Micronutrient Testing for IV Therapy Customization
The health of skin reflects the health of our body. Nutrition is one of the many factors required for overall skin health and when we are lacking, skin maladies may arise (1). What we eat and the habits we choose are a big factor in our nutrition status and skin aging. Prevention is one way to support healthy skin and to prevent premature aging. Prevention is a well-regulated lifestyle: eating a nutrient-dense diet (high in plant foods), not eating too much, exercising, low stress, and not too much alcohol.
Intravenous (IV) vitamin therapy is one way to take in nutrients. Proper absorption of vitamins and minerals from our diet is dependent on a healthy gut (2). IV administration of nutrients is an effective way to get nutrients into your body without being reliant on proper gut function. IV nutrient therapy is one of my favorite offered services. You can choose from an array of nutrients to customize treatment or stick to a straight-up bag of hydration. Treatments can be tailored to support immunity, stress, skin health, etc. For example, a bag mixed with vitamin C, zinc, and selenium and followed with an antioxidant boost of glutathione can be used to support skin health (3).
We can customize treatments based on our overall goal, or we can customize treatments based on lab work. I am now offering serum micronutrient testing to accompany IV therapy which gives us information needed for treatment customization. This test looks at over thirty vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and essential nutrients within the white blood cells. Examining white blood cells is unique to other nutrient tests because we get a picture of nutrient status over the last 4-6 months rather than a simple picture of right now. This information is valuable because it allows us to intervene and potentially prevent consequences of long-term deficiency.
Examples of some key nutrients and their role in skin health (3) (links to Linus Pauling nutrient and skin health page).
Vitamin A: useful in the prevention of psoriasis, itchy/scaly skin, skin cancer, and acne.
Vitamin C: protects the skin from UV radiation and helps with wound healing.
Vitamin D: helps regulate skin inflammation.
Vitamin E: helps against skin aging and inflammation.
Zinc: protects against aging and exhibits antimicrobial activity.
Copper: stimulate collagen production.
Selenium: protects skin against stress and helps prevent and treat psoriasis.
The information obtained from this test allows us to customize a supplement regimen to your body’s needs. You can choose oral supplementation, IV supplementation, or an integration of the two, based on what you have going on. We also discuss dietary recommendations with education on what foods appear to be lacking from your current diet.
Whether or not you decide that micronutrient testing and vitamin IV therapy is for you, this writing is a reminder that at the heart of nutrition lies with choosing healthy foods. Each meal is an opportunity to provide the body with nutrients needed to support health.
Micronutrient testing is an optional, elective test that can optimize one’s health through gaining specific awareness. The test is a first step to creating a customized supplement plan, IV protocol, and dietary changes that can ensure best health practices and achieve personal goals. Click here to book a consultation.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4428712/