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
SOURCE Quest Diagnostics