Micronutrient Testing and Optimal Health

By Caroline Hoeffgen, COO, BCHC, JD | Reviewed by Dr. Isabel Sharkar, NMD | May 2026

Every day we are flooded with health information on the latest super food and vitamin supplement that we should be taking because it’s good for us. How do we know for sure if the supplements we are taking are right for us? How do we know if these supplements are doing any good? Further so, taking more of one nutrient may cause imbalances and actually induce deficiencies in other nutrients. Many medications deplete nutrients and intense exercise may increase nutrient requirements. Micronutrient testing is the best way to assess the body's needs and requirements of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and amino acids.Nutritional balance is very important in optimal wellness, chronic disease prevention and managing the aging process. There is a micronutrient test that offers the most accurate, scientifically proven method for assessing nutritional deficiencies. The micronutrient test measures the function of 35 nutritional components including vitamins like vitamin A, all the B vitamins, C, D, E and K, minerals such as calcium, magnesium and zinc, amino acids like glutamine and serine and antioxidants like Coenzyme Q10, glutathione, and lipoic acid, to name a few. These are measured within your white blood cells. Scientific evidence shows that analyzing the white blood cells gives us the most accurate analysis of a body’s deficiencies.By assessing the intracellular requirements of micronutrients, we are able to assess the body’s needs for these micronutrients that enable the body to produce enzymes, hormones, and other substances essential for proper growth, development and good health. Nutritional deficiencies have been shown to affect the function of the immune system, which in the long run can contribute to degenerative processes. A micronutrient test provides the basis of a personalized, functional approach in addressing a broad variety of clinical conditions including arthritis, cancer, cardiovascular risk, diabetes, various immunological disorders, metabolic disorders and micronutrient deficiencies.Sometimes eating a balanced diet, exercising and taking a multivitamin is not enough for complete health optimization. Many diseases have at their root cause a nutrient deficiency. Micronutrient testing is preventative care. If you are seeking a higher level of wellness, you need a personalized blueprint to your supplement schedule with targeted nutrient repletion recommendations for the deficiencies identified. Through micronutrient testing, you get a window into your body you normally wouldn’t have that provides important information on nutrient deficiencies you otherwise wouldn’t know exist.Visit Micronutrient Testing for more information.

Medical Disclaimer

This content is provided by Indigo Integrative Health Clinic for educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment recommendation, and does not establish a provider-patient relationship. Individual health conditions vary — information presented here may not apply to your specific situation. Always consult a qualified, licensed healthcare provider before making decisions about your health, medications, supplements, or treatment plan.

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Bartonella is a bacterial infection that often appears alongside Lyme. In the US there is no current evidence that ticks transmit it, and the question is still under investigation. The proven routes are cat scratches and bites, cat-flea feces, and body lice. It is hard to detect, which is why a thorough Lyme workup checks for it properly.

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