From treating illness to diagnosing disease, a blood test gives your doctor the perfect opportunity to peer through the physiological and pathological state of your health.
And why not – blood is the omnipresent tissue interacting with all other tissues and organs. It is the home to vital immune cells, the transporter of oxygen and nutrients, well – in short, practically protecting and regulating our entire body.
The wonderful thing about blood is that it can tell so much more about your health. It can tell about your organs, their functions, diet, metabolism, and hundreds of other things.
Here are the 10 reasons you should go for the blood tests regularly
1. A blood test can evaluate how well your organs are working – such as the kidneys and liver
A blood test is perhaps the most accessible preventive tool that identifies how well your organs are and how well they’re functioning. A diagnosis for almost all organ-related issues starts with a blood test.
For instance, a simple potassium count through a blood test can assess the health of your kidneys. In the event, if your potassium count reaches a dangerous level, you’ll be diagnosed with kidney disease followed by its treatment.
2. A blood test can tell what causes fatigue and shortness of breath
If you’re often exhausted without any reason, it could be a sign that something is wrong. Fatigue is common among people with low iron or people with risks for heart disease.
To find out the exact cause of your fatigue, a FBC (Full blood count) test can count the number of blood cells in the blood. For instance, your clinician will count the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin in your blood for diagnosing anaemia (lower iron levels).
3. A blood test can explain your unexpected weight loss or weight gain
An unexplained weight loss or weight gain is one of the first few symptoms of a thyroid disorder. While weight loss is due to hyperthyroidism, weight gain occurs when your blood has lower thyroid hormone levels, causing hypothyroidism.
Through a blood test (thyroid test), your GP would be interested in measuring the amount of different hormones, including thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and T4 hormones. The blood test can also measure the presence of antibodies to diagnose autoimmune thyroid disorders.
4. It can tell what nutrients you need more
Whether you’re suffering from concurrent headaches, allergic to food, or confused about gluten-free food, a nutritional evaluation of your blood can provide crucial insights into your nutrient deficiency.
A nutritional test evaluates the levels of various macro and micronutrients such as protein (amino acids), fats, carbs, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants.
5. Sexual health check through a blood test
Blood tests are used to diagnose many sexually transmitted infections such as HIV, genital herpes, and syphilis. If you’re sexually active, it’s essential to keep an eye on your sexual health.
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6. A blood test can indicate diabetes
Your GP can diagnose diabetes, prediabetes, and gestational diabetes with the help of a blood test. Although you can buy testing equipment over the counter, using a blood glucose meter is not ideal for self-diagnosis.
A blood test allows your GP to find diabetes sooner and advice on its prevention and management.
7. A blood test can keep track of your health progress
Once you’re diagnosed with a disease, for example, iron deficiency, a timely blood test can determine how well you’re progressing in replenishing your iron levels to their healthy levels.
8. When a physical test fails, a blood test can do wonders
GPs may be unable to narrow down on your symptoms from just a physical examination. A simple physical examination can even fail to detect a condition leading to severe problems. In this case, a blood test will make it possible to close those gaps and find out exactly what’s going on.
9. It can help find out whether you have risks for heart disease
Whether it’s your high cholesterol level or other substances in your blood, a blood test can tell you a lot about your heart health.
For instance, a blood test can measure high levels of “bad” cholesterol, one of the primary risk factors for heart disease.
It can also measure the amount of fats in your blood, also called the lipid test.
10. It can assess how well your blood is clotting
A blood clot usually forms in the legs, termed thrombosis, but it can break loose and reach the arteries in the lungs causing life-threatening pulmonary embolism.
A blood test can detect the presence of these clots in the lungs, potentially saving your life.
