Original from: Quest Diagnostics

Micronutrients are essential vitamins and minerals that are vital for well-being and disease prevention, but deficiencies can commonly be caused by food allergies and dietary restrictions, certain prescription medications, or chronic health conditions. At least one in three Americans are at risk of nutrient deficiencies1. Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), a leading provider of diagnostic information services, today announced the availability of 13 blood tests designed to evaluate micronutrient deficiencies, helping people identify if they are lacking certain vitamins and minerals needed by the body to maintain optimal health. These panels are now available for consumer purchase exclusively at questhealth.com.

These 13 micronutrient deficiency panels are the first consumer-initiated blood-draw tests specifically designed to meet the needs of those who may have insufficient nutrient intake due to certain health factors, including: dietary restrictions influenced by certain food allergies to milk, soy, eggs, tree nuts, and more; prescription medications like oral contraceptives; and chronic health conditions such as Celiac disease and thyroid disorders. Approximately 48.6% of people have used at least one prescription drug in the past 30 days and 60% of Americans live with at least one chronic disease2. Research has linked both prescription medication and chronic health conditions with potential treatment-induced, or disease-state induced, micronutrient deficiencies, respectively.

"Studies have shown that key vitamins and nutrients such as iron, calcium, and magnesium are under-consumed or may be poorly absorbed in the body, which may have an adverse effect on people's health. What people may not realize is that their medications, allergies, chronic conditions and diets can affect how well their bodies can absorb these essential nutrients," said Dr. Katrina Sutton, PharmD, Medical Science Liaison of Consumer-Initiated Testing for questhealth.com. "In providing medically-informed testing solutions and detailed results through our various nutrient panels, we hope to empower people to seek the best pathway to help their overall wellbeing."

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there continues to be a growing global shift toward greater agency and ownership of personal health. More specifically, these motivations have led many consumers down paths of discovery to unearth factors impacting their overall wellbeing, and many have become more engaged in managing their health. With the introduction of the new micronutrient panels, questhealth.com strives to help individuals identify and seek answers for nutritional concerns as they continue working toward living a proactive, healthy lifestyle.

With the introduction of these new offerings, questhealth.com allows consumers to gain insights into whether their food allergies, medication regimens, or chronic health conditions may be contributing to nutrient deficiencies, including:

·    Dietary restrictions and food allergies:  Milk Allergy Vitamin Deficiency Panel; Wheat Allergy Vitamin Deficiency Panel; and Soy / Tree Nut / Peanut Vitamin Deficiency Panel   

·    Current prescription medications: Oral Contraceptives Vitamin Deficiency Panel; Proton-Pump Inhibitors Vitamin Deficiency Panel; Diuretics Vitamin Deficiency Panel; ACE Inhibitors Vitamin Deficiency Panel; Calcium Channel Blockers Vitamin Deficiency Panel; and Corticosteroids Vitamin Deficiency Panel  

·    Chronic health conditions: Celiac Disease Vitamin Deficiency Panel; Thyroid Disorders Vitamin Deficiency Panel; Depression / Seasonal Depression Vitamin Deficiency Panel; and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Vitamin Deficiency Panel

The new consumer-initiated panels range from $65 to $299 and starting today, will begin to roll out on questhealth.com, with additional tests set to debut in the coming weeks. Last year, Quest launched the Vitamin & Nutrition lab test category with an array of diet-specific nutrient deficiency tests catered to those who follow vegetarian/vegan, high-protein, high-fat, and low-carb diet lifestyles, helping consumers better understand if their diets are meeting their unique nutritional needs.

"This expansion underscores our commitment to offering accessible, personalized, and consumer-driven health insights that can make a meaningful difference in our daily lives," said Richard Adams, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Quest Consumer. "Whether micronutrient deficiencies stem from dietary restrictions, medications, or chronic conditions, our tests provide consumers with valuable tools to take better control over their health."

Source: questhealth.com Introduces 13 New Blood Tests to Identify Micronutrient Deficiencies