Lab tests offer insights for individuals who
may experience inadequate intake of essential nutrients due to
dietary restrictions, certain prescription medications, or chronic
health conditions
SECAUCUS, N.J., Aug. 15,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- 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."
Consumer-Initiated Testing with Physician Oversight
Micronutrient Deficiency Panels are available for individuals to
purchase directly on questhealth.com. Unlike traditional
direct-to-consumer tests, each of the Quest lab tests available on
questhealth.com involve physician oversight. Specifically, when an
individual purchases a lab test online, a physician from PWNHealth
(an independent, third-party physician network) will review the
request and place a lab order. Once the lab order is submitted, an
individual can schedule an appointment to visit a nearby Quest
Diagnostics location (one of 2,000+ patient service centers across
the U.S.) for a blood draw by a trained phlebotomist. Test results
are provided in an easy-to-read report on a secure patient portal.
Each individual also has the option to discuss their results with
an independent physician at no extra cost.
About questhealth.com
Quest empowers
individuals with affordable, high-quality, trusted healthcare. The
consumer-initiated test platform, questhealth.com, gives consumers
more control over their own healthcare journeys, providing access
to the same quality lab tests that doctors use and recommend,
offering valuable information and insights about their health.
questhealth.com offers more than 100 Quest Diagnostics lab tests in
categories ranging from heart health and sexual health to
allergies, fitness, and so much more. Consumers must be 18+ to
purchase, and orders are not permitted in AK, AZ, or HI. For more
information, please visit questhealth.com.
About Quest Diagnostics
Quest Diagnostics works across the healthcare ecosystem to create a
healthier world, one life at a time. We provide diagnostic insights
from the results of our laboratory testing to empower people,
physicians and organizations to take action to improve health
outcomes. Derived from one of the world's largest databases of
de-identifiable clinical lab results, Quest's diagnostic insights
reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy
behaviors and improve healthcare management. Quest Diagnostics
annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the
physicians and hospitals in the United
States, and our nearly 50,000 employees understand that, in
the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights
can inspire actions that transform lives and create a healthier
world. www.QuestDiagnostics.com.
Quest® is the brand name used for services offered by Quest
Diagnostics Incorporated and its affiliated companies. Quest
Diagnostics Incorporated and certain affiliates are CLIA-certified
laboratories that provide HIPAA-covered services. Other affiliates
operated under the Quest® brand, such as Quest Consumer Inc., do
not provide HIPAA-covered services.
1Bird JK, Murphy RA, Ciappio ED, et al.
Risk of deficiency in multiple concurrent micronutrients in
children and adults in the United
States. Nutrients. 2017;9(7):655.
doi:10.3390/nu9070655
2Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. (2024, May 15). COVID-19
and chronic disease prevention and interventions. National Center
for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
(NCCDPHP). https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/priorities/covid-19.html
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SOURCE Quest Diagnostics