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Lab Work and other Tests for Diagnosing Purposes? (besides Spect)

Updated on November 13, 2021 in Ask A Coach
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3 on November 11, 2021
 
I am going to get the list of blood work done that dr amen recommends on his brainfitlife.com page that I belong to.
 
Is there a blood test or something similar that can check for dopamine or seratonin levels or anything else that could cause imbalances or anxiety in a person? Or is one of those tests in the above link checking for those things already?
 
 I would like to get a bunch of labs done to make sure something obvious isn’t just “off”. I do have panic attacks on a regular basis. Usually mild, but daily to some extent….
 
Also, the lab company dr amen recommends (saveonlabs.com) has two different dr amen options and I wonder which is the one dr amen thinks is actually necessary? It looks different than the list Dr Amen created above. HELP?
 
Basically, I am doing everything on my own to make sure my baselines are normal, and if not, do what I can do to correct them. I am not local to your office and I can’t get a spect scan without a dr prescription and honestly, I can’t find the “right” doctor anywhere near me.
 
-Laura
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Coach_Zoe 1 on November 11, 2021

Hi Laura,

Thanks for your question. Though this list is very similar to the Amen Clinic Panel on SaveOnLabs, there are a couple of variations (no DHEA listed at SaveOn, and no B-12 listed here) so apologies for the confusion. The idea is to try to gather as much information from labs that can indicate what interventions could be most helpful for your anxiety. If you have insurance coverage, you might ask your physician to do as many of these as s/he is willing to do, and to add on any nutrients (minerals or vitamins) that can contribute to optimizing brain function and improving mood. While there are tests to measure neurotransmitters directly, symptoms (such as anxiety) are typically a reliable indicator. The ‘why’ of a neurotransmitter imbalance offers a more specific path to intervention. 

Generally, when environmental influences are not the primary culprit, anxiety can often be related to GI distress, an imbalance in the microbiome causing low GABA (the primary calming neurotransmitter) and B-vitamin synthesis, low vitamin D levels (VERY common), low zinc levels, and B6 or other micronutrient depletion from common medications such as birth control. If you are interested in a more personalized assessment, you might consider scheduling an appointment for a nutrition evaluation, which could be done remotely.

Best!

Zoe

 

Laura on November 12, 2021

HI Zoe,

Thanks again! So… I AM on birth control and have been for many years. Would you recommend that I take a micronutrient vitamin daily maybe? (do you guys sell one that I can purchase..?).

THE PDF lab panel on brainfitlife does include DHEA and B12…..So that should be suffcient and maybe add on a full vitamin/minteral lab test to see if I am deficient in other vitamins/minerals? I don’t have insurance, but I can pay cash.

How do I determine WHY I have a neurotransmitter imbalance? and what tests measure neurotransmitters, it sounds like you don’t necessarily recommend that I take a neurotransmitter test?

 

 

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Coach_Zoe 0 on November 13, 2021

Neurovite Plus is a wonderful multivitamin that we offer. For birth control use that has been ongoing, you will likely be in need of B-6 and folate repletion, both of which are plentiful in this supplement.

The ‘why’ of neurotransmitter imbalance would come with working with a functional medicine nutritionist or integrative physician who can help to determine what bio-individual variables are contributing to your symptoms.

And you can certainly choose to test for neurotransmitters as another option. There are many test options, but ultimately the question becomes “would the results of this change what I’m doing?” If the nutrient and other lab panels provide the root cause of some of your symptoms, then that may make a neurotransmitter test a bit redundant. But I know many people like the more information they can get, so it’s ultimately up to you!

Best!

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