Damage Control: Risk Analysis

Diabetes, heart disease and liver disease are three of the big lifestyle risks to our health. So this test kit evaluates them all.

We measure your glycaemic control – how well your body manages blood sugar levels and your risk from diabetes. We screen the levels of specific fats – good & bad cholesterol and triglycerides – in your blood to gauge your risk of heart disease and stroke. And we also analyse a complete profile of your liver function as poor liver health puts you at risk from heart disease, low energy and weight gain.

The Damage Control: Risk Analysis test helps fully understand your lifestyle risks and where they can be improved. The test includes:

  1. The cholesterol test
  2. The liver function test
  3. The diabetes test

1. Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that occurs naturally in your body and is found in all your cells. It is especially important for your brain, nerves and skin. Cholesterol is produced by your liver and you can also obtain it from your diet.

Cholesterol is vital for good health and shouldn’t be feared in its normal range. It is absolutely essential to your health and plays a vital role in hormone production, cell health, cell generation and cell function. But having too much cholesterol is a risk-factor in heart disease.

High cholesterol is a risk-factor in heart disease and high blood pressure.

Potential problems begin only when the cholesterol level rises to the point is starts forming plaques – or blockages – in different blood vessels of the body. Those blockages can potentially cause a heart attack or stroke (potentially leading to partial paralysis) A common problem of too-high cholesterol is high blood pressure. This condition known as hypertension can affect younger people also.

Learn more about cholesterol

What are the symptoms of high cholesterol?

High cholesterol itself typically does not have any symptoms which is why it’s important to get tested.

The conditions that arise due to high-cholesterol do, of course, have symptoms and when those symptoms present themselves, the situation can be quite serious. So, prevention through testing is recommended.

2. Liver Function

Liver tests measure specific enzymes and proteins in your blood and can help determine if your liver is working correctly. The liver performs a number of vital bodily functions, such as:

  • removing contaminants and bacteria from your blood
  • converting nutrients from the foods you eat
  • regulating blood sugar levels
  • storing minerals and vitamins
  • regulating blood clotting
  • producing cholesterol, proteins, enzymes, and bile
  • making factors that fight infection
  • processing substances that could harm your body
  • maintaining hormone balances

Problems with the liver can make a person very sick and can even be life-threatening.

Learn more about liver function

What are the symptoms of a liver disorder?

Symptoms of a liver disorder include:

  • jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes) – the most common symptom
  • weakness, fatigue or loss of energy
  • weight loss
  • fluid collection in the abdomen
  • discoloured bodily waste (dark urine or light stools)
  • nausea or vomiting
  • diarrhoea
  • abdominal pain
  • abnormal bruising or bleeding

If you are experiencing some of these symptoms make an appointment with your doctor to discuss.

3. Diabetes

Diabetes is a metabolic disease that causes high blood sugar. The hormone insulin moves sugar from the blood into your cells to be stored or used for energy. With diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t effectively use the insulin it does make.

Untreated high blood sugar from diabetes can damage your nerves, eyes, kidneys, and other organs.

There are a few different types of diabetes:

  • Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. The immune system attacks and destroys cells in the pancreas, where insulin is made. It’s unclear what causes this attack. About 10 percent of people with diabetes have this type.
  • Type 2 diabetes occurs when your body becomes resistant to insulin, and sugar builds up in your blood.
  • Prediabetes occurs when your blood sugar is higher than normal, but it’s not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.
  • Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar during pregnancy. Insulin-blocking hormones produced by the placenta cause this type of diabetes.

Each type of diabetes has unique symptoms, causes, and treatments. We will only be looking at Type 2 Diabetes here. 

Learn more about diabetes

General diabetes symptoms

Diabetes symptoms are caused by rising blood sugar. The general symptoms of diabetes include:

  • increased hunger
  • increased thirst
  • weight loss
  • frequent urination
  • blurry vision
  • extreme fatigue
  • sores that don’t heal/recurring infections. (This is because elevated glucose levels make it harder for the body to heal.)
  • Additional symptoms in men: decreased sex drive, erectile dysfunction (ED), and poor muscle strength
  • Additional symptoms in women: urinary tract infections, yeast infections, and dry, itchy skin

Diabetes symptoms can be so mild that they’re hard to spot at firs which is why testing is important.

Order a Damage Control Risk Analysis Test Kit

Order a Damage Control Risk Analysis Test Kit. Monitor the big three lifestyle risk factors – heart disease, liver disease and diabetes – with this test kit.

Get the convenience of home testing with the reassurance of professional clinical analysis. Your results are delivered quickly and securely online.

This Damage Control Risk Analysis Test is advised if you:

  • are overweight or obese (have a high BMI)
  • are, or have been, a smoker
  • are aged over 40
  • don’t do much exercise or lead a sedentary lifestyle
  • drink alcohol regularly or are a binge drinker
  • suffer from an eating disorder
  • are taking medications that cause toxic liver disease, which includes too much paracetamol, ibuprofen & aspirin
  • have had gallstones
  • have had gastrointestinal disease (e.g. IBS)
  • take performance enhancing drugs, including steroids and creatine
  • have an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism)
  • have, or have had, high blood pressure
  • have diabetes, or impaired glucose tolerance
  • have family history of heart, liver disease or diabetes
  • have immediate family who have had a heart attack, stroke, heart bypass surgery or diabetes
  • have kidney disease
  • have polycystic ovary syndrome
  • want the convenience of home testing without waiting for a GP appointment
  • need a high quality, clinically accredited test done in a professional clinical laboratory

What is tested?

  1. Cholesterol: good cholesterol, bad cholesterol, triglycerides
  2. Liver Function: alanine aminostransferase, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, gamma-glutamyl transferase, globulins, total protein
  3. Diabetes: glycated Haemoglobin (HbA1c) 

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SIGNIFICANCE: Diabetes, heart disease and liver disease are three of the big lifestyle risks to our health. This test kit evaluates them all: how well your body manages blood sugar levels; levels of specific fats in your blood and your liver function. This helps fully understand your lifestyle risks and where they can be improved.

May 8, 2020