If you’ve ever managed your diet, you probably know it’s fairly easy to track macronutrients such as fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Your body relies on much more than just macronutrients, though. You need micronutrients (which include vitamins and minerals) for optimal health and well-being.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, micronutrients play a vital role in disease prevention. Unlike macronutrients, it’s not as easy to track micronutrients.
Because you need the right balance of micronutrients, it’s important to address any deficiencies as soon as possible. That’s where micronutrient testing comes in. At Rénove Medical Spa, Dr. Afia Naqvi and our skilled team of providers offer micronutrient testing in conjunction with IV vitamin infusions.
In the meantime, let’s explore what micronutrient testing is and how it can help manage diseases and support your overall health.
Micronutrient 101
What is a micronutrient? Micronutrients are elements essential for your body to function correctly. Micronutrients include vitamins and minerals, and none of them are produced by your body. You get these nutrients from whole foods and/or supplements. Darkly leafy greens, fresh fruits, nuts, vegetables, and lean proteins are good sources of vitamins and minerals.
Micronutrients help your body function in many different ways. Vitamin D helps support healthy bones and teeth, vitamin A supports healthy vision, and vitamin B supports energy levels. Vitamin D and A plus zinc also support your immune system. Iron is essential for cognitive development, and vitamin B12 promotes healthy blood and nerve cells.
Even with a healthy diet, it’s possible your vitamin and mineral levels aren’t quite where they need to be, and nutrient deficiencies can cause body-wide problems. Tracking micronutrients can help to avoid these deficiencies.
How micronutrient deficiencies impact your overall health
Many people don’t know when they have low vitamin levels. For example, you might not notice any signs of vitamin D deficiency at first. However, low vitamin D levels can impact your health in a few ways. According to the United States National Library of Medicine, Vitamin D deficiencies are connected to:
- Osteoporosis
- Rickets
Other studies show vitamin D deficiencies can increase the severity of respiratory infections.
Vitamin D isn’t the only micronutrient that impacts your overall health. For instance, glutathione is a micronutrient—an antioxidant, to be precise—and a glutathione deficiency can weaken your immune system, making you more susceptible to catching an illness.
Enter: micronutrient testing
What is it? Micronutrient testing refers to a blood panel that checks the levels of vitamins and minerals in your blood. Micronutrient testing can check for many nutrients, including:
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin B12
- Iron
- Folate
- Zinc
Like any blood test, micronutrient test results provide valuable information, including your specific micronutrient levels, if you have any vitamin deficiencies, or if you have any antioxidant deficiencies. These results help shape your individual treatment plan and help decide which IV drips you’d benefit most from.
Micronutrient testing and disease management
Micronutrient testing and tracking impacts your overall health by giving you the knowledge and data to identify deficiencies and address those deficiencies through IV infusions. For example, addressing vitamin D deficiencies can help you prevent osteoporosis later on in life.
At Rénove Medical Spa, it’s our mission to help you stay healthy inside and out, and we do that by balancing your vitamin and mineral levels. It’s why we’re so passionate about customized IV therapies. When you know what micronutrient testing is and why it’s important for you, customized IV therapies become the ideal solution to achieve optimal health.
If you’d like to learn more about testing and tracking micronutrients, or about beneficial IV infusions, call our Kingwood, Texas spa at 832-644-8338. You can also visit us online to request an appointment.
