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Join me as I use a WW2 / D-day story to explain the cholesterol transport system then define all the players (Lipoproteins, apolipoproteins, cholesterol synthesis, the 7 components of the lipid panel) and finish with a discussion on statins, insulin resistance, and health optimization.

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This podcast and the opinions expressed herein do not constitute medical advice. No doctor patient relationship is formed. Views are my own, not those of anyone else. Never defer seeking medical attention for any reason, including that of this podcast. 

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Glucose Reference: https://labstories.kit.com/d2ec591e5e

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Magnesium is the most important mineral in the body. In this episode, I don't just repeat everything I've ever asked Grok on X, but give you a more complete chemical understanding of magnesium. Here's to understanding your labs and optimizing your health!

Magnesium repletion plan:

1. High Magnesium Foods - pumpkin seeds, avocados, >70% dark chocolate

2. Supplements - GREAT ones listed below*:
Dr. Berg Magnesium Glycinate
Pure Encapsulations Magnesium Glycinate
Calm Magnesium Powder
Bioptimizers Magnesium. Has 7 Different Forms!

*Affiliate links. Hook me up with that itty bitty commission at no extra cost to you if you want, simply as a way to say thanks to me for sifting through the supplements for you. If not, no worries and I wish you all the best!

What supplement dose? 400mg daily has been shown to improve blood pressure. Start at 200mg and increase from there. If you are getting diarrhea that means you are exceeding your absorption capacity and should decrease.

Take it with meals? Debatable. Take it however will enable you to be consistent. Sometimes I recommend taking Calm powder at night because that is like a bedtime ritual and not just throwing back a pill. My opinion.

3. Check your medication list - Do you take proton pump inhibitors? diuretics?

4. Alcohol use in excess?

5. Optimize your potassium (4700mg RDA) and calcium intake (1000mg)!

Magnesium normal plasma level is about 2mg/dl

You can also test RBC magnesium. Not a meaningful improvement over plasma in my opinion because we're still trying to treat SYMPTOMS of low magnesium, which are:

Fatigue
Anxiety
Restless Legs
Insomnia
Palpitations
Intestinal problems

Think: any excitable tissue (skeletal muscles, smooth muscles, heart, nerves) that is TOO excited. Too excited = not enough magnesium!

Magnesium is responsible for translocation of the GLUT4 glucose transporter to the surface of cells, thus its role in insulin sensitivity.

Magnesium acts as a calcium channel blocker outside of cells, blocking calcium entry and muscle contraction. This is the mechanism in treating high blood pressure and nerve excitement problems.

It is an ATP stabilizer, which is why it in my opinion, is the master mineral. Fatigue could be a sign of Magnesium deficiency because ATP can't work without magnesium. ATP is required for ...every... body process, including all forms of metabolism.

I meant to say tolerable upper limit when I mentioned supplement dose of 350mg daily, not RDA, as I said in the episode.

Summary Paper: Disorders of Magnesium Metabolism. EJIFCC. 1999 Jul 7;11(2):36-44. PMID: 30720256; PMCID: PMC6357249.

This content is not medical advice and is for general informational purposes only. None of the information provided constitutes the practice of medicine, or any professional healthcare services. No doctor patient relationship has been formed. Information contained here is used at the consumer’s own risk. No one should delay or disregard in obtaining professional medical advice or treatment for any health-related issue. The information provided is in no wa

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The second most commonly ordered tests in healthcare are metabolic panels. These are either basic (7 tests) or comprehensive (12 tests) and give an overview of electrolytes, kidneys, liver, and glucose. 

They are smoke signals in disease detection and monitoring.

What did you find helpful about this episode? Please leave me a comment!

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The hemoglobin A1c (I consider) the MOST IMPORTANT metabolic health test. In this episode of labstories, I'll tell you what it is, what it means, and how to improve yours (AND reverse diabetes, improve blood pressure, lipids, obesity, etc!)

FREE Weight Loss and A1c Reversal Checklist https://labstories.ck.page/d1a7599ef2

#A1c #hemoglobina1c #weightloss #obesity #healthoptimization

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Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) Explained by a Doctor in 4 Minutes!
MCV is the average amount of space a red blood cell occupies. Red blood cells are made by the bone marrow using a standard recipe. They aren't clones, but are usually about the same size, between 80-100 femtoliters. When the recipe goes wrong (lack of iron, B12, folate, or other ingredients) the red blood cells come out all different shapes and sizes! Since the main job of red blood cells is to carry oxygen, they need to be well made in order for you to have optimal health. Low MCV is most commonly caused by iron deficiency anemia but may also be caused by thalassemia minor / thalassemia trait. Mild thalassemias are incidentally discovered on routine blood testing and are usually asymptomatic. The MCV in mild thalassemias can be VERY low, around 55-60 femtoliters with only MILD anemia. That is a big clue that you may have a thalassemia instead of iron deficiency anemia. The way to tell the difference for sure is by getting iron studies ferritin, TIBC, and percent transferrin saturation. High MCV is often caused by B12 or folate deficiency or heavy alcohol use. Folate and B12 help with DNA synthesis. When they aren't present, DNA synthesis stops, and the baby red blood cells don't lose their nucleus at the right time. The result is those large adolescent red blood cells are released into the blood, driving up the MCV. B12/folate deficiency diagnosis starts with B12 (cobalamin) and folate levels, but may also include homocysteine and methylmalonic acid levels, as well as a blood smear and other tests.

Affiliate links where I receive a small commission on qualifying purchases:

🩸For Iron Deficiency Anemia: 

Thorne Iron Bisglycinate: https://amzn.to/3AwryrN

Pure Encapsulations Iron glycinate/aspartate/Vitamin C: https://amzn.to/3X6NkuV

Heme Iron! Proferrin Clear polypeptide iron: https://amzn.to/4dA38Mx

Feramax 150 Iron Polydextrose:: https://amzn.to/3yTwG8P

🧠B12

Thorne Methylcobalamin B12: https://amzn.to/4dN98RI

Pure Encapsulations Methylcobalamin: https://amzn.to/4dimJQq

🥗Folate

For Folic Acid Deficiency: Thorne 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate: https://amzn.to/3Zs08xG

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0:00 Intro
0:34 What is MCV?
0:50 How Red Blood Cells are Made
1:38 Normal Mean Corpuscular Volume
2:02 What Causes Low MCV?
2:53 What Causes High MCV?
3:31 What to do Next?



This content is not medical advice and is for general informational purposes only. None of the information provided constitutes the practice of medicine, or any professional healthcare services. No doctor patient relationship has been formed. Information contained here is used at the consumer’s own risk. No one should delay or disregard in obtaining professional medical advice or treatment for any health related issue. The information provided is in no way a substitute for medical advice.

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Red Blood Cells are the most numerous cells in the body, with around 25 trillion floating around at any given time. They carry oxygen. They are measured on the complete blood count in 7 ways: Red blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, MCV, MCH, MCHC, and RDW. Hemoglobin is the most important red blood cell measure, and it determines whether or not you have anemia. You can diagnose different causes of anemia based on the mean corpuscular volume or MCV. If it is low, you likely have iron deficiency anemia or a mild thalassemia. If it is normal, you may have anemia of chronic disease. If it is high, you may have vitamin B12 deficiency, folate deficiency, or alcohol use as the cause.
 
🩸For Iron Deficiency Anemia: 

Nature Made Ferrous Sulfate: https://amzn.to/4gcJ30P

Thorne Iron Bisglycinate: https://amzn.to/3AwryrN

Pure Encapsulations Iron glycinate/aspartate/Vitamin C: https://amzn.to/3X6NkuV

Novaferrum Wow Liquid Iron Polysaccharide: https://amzn.to/4eftfsn

Heme Iron! Proferrin Clear polypeptide iron: https://amzn.to/4dA38Mx

Feramax 150 Iron Polydextrose:: https://amzn.to/3yTwG8P

Iron Deficiency Guide: https://labstories.ck.page/iron

⚖️Free Weight Loss Checklist: https://labstories.ck.page/d1a7599ef2

#redbloodcells #completebloodcount #anemia #hemoglobin #irondeficiency 

0:00 Intro
0:39 What are Red Blood Cells?
1:10 The 7 Red Blood Cell Measurements
1:38 The Importance of Hemoglobin
2:06 How Iron Deficiency affects the CBC
3:11 What to do next based on MCV
3:15 Low MCV
3:26 Normal MCV
3:43 High MCV
3:52 Consider Alcohol

This content is not medical advice and is for general informational purposes only. None of the information provided constitutes the practice of medicine, or any professional healthcare services. No doctor patient relationship has been formed. Information contained here is used at the consumer’s own risk. No one should delay or disregard in obtaining professional medical advice or treatment for any health related issue. The information provided is in no way a substitute for medical advice.

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Hemoglobin! Learn what hemoglobin is, what causes low hemoglobin, what causes anemia, what the symptoms of anemia are, how to fix anemia, as well as some good nutrition and supplement recommendations! Hemoglobin has 3 parts: Iron: heme, globins, and iron. It is the most important protein in the body, the main component of red blood cells, and carries oxygen from the lungs to the tissues using iron. Low hemoglobin is anemia. The most common cause of low hemoglobin is bleeding. The symptoms of anemia are shortness of breath and fatigue. The signs of anemia are pale skin and eyes. You can fix low hemoglobin and low iron by stopping the bleeding, eating iron rich foods, and taking iron supplements.

🩸 Iron Deficiency Guide: https://labstories.ck.page/iron

🩸For Iron Deficiency Anemia: 

Nature Made Ferrous Sulfate: https://amzn.to/4gcJ30P

Thorne Iron Bisglycinate: https://amzn.to/3AwryrN

Pure Encapsulations Iron glycinate/aspartate/Vitamin C: https://amzn.to/3X6NkuV

Novaferrum Wow Liquid Iron Polysaccharide: https://amzn.to/4eftfsn

Heme Iron! Proferrin Clear polypeptide iron: https://amzn.to/4dA38Mx

Feramax 150 Iron Polydextrose:: https://amzn.to/3yTwG8P

^^^Sorry I mentioned Feramax as heme iron in the video but meant Proferrin!

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********************************************************************************************
Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:33 Hemoglobin Explained
1:22 Anemia
1:44 Most Common Cause of Low Hemoglobin
2:01 How Bleeding Causes Anemia
2:25 Symptoms of Anemia
2:52 3 Steps to Fix Hemoglobin & Iron
02:57 Stop the Bleeding
03:18 Eat More Iron
03:58 Take a Supplement
4:23 What to do Next

#hemoglobin #anemia #ironsupplements 

This content is not medical advice and is for general informational purposes only. None of the information provided constitutes the practice of medicine, or any professional healthcare services. No doctor patient relationship has been formed. Information contained here is used at the consumer’s own risk. No one should delay or disregard in obtaining professional medical advice or treatment for any health-related issue. The information provided is in no way a substitute for medical advice.

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Hematocrit is a red blood cell test. It tells you how much of the blood volume is occupied by red blood cells. Blood has 2 main components: cells and plasma. There are 3 ways to measure hematocrit conceptually, by measuring the height of red blood cells in a centrifuged tube of blood, by multiplying red blood cell count x MCV, and by using the rule of 3's. The most common cause of low hematocrit is anemia. High hematocrit is caused by changes in plasma volume or red blood cells. Sleep apnea is a life-threatening cause of high hematocrit. Testosterone replacement therapy also increases hematocrit. Learn all about hematocrit in 5 minutes so you can optimize your health!

This is the audio from the corresponding YouTube Video - let me know if you enjoy this format and let's connect on social media!

Iron Deficiency Guide: https://labstories.ck.page/iron
⚖️Free Weight Loss Checklist: https://labstories.ck.page/d1a7599ef2

🩸For Iron Deficiency Anemia: 

Nature Made Ferrous Sulfate: https://amzn.to/4gcJ30P

Thorne Iron Bisglycinate: https://amzn.to/3AwryrN

Pure Encapsulations Iron glycinate/aspartate/Vitamin C: https://amzn.to/3X6NkuV

Novaferrum Wow Liquid Iron Polysaccharide: https://amzn.to/4eftfsn

Heme Iron! Proferrin Clear polypeptide iron: https://amzn.to/4dA38Mx

Feramax 150 Iron Polydextrose:: https://amzn.to/3yTwG8P

0:00 Intro
0:19 What is Hematocrit?
0:41 Different Components of Blood
0:57 3 Ways to Measure Hematocrit
1:40 Theoretical Causes of Abnormal Hematocrit
2:17 Causes of Low Hematocrit (Anemia)
2:47 Causes of High Hematocrit
3:08 Sleep Apnea
4:04 Testosterone Use (TRT)
4:24 Your Next Steps

#hematocrit #completebloodcount #trt #obstructivesleepapnea #anemia 

This content is not medical advice and is for general informational purposes only. None of the information provided constitutes the practice of medicine, or any professional healthcare services. No doctor patient relationship has been formed. Information contained here is used at the consumer’s own risk. No one should delay or disregard in obtaining professional medical advice or treatment for any health related issue. The information provided is in no way a substitute for medical advice.

Let's connect! YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn |X

Folate (Vitamin B9) is a class of water-soluble B vitamins. Folic acid is the inactive, oxidized, supplement form of Folate. Tetrahydrofolates are the active forms. Our bodies must convert Folic Acid to the Tetrahydrofolates to be used. Folates function in 1 carbon metabolism, or methylation. I refer to methyl groups as cash money in the body's economy. They are used in DNA synthesis and many other processes. DNA synthesis is especially important in red blood cell production. Deficiency of folate leads to megaloblastic (large, immature precursor cells) anemia. There are 2 groups of people who MUST take folic acid or folate supplements: women who are planning to become pregnant or are pregnant & those who are folate deficient. Pregnancy folic acid requirements are 600mcg DFE (dietary folate equivalents) which is obtained through foods and supplements. Pregnancy supplements are usually dosed 400-1000mcg. Folate deficiency happens through truly insufficient diets, which is rare in the era of folic acid supplementation. Folic acid replacement supplements are between 1mg-5mg. Groups at high risk of folate deficiency are those who drink alcohol heavily and the elderly, as well as those who take certain medications (valproic acid).

B12, Folate & Prenatal Supplements Summary: https://labstories.ck.page/b12folate

🥗Folate

For Folic Acid Deficiency: Thorne 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate: https://amzn.to/3Zs08xG

Prenatal Folic Acid: Amazon Elements Folic Acid: https://amzn.to/3XRnz2m

For Deficiency OR Prenatal: Pure Encapsulations Folate 1000 Metafolin L-5-MTHF: https://amzn.to/4eIiM91

⚖️Free Weight Loss Checklist: https://labstories.ck.page/d1a7599ef2

***************************************************************************************************
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:22 What is Folate?
0:29 What Foods Contain Folate?
1:01 The Difference Between Folic Acid & Folate
1:30 What is MTHFR?
2:06 What Does Folate Do?
2:57 Symptoms of Folate Deficiency
3:07 How to Diagnose Folate Deficiency
3:43 How to Raise Folate Levels
4:24 Why Pregnant Women MUST Supplement
4:42 Dose of Folic Acid in Pregnancy
5:20 What are Dietary Folate Equivalents (DFE)?
5:44 Folate Deficiency Treatment
6:19 Your Next Steps



#folicacid #folate #anemia 
This content is not medical advice and is for general informational purposes only. None of the information provided constitutes the practice of medicine, or any professional healthcare services. No doctor patient relationship has been formed. Information contained here is used at the consumer’s own risk. No one should delay or disregard in obtaining professional medical advice or treatment for any health-related issue. The information provided is in no way a substitute for medical advice.

Let's connect! YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn |X