It’s Time to Get Macho About Men’s Health

It’s not just a month to celebrate Dad’s day. It’s a month to celebrate men’s health. Do you know a man who never gets sick? Who is invincible? Who thinks he can beat back any ailment through sheer force of will? Maybe it’s a husband, son or brother. Or maybe it’s you? Men are notorious for not wanting to go to the doctor. Whether it’s to project a manly macho image, or maybe out of fear of needles or tests, many men are prone to neglecting their health. In fact, men make half as many prevention visits to physicians as women.

Need convincing? Consider this:

Men live five years fewer than women, on average.
Men have a higher death rate for most leading causes of death (cancer, heart disease, diabetes, suicide).
One in two men will develop cancer.
Thirty-thousand men die in the U.S. each year from prostate cancer.

Although prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of death among men in the U.S., death from prostate cancer is nearly 100 percent preventable if it is detected while it is local or regional to the prostate. This makes early detection key. Don’t wait until urinary symptoms surface (loss of bladder control, pain/burning during urination, blood in urine, painful ejaculation or pain/swelling in legs or pelvic area) to get checked out.

No matter what age, all men should get a PSA Test (Prostate Specific Antigen). If that PSA substance – which is produced in the prostate gland – is elevated, it can indicate prostate cancer or an enlarged prostate. Establishing a PSA “baseline,” when you are healthy allows you to monitor any changes in your PSA levels over time and possibly detect and treat a disease before it’s too late.

The American Cancer Society just released new guidelines about colon and rectal cancers, another leading cause of death from cancer. With more colorectal cancers appearing in younger adults, men and women alike, the recommended screening age has been lowered from 50 to 45. The Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) is a simple at-home test that tests for blood in the stool and helps to ensure good colon health.

Awareness. Prevention. Action.

We know men are more likely than women to be uninsured. Fortunately, the direct access lab testing available at Any Lab Test Now gives them the opportunity to monitor their health and screen for a host of diseases without a doctor’s order. It just takes action!

Focusing on health instead of illness will ensure men live longer, healthier lives. That’s macho. And that’s what Men’s Health Month is all about.

The Personal Decision About PSA Testing

Men are getting new advice when it comes to prostate cancer screening. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) now recommends that men aged 55 to 69 decide for themselves whether they should be screened for the disease or not. But, the task force adds, the decision should be made after educating yourself about the benefits and the risks associated with the test. For years the task force boldly recommended that no men receive PSA screening for prostate cancer. The experts at Any Lab Test Now® agree with the change in direction: taking control of your health in an educated and proactive way is a smart move!

Educating Yourself about PSA

Aside from non-melanoma skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The prostate is a gland that makes up part of the male reproductive system. Some men have different symptoms for the disease (difficult and/or frequent urination, pain in the back, hips, or pelvis that won’t go away). Some men won’t have any symptoms at all. The PSA test available at Any Lab Test Now measures the amount of prostate-specific antigen in a man’s blood. When a man has an elevated PSA, he could have cancer. That “could” is an important word because those elevated results could be caused by other conditions. That’s why it’s so important to talk with your doctor about your results and keep two things in mind:

Your family history. The task force recommends that patients, who have a family history of prostate cancer, be aware of their increased risk of developing the disease. The CDC says men with a father, brother, or son who has been diagnosed is two to three times more likely to develop the disease himself.
Your ethnicity. Researchers aren’t sure why, but prostate cancer is more common in African-American men. It also tends to start at younger ages and grows faster than in other racial or ethnic groups.

Baseline as a Lifeline

For years Any Lab Test Now has advocated that men perform the PSA test to provide a baseline, so you and your physician can monitor for any changes. Now the task force is recommending their changes, based in part on this same principle. They say there’s new evidence that shows men are using the results of repeated PSA testing as part of what they call “active surveillance”. Active surveillance has become a more common treatment choice for men with lower-risk prostate cancer over the past several years, and may reduce the chance of overtreatment – and the complications that can come along with that.

Take Control of Your Health

These new recommendations underscore the importance of taking a proactive stance when it comes to your health. It’s important for you to understand your genetic risks and talk about your concerns with your doctor so that you’re looking at the whole picture when it comes to your health. An educated patient is a smarter – and healthier- patient.

Is Your Prostate a Problem?

Did you know prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among all men in the United States? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), six percent of men over the age of 60 will develop prostate cancer before they celebrate their 70th birthday. While there is no true prevention for prostate cancer, precautionary measures such as PSA (prostate-specific antigen) testing offered by Any Lab Test Now are recommended for all men to monitor risk levels and detect disease before it’s too late.

Establish a Baseline Early On

The prostate-specific antigen is a protein created by normal and malignant cells of the prostate gland, which are then released into the bloodstream. A PSA test is a simple blood test that measures prostate-specific antigen levels in the body and helps establish a PSA “baseline” for men to monitor over time. Results that reveal elevated levels of PSA in the blood could indicate signs of prostate cancer.

However, high levels may also signal a number of non-threatening prostate conditions, such as an inflamed prostate known as prostatitis or benign prostatic hyperplasia. Although there is no clear evidence that these two conditions are precursors to prostate cancer, it is possible for men to develop one or more of these conditions in addition to prostate cancer.

Am I At Risk?

Lab results are typically recorded as nanograms of PSA per milliliter (ng/ml) of blood. Men with levels of PSA that equal 4.0 ng/ml or less fall within the normal range, where men with results higher than 10.0 ng/ml are considered to have a greater risk of prostate cancer. PSA results between the normal and high range may indicate signs of benign prostate conditions.

Although the amount of PSA in the blood normally increases with age, it is important for all men to pay close attention to changes in their PSA levels over time. PSA testing is also recommended for men who undergo testosterone therapy.

The test is a simple and quick blood test with a one to three-day turn around for lab results. No more sitting in over-crowded doctors’ offices or waiting weeks on end to receive the outcome of your test. PSA testing is available at all Any Lab Test Now location s simply by walking in and requesting it.

Any Lab Test Now offers hundreds of lab tests, many specifically designed with men’s health in mind. No matter your age, PSA testing is a proactive step in taking control of your health. Whether you celebrate your 40th or 70th this new year, consider PSA testing so that you have the answers you need about your health and your future.

Setting Weight Management Goals for the New Year

It’s December and time has run out! Did you complete all of your 2017 Resolutions? It’s OK if you didn’t, but it’s time to think about what you’ll change in the upcoming year to reach your goals. There are many resources that can help you finally check off all your New Year’s resolutions, and one of those is the array of tests at Any Lab Test Now. If you’re concerned about particular health goals, like weight management, we are here to help you gauge your progress and learn what’s working and what’s not working so your 2018 resolution to-do list can get “to-done.”

Comprehensive Metabolic Panel

This panel can help you identify issues with your body’s overall metabolism, which can be impacted by organ function, nutrient intake and activity level. By measuring your electrolyte level, kidney and liver function, and the overall composition of your blood, we’re able to tell if your body is performing optimally. There are several ways your body can get out of balance, which can keep you from losing weight or seeing results from your training. If you don’t want your effort to go to waste, make sure your body is performing at its peak with a Comprehensive Metabolic Panel!

Micronutrient Test

What if you think your diet is perfect, but you’re still not seeing the results you want? Our Micronutrient Panel can tell you how balanced your nutritional intake is by showing you the overall balance of micronutrients in your bloodstream. Your macronutrients — protein, fat and carbohydrates— play a huge role in your diet, and they need to be consumed in large amounts. But your micronutrient intake matters just as much, and they’re needed in such finite amounts, that any deficiencies can have a profound effect on your overall health and wellness. Vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and antioxidants determine your energy levels, fat-burning rate, muscle development and many other aspects of your metabolism. This test can help you determine if you’re absorbing enough of these micronutrients for your body to perform at its best.

Men’s or Women’s Health Profile

This test takes a step back to examine your overall health. If your body is on the verge of a chronic health issue or has some unidentified health issue, it will inevitably lead to difficulty managing your weight. This is because the common symptoms of ongoing, chronic health issues, which can often include fatigue, muscle loss, weight changes, changes in thirst or urination, or mood changes, can impede your weight loss efforts. If you develop chronic health issues like thyroid problems, diabetes, heart disease or hormone imbalances, these can make it nearly impossible to feel your best.

New Year’s Resolutions aren’t always easy to accomplish. But just because your goals are taking a bit longer to reach than you might like doesn’t mean it’s time to give up. Each new milestone is a chance to change your approach and find something that will work better, faster or more easily than what you tried before. To get an inside look on how your body is functioning and find out how you can optimize your diet and training, find your local Any Lab Test Now today!

Got High Blood Pressure? You Could Be Putting Yourself at Risk

“High blood pressure,” also known as hypertension, is a phrase we hear all too often in the American medical landscape. So much so, in fact, that the words have become normalized as something you will most likely hear at least once throughout the course of your lifetime. According to the CDC, one in three American adults has high blood pressure, and only about half of those with high blood pressure have the condition under control. This is dangerous news as high blood pressure, often dubbed “the silent killer,” is capable of wreaking havoc on your health. It often has no warning signs or symptoms, but can set you up for an endless list of problems, including the No. 1 cause of death in the United States: heart disease.

The Silent Killer

If high blood pressure presents no signs or symptoms in most people, how can you know if you have it? The best way to keep tabs on your health is to regularly check your blood pressure with the help of a medical expert. By monitoring your blood pressure levels on a regular basis, you can be better prepared to take the steps toward lowering your blood pressure if necessary. If left untreated, your high blood pressure could be opening you up to a whole host of dangerous and even deadly health problems, including:

High blood pressure can cause a number of disabilities if left unchecked. Lack of blood flow to various areas of the body can cause harm to those areas, leaving them with permanent damage. One common result of untreated hypertension is vision impairment or blindness due to blood vessel damage in the eyes.
Poor Quality of Life. Not only is high blood pressure dangerous, but it can make your life more difficult on a daily basis. Left untreated, high blood pressure can cause cognitive impairment, dementia and memory problems, nerve damage, bone loss, sleep apnea and even sexual dysfunction.
Untreated hypertension can lead to an aneurysm due to damaged arteries, heart failure, heart attack and stroke. It can also cause damage to the kidneys, resulting in kidney scarring and kidney failure.

Consider all of the ways in which these could impact your life as you know it. Untreated high blood pressure could mean not being able to drive and losing the independence of getting yourself around. It could mean that you have trouble remembering your grandchild’s birthday. Worse yet, it could force you to say goodbye to your loved ones too soon. Get tested before it’s too late.

Take Control of Your Health

If you are worried about having high blood pressure, the best thing you can do is get your blood pressure tested. Once you know your numbers, you can take the necessary actions toward improving your health. This would include scheduling regular check-ups with your doctor, and asking about the changes you can make to keep your blood pressure at a safe and healthy level.

Any Lab Test Now offers several options for blood pressure testing and monitoring, including the Basic Check-Up Panel and other Health & Wellness Tests. Nothing is more important than your health. Don’t allow your high blood pressure to put your health at risk. Talk with the experts at Any Lab Test Now to learn what testing options are right for you, and take the steps towards preventing this silent killer.

Don’t let diabetes sneak up on you

Here at Any Lab Test Now, we believe you should have the ability to take control of your health. That’s the same message being shared this November for National Diabetes Month. This year’s theme: You Are the Center of Your Diabetes Care Team. Any Lab Test Now wants to make it easy for you and your doctor to not only diagnose your diabetes, but also to treat it. That’s why we offer a wide range of options that can help you and your physician in understanding if you have the disease and make sure you are managing it properly as well.

Understanding Diabetes

Let’s start with a brief understanding of just what diabetes is. Diabetes is a group of diseases that occur when your blood glucose (also called blood sugar) is too high. That’s bad because it can begin to cause all kinds of health problems, like heart disease, nerve damage, kidney disease, even blindness. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that 30.3 million people in the United States have diabetes as of 2017. An even more frightening fact: Twenty-three percent of those people don’t even know they have diabetes!

Risk Factors and Symptoms

So how can Any Lab Test Now help? Well, we can help on two fronts. The first is diagnosis. There are a number of risk factors that could lead you down the path to diabetes. According to the NIH, some are related to your genetics, others to your lifestyle. They include:

Family history
Over age 45
African American, American Indian, Asian American, or Hispanic/Latino
Have high blood pressure
Have a low HDL level or high triglycerides
Are not physically active
Have a history of heart disease or stroke

Take all these risk factors into consideration as well as these symptoms as you start to ponder your own diabetes status.

Increased thirst and urination
Increased hunger
Unexplained weight loss
Fatigue
Blurred vision
Numbness or tingling in the feet or hands
Wounds that do not heal

It’s important to note that many people with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms, or they’re so mild that people don’t notice them. That’s one of the reasons it’s important to know the risk factors as well.

Take Control of Your Diabetes

At Any Lab Test Now, we offer a total of six lab tests designed to help you and your doctor diagnose and manage your diabetes.

The Diabetes Maintenance Panel includes four tests: Complete Blood Count, Glucose-Serum, Hemoglobin A1c, and a Diabetic Urinalysis. This is an effective panel for both diabetics and for those who want to see if they have diabetes.
The Diabetic Urinalysis (Microalbumin) will test for the protein albumin in your urine. It’s something that the kidneys usually filter out, so if it shows up in the results, it can alert you and your doctor to potential diabetes complications like kidney disease.
The Glucose Blood Test is the most common test used to diagnose diabetes. Additionally, diabetics self-conduct this test multiple times a day to monitor their blood glucose levels.
The Glucose Tolerance Test is a way to check how your body metabolizes sugar. Your blood will be collected then you’ll be given a cup of glucose to drink. After that, your blood will be collected again every 30 to 60 minutes. It usually takes up to three hours to complete the test and can confirm diabetes.
The Hemoglobin A1c is useful in helping diabetics determine if their disease is under control. It’s a valuable measure of the overall blood glucose levels over a period of several months. The test can also help detect pre-diabetes and diabetes.
The Insulin Lab Test can let you know if your body is producing too much or too little insulin. Too little insulin, also known as insulin resistance, is often associated with type 2 diabetes. If you have pre-diabetes, this test can be used to monitor whether diet and lifestyle changes are having a great enough impact to reverse or improve your condition.

All of these tests can provide you and your doctor with the knowledge necessary to properly treat and manage your condition. Don’t let diabetes sneak up on you. Know your risk factors and your symptoms and take control of your health through walk-in testing. Your local Any Lab Test Now location can help you do that.

Do You Know What’s Up?

Since 1995, National Health Education Week has been celebrated during the third full week of October. It is hosted by the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE), and its purpose is to increase national awareness on major public health issues while promoting a better understanding of the role of health education. This year, October 16 – 20 marks National Health Education Week.

The week’s theme celebrates “Scaling New Heights: Health educators know what’s up.” It aims to get people talking about how the role of a public health educator is changing and how modern-day public health professionals impact community health issues. From Tuesday’s Twitter discussions (Interested? Follow #NHEW at 1 PM EDT.) to Wednesday’s webinar on the importance of advocacy, the week is packed full of information and online events. Professionals are also encouraged to create and promote local events that are tied to National Health Education Week.

At Any Lab Test Now, we’re doing our part to spread the word about contemporary health issues and how health education specialists work to solve them by raising awareness on topics such as teen drug testing, increased levels of cholesterol and hormone imbalances. Like health professionals with other areas of focus, Any Lab Test Now strives daily to be a dependable and convenient resource for your health and wellness education.

We’re here to help you Take Control of Your Health®. Any Lab Test Now offers testing that will allow you to establish a health baseline through our precise lab analysis. The tests will help you uncover “what’s up” with your own health so that you can work with your doctor to feel your best each day.

We offer health solutions specifically tailored to your needs:

Women’s Health: You keep the household running on all cylinders, but are you taking care of your health? At Any Lab Test Now, we offer lab tests you need to monitor your health, including but not limited to Hormone Tests, Vitamin D Levels, Menopause Screening Panel and Hemoglobin A1c.

Men’s Health: We get it: The doctor’s office isn’t your preferred hangout spot. Any Lab Test Now takes pride in getting you in and out as efficiently as possible. Our testing includes Diabetes Screening, Testosterone Test, Micronutrient Test, Thyroid Panel and so much more.

In addition to personalized testing, Any Lab Test Now recognizes that many of our customers are faced with having no insurance or high deductibles. Our lab tests are both affordable and transparent — you know what you must pay up front instead of receiving a surprise bill later.

This October, join us in recognizing National Health Education Week by stopping in to your local laboratory testing center to discover “what’s up” with your health. It’s for the betterment of the community and the environment, as well as you and your family!

Should Men Consider PSA Testing?

In years past, there has been controversy in the medical community over the importance of PSA Testing. Critics of testing claim that it can lead to “over treating” prostate cancer. Proponents of testing point to the fact that, if detected early, prostate cancer is treatable 100 percent of the time. Which is correct? How do men evaluate if they should be tested?

How Can You Over Treat Cancer?

To make a more informed decision, it’s important to understand what is meant by over treating prostate cancer. One attribute of this type of cancer is that it is commonly slow growing. This means that it can oftentimes take many years before it ever impacts a man’s other organs. Until it does, it is unlikely that the cancer will cause any serious medical complications or discomfort.

Consider what might happen to a man who is in his late 60s, or to a man who might already be struggling with a more severe medical issue, and undergoes PSA testing. When the results come back and indicate prostate cancer, the reaction is to get rid of it. No one wants to have cancer.

However, remember that the cancer is slow growing. This means that it could take a very long time for him to experience any discomfort or reduced quality of life because of it. So, should a man that might never encounter the negative side-effects of prostate cancer because of his age or current medical state put his body and mind through the strain of treatment? Obviously, this is a personal decision to be considered after conversation with the man’s doctors and loved ones. But, this scenario is considered “over treatment.”

What About the 100 Percent Treatment Rate?

While over treatment can be a concern, there are real advantages to identifying and treating prostate cancer early. There are three stages of prostate cancer – local, regional and distant. In the local stage, cancer has not spread beyond the prostate. In the regional stage, it has spread only to areas nearby. In each of these cases, the survival rate at 5 years is nearly 100 percent.

However, by the time prostate cancer reaches the distant stage, it may be impacting the lymph nodes, bones or other organs. The survival rate at five years for those diagnosed in the distant stage drops to only 29 percent. That is why testing proponents believe PSA testing is critical once men reach age 40: It may help doctors identify prostate cancer before it reaches the distant stage.

Prostate Cancer Treatment

There are a variety of treatment options available for those who are diagnosed with prostate cancer. Which option men pursue will depend upon conversations with their doctor about the benefits and risks, as well as at which stage the prostate cancer is diagnosed. Options include surgery, radiation treatment, high-intensity focused ultrasounds or hormone therapy.

In fact, because prostate cancer is slow-growing, there are many instances when a patient may not even require immediate treatment. This method of “watchful waiting” or “active surveillance” is a very real option for some men. It means that they can have knowledge about their medical health, but not necessarily take any physically or emotionally stressful measures to resolve it unless their test results start to change.

Having this less-invasive treatment option is one of the key reasons why men should be tested. The testing establishes a PSA level baseline against which they can be monitored for years to come.

New Research on PSA Testing

Because of the mixed views regarding PSA Testing, men can sometimes feel uncertain about how to proceed. Fortunately, new research is being done to help assess whether PSA Testing is a necessary option for men. The latest research re-examined the methods used in the previously completed PSA Testing clinical trials. When researchers did this, they discovered that both trials indicated a more than 30 percent “lower risk of prostate cancer death thanks to screening.” This reaffirms the need to establish a PSA level baseline and begin monitoring prostate health earlier in a man’s life.

No one wants to learn that they have cancer of any type, but knowing means having options! So, don’t wait for the odds of getting prostate cancer to get higher with age before you get tested. Instead, stop into your local Any Lab Test Now to start establishing a PSA baseline now.

Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

One in seven. That’s how many men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetimes. It’s a frightening statistic. But here’s the flip side of those numbers. When it’s detected early, the survival rate past five years is 98 percent. If it isn’t found early? That drops to just 26 percent. The first step in that early detection is a simple blood test, and it’s available at Any Lab Test Now. Given that September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, this is the perfect time to stop procrastinating and order the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test to find out where you stand.

PSA TEST

The PSA test measures the prostate-specific antigen in the blood. The prostate makes the PSA, but if there is a tumor, the tumor also makes PSA. That brings the level up. Other factors can increase your PSA number. Those include an enlarged prostate, being older, ejaculation, an infection or inflammation, and some medicines like testosterone. Some studies have found that riding a bike may even be a factor, because the seat puts pressure on the prostate. There are also factors that can lower your PSA number, too. Herbal mixtures, obesity, a regular aspirin regimen, and thiazide diuretics — a water pill used to treat high blood pressure — can all lower your PSA number. Since the ups and downs are caused by so many external factors it’s a good idea to get a baseline reading of your PSA sometime in your 40s. Regular screenings are recommended once you hit 50 — sooner if you fall into a high-risk group. If you are African-American or have a family history of prostate cancer, those screenings should start at 45.

INCREASED RISKS

The risk of developing prostate cancer rises rapidly after age 50. African-American men are 73 percent more likely to be diagnosed than Caucasian men. Researchers can’t explain the disparity. Family history is a big factor, too. If your brother or father has had it, you are two and a half times more likely to develop prostate cancer. Your diet may be putting you at risk. Men who pile red meat and dairy on their plates increase their risk. Doctors aren’t sure if the increased risk results from those foods, or the likely lack of fruits and vegetables in the diet.

SYMPTOMS

The PSA screenings are important because, very often, men don’t experience any symptoms of prostate cancer. Signs to know are:

The need to urinate frequently, especially at night.
Difficulty starting urination, or holding it back.
Weak or interrupted flow of urine.
Painful or burning urination.
Difficulty having an erection.
Painful ejaculation.
Blood in urine or semen.
Frequent pain or stiffness in lower back, hips or upper thighs.

Prostate cancer is often slow-growing and might never cause these problems. But some forms are more likely to spread to other parts of the body — especially to the lymph nodes and bones. Knowing your PSA number and discussing what it means with your doctor can help you make the best decision about your health.

During Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, take the first easy step with a PSA test at your local Any Lab Test Now location.

Iron Deficiency

About three million of us suffer needlessly from a condition that seriously and negatively impacts our quality of life. But it doesn’t need to be that way.

The condition is called anemia. It is when your body lacks enough red blood cells to carry oxygen to your tissues. Anemia can sound frightening because it involves your blood. Yet the treatment can be as easy as changing what’s on your plate for dinner. And finding out if you are anemic can be done quickly and easily with a simple test from Any Lab Test Now! The answer to the test can help you and your doctor put you back on the path to feeling better.

Anemia Symptoms

The symptoms can often be so mild that they go unnoticed or seem like they are just “part of life.” Do any of these things sound familiar? Fatigue, weakness, pale or yellow skin, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, dizziness or lightheadedness, chest pain, cold hands and feet, headache, irritability — these symptoms of anemia are often dismissed or ignored. Often, the fatigue becomes overwhelming. Dr. Allen Nissenson, nephrologist and professor of medicine at UCLA, says it doesn’t have to be the norm for the millions with anemia.

Nutrition and Anemia

In order to make enough healthy red blood cells, your body needs an adequate supply of iron, folate and vitamin B-12. Of course, not everyone consumes the right quantity of these nutrients. For this reason, the most common type of anemia is caused by poor nutrition, according to Dr. Nissenson. Our increasing obsession with diets — and the growing number of strict vegetarians and vegans — is adding to the problem. That’s why the Anemia Panel from Any Lab Test Now checks not only your blood count, but also your iron, folate and vitamin B-12 levels.

Whether the anemia is iron deficiency anemia or vitamin deficiency anemia, the treatment is likely as simple as supplements and a change in diet. The best sources of iron are meat, poultry and egg yolks. To a lesser extent, you can get iron from eating green leafy vegetables, dried fruits, dried beans and peas, and enriched whole-grain cereals and bread. You need to also eat foods rich in Vitamin C, like citrus fruits, to help your body absorb the iron. The dark green leafy veggies are also your best source of folic acid. You’ll only get vitamin B-12 by eating animal foods — especially meat, fish, eggs and milk. That’s a real challenge to those following a strict vegan diet.

Who is at Risk?

Your diet isn’t the only thing that can put you at risk of an iron deficiency. You may eat all the right foods but have an intestinal disorder — like Crohn’s disease or celiac disease — that keeps you from properly absorbing the nutrients you eat. Other causes of anemia include:

Significant blood loss
Heavy menstrual periods
Possible reactions to birth control
Kidney disease

Importance of Treatment

Anemia may not sound threatening, but there can be complications if you don’t treat it. In addition to severe fatigue, anemia can cause pregnancy complications. And if left unchecked too long, it can eventually lead to heart problems because the heart needs to pump more blood to compensate for the lack of oxygen in the blood. That can ultimately lead to an enlarged heart or even heart failure.

Finding out if you have an iron deficiency takes just a few days. The professionals at your local Any Lab Test Now location can help you find out if you need to take the next step with your doctor to boost your iron and change your health for the better.