Health MOT Check

Cortisol Biomarker

Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands, which are located on top of each kidney. This hormone plays a pivotal role in various functions within the body, including regulating metabolism, reducing inflammation, and controlling the sleep-wake cycle.

A cortisol biomarker refers to the measurable presence and concentration of cortisol in the body, typically ascertained from samples such as blood, saliva, or urine. Cortisol levels can vary throughout the day, generally peaking in the early morning and dipping to their lowest in the evening. This diurnal pattern is a natural rhythm of the body.

The assessment of cortisol levels as a biomarker can offer insight into:

Stress levels: Chronic stress can lead to prolonged elevated levels of cortisol.

Adrenal function: Disorders such as Addison's disease or Cushing's syndrome can manifest as abnormal cortisol levels.

Sleep disorders: An altered cortisol rhythm can indicate sleep disturbances.

Other conditions: Abnormal cortisol levels might be indicative of other underlying health issues or may influence the severity of diseases like hypertension, obesity, and diabetes.

Albumin is a protein present in blood plasma and plays a binding role like SHBG. Albumin is produced by the liver. Albumin will help to detect any issues in the functioning of the kidney or liver. It prevents the fluid in blood vessels from leaking out.

Alanine transferase (ALT) is an enzyme produced in the heart and liver cells. The testing of ALT will detect how much ALT is in the bloodstream but cannot show how much damage has been caused to the liver. The test is important to determine the health of the liver especially if drugs, heavy alcohol use or viruses (hepatitis) have been present. Lower ALT results have mostly indicated a healthy liver but healthy ALT ranges will depend on many factors, such as age and sex.

When red blood cells break down it produced a brownish-yellow pigment called Bilirubin. At built up of bilirubin within the bloodstream may be the cause of jaundice or liver disease.

Total cholesterol measure the total amount of cholesterol in your blood, including HDL and LDL. Cholesterol is created in the liver and plays an important role in multiple bodily functions such as; creating vitamin D and bile and being the membrane of all of your body's cells. Cholesterol helps to transport fatty acids around through the blood, and can act as a great indicator for your heart health, such as predispositions to cardiovascular issues such as a heart attack and heart disease.

HDL is an abbreviation for high-density lipoprotein and is often referred to as the 'good cholesterol' because of its role in removing other forms of cholesterol from your body. HDL can help to protect your heart and blood vessels due to its anti-inflammatory effect, anti-oxidant properties and its ability to remove excess fat to the liver for processing. Therefore having optimal HDL levels is essential to your health. Our Welzo HDL test will identify your HDL levels and give insight into improvements that need to be made to help boost your HDL levels.

LDL or Low-density lipoprotein helps the body transport fat such as Triglycerides. However, LDL is often referred to as the 'bad' cholesterol because when your LDL levels are elevated, you face an increased risk of cardiovascular issues. These include heart attack and heart disease. This occurs as LDL can lead to fatty deposits accruing in the artery walls leading to atherosclerosis.

Urea is a product produced by the body on the breakdown of proteins and is excreted by the body as urine. Urea serum levels need to be within the range of 2.5 - 7.0 mmol/L. An increase in this level can be harmful to the kidney and cause kidney failure in severe cases. It can also cause dehydration or cardiac issues. Urea is measured to check the functioning of the renal gland.

The estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) is a test to check the filtration status of the kidney. If the renal gland is not functioning effectively, the estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate will be lower than 60. A range of 60 or higher is considered a normal range.

Iron is a mineral found within the blood, and is needed to help create haemoglobin which is a protein in the blood responsible for the transport of oxygen within the body's blood cells. If the body does not have enough haemoglobin, the muscles do not get enough oxygen and cannot work properly. It is important for people to have the correct amount of iron otherwise they will feel more tired and become Anaemic. The body's iron stores are sourced from one's diet and from the breakdown and turnover of red blood cells. When a test reveals low iron levels, a change in diet or added supplements can be used for treatment.

Unsaturated Iron Binding Capacity indicates the amount of iron that has not yet been saturated by the transferrin. Iron needs to be bound to the protein transferrin so it can be transported to the bone marrow to produce haemoglobin and red blood cells.

Ferritin is the protein that stores iron in the body. Iron is needed to provide muscles with oxygen so that they receive the energy they need to function properly. Ferritin will release the iron when needed and is kept within the body's cells, most commonly found in the liver. We check ferritin levels to ensure that there is proper storage of iron in the body's cells otherwise the iron will be depleted quickly.

Vitamin D is a vitamin that's essential for many functions in your body, including bone and muscle health. Vitamin D can be found in food, supplements, and fortified foods. If you don't get enough vitamin D, you may develop osteoporosis or muscle weakness. An average vitamin D level is 20 to 50 ng/mL. If you have a low vitamin D level, we may recommend that you take a vitamin D supplement or eat foods fortified with vitamin D.

To check inflammation levels, we conducted an advanced CRP evaluation. C-Reactive Protein (CRP) is a protein found in the blood which increases in response to inflammation. CRP is produced by the liver in response to inflammation. It is a biomarker of inflammation that is strongly associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease, such as heart attack and stroke. High levels of CRP are found in people with chronic inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, and in people who have had a recent heart attack or stroke. CRP is not a specific marker for any one disease, but it is a valuable indicator of inflammation.

Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) is made in the pituitary glands and plays an essential role in sexual functioning. FSH is one of the gonadotropic hormones, the other being LH. FSH helps regulate the women's ovaries and stimulates the growth of ovarian follicles. FSH is also involved in oestradiol products. For this reason, FSH is part of Welzo's cutting edge female fertility home test due to its vital role in healthy female sexual function.

FT3 or free tri-iodothyronine is one of the two critical hormones produced by the thyroid gland. Its deficiency/excess is responsible for most of the thyroid related health issues because of its stronger impact even though it constitutes the lesser fraction as compared to the other hormone, FT4. Menopause blood test detects the amount of FT3 which is not attached to a protein and help to understand thyroid functioning.

TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) or thyrotropin is secreted by the pituitary gland, located in the head, and can help identify cases of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. Both the excess and under-secretion of TSH can lead to weight loss, anxiety, palpitations, irregular sleep patterns and irregular menstrual cycles. Hypothyroidism is majorly associated with overlapping symptoms such as menopause.