanuts
- Milk
- Eggs
- Fish
- Shellfish
Food sensitivities (particularly gluten sensitivity) can cause non-life-threatening symptoms like stomach pain, joint pain, fatigue, brain fog, and rashes.
Food intolerances, such as lactose intolerance, may also cause non-life-threatening symptoms — gas, bloating, stomach cramping, nausea, diarrhea, and inflammation.
Tests that help screen for food sensitivities and allergies include:
- Hydrogen breath tests
- Lactose intolerance testing
- IgE and IgG tests
- Skin prick testing
- Food elimination diets
- Oral food challenge tests
Gut Health Testing
A healthy gut microbiome with an ideal good versus bad gut bacteria balance is vital to maintaining optimal well-being.
RDs might order gut health testing to check for imbalances that can be corrected with diet, supplements, or lifestyle changes. Examples of gut health tests include stool analysis, microbiome mapping, SIBO breath testing, and microbial organic acids testing (MOAT).
Metabolic and Genetic Testing
Ordering metabolic and genetic tests allows RDs to personalize nutrition plans based on genetic predisposition and metabolic rates.
Genetic testing might require saliva, blood, or cheek swab samples.
Common metabolic tests include resting metabolic rate tests, the basic metabolic panel (BMP), and the comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP).
Biomarkers and Their Importance in Nutritional Testing
Biomarkers, or biological markers, offer objective measures of what occurs within the human body. Biomarker labs have high relevance in identifying nutritional status and potential diseases or their risk factors.
Key biomarkers RDs may monitor include:
Inflammatory Markers
Inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein (CRP), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR) ratio, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), help screen for inflammation that may be linked to cancer, diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune disorders, or other chronic conditions.
Oxidative Stress Markers
Oxidative stress biomarkers include:
- Glutathione tests
- Superoxide dismutase
- Micronutrient testing
- Oxidative stress tests
- Full cellular nutrition assays
- Organic acid tests
- Micronutrient tests
These tests help identify levels of oxidative stress and equilibrium between free radicals and antioxidants, revealing any imbalances and potential health risks.
Hydration Status
Evaluating hydration status is vital in maintaining superior health in clients working with a registered dietitian. Examples of biomarkers that measure hydration status include serum osmolality, urinalysis, and urine specific gravity.
How to Work with Your RD for Nutritional Testing
When seeking nutritional testing, find a medical provider specializing in nutrition, such as an RD, physician, or nurse with additional nutrition certifications. They determine which nutritional tests you're a candidate for based on your medical history, symptoms, lifestyle habits, risk factors, and health or weight management goals.
Follow your provider's instructions when preparing for nutritional testing. They might ask you to fast before your tests.
After an RD receives nutritional testing results, they interpret them and explain what they mean for your health. They then develop a personalized nutrition plan that optimizes your health based on test outcomes, including dietary supplements if needed.
Case Studies and Testimonials
Case studies have consistently shown the benefits of nutritional testing and care from a dietitian. Researchers report that dietitians can improve patient outcomes, provide patient-centered care, enhance learning related to nutrition, provide effective treatments, and save money.
Another study found that nutrition consultations with dietitians in primary care settings effectively improve diabetes outcomes, diet quality, blood sugar control, weight loss management (including smaller waist circumferences), and pregnancy-related weight gain.
Additional studies suggest that RD nutrition support provides clinical and cost benefits for preventing and treating non-communicable diseases. The researchers found that registered dietitians appear to be more effective at counseling obese or overweight patients than other specialists.
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Key Takeaways
- It's essential to undergo periodic nutritional testing.
- Registered dietitians (RD) play a vital role in ordering and evaluating such tests to optimize the health and well-being of patients of all ages.
- Consulting with an RD for personalized nutritional care is critical for individuals who are overweight, at risk of health problems, experiencing food allergies, or dealing with a diagnosis of Celiac disease, anemia, diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease, or other conditions requiring specialized dietary considerations.
- Nutrition plays a vital role in holistic treatments and other functional medicine services, as fueling the body properly greatly lessens the risk of many chronic health conditions.
- Lab testing is a vital part of personalized nutrition and meal planning.
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