Turning healthspan interest into clinically useful, responsible testing. Longevity is no longer a fringe topic. Patients are increasingly asking clinicians how they can live better for longer, reduce preventable risk and track the impact of lifestyle, nutrition, medication and exercise. Blood testing has an important role to play, provided it is used responsibly and interpreted…
read moreA smarter clinical layer for aesthetics, wellness and pre-treatment assessment. Aesthetics clinics are moving beyond treatment-only models. Increasingly, patients want to understand the wider health picture behind skin quality, ageing, weight management, fatigue, hormonal change and recovery. Blood testing can help aesthetics clinics add a more responsible and clinically grounded layer to their services. The…
read moreA practical guide for clinics that need speed, reliability and proper clinical support. Private GP clinics are under pressure to deliver a better patient experience without creating unnecessary operational drag. Blood testing is often one of the areas where that pressure shows up first. Patients expect fast appointments, clear results and sensible follow-up. Clinicians need…
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This month we revisit the dramatic rise in the use of weight loss injectables and the important role of pathology and nutritional testing for managing controlled weight loss. The rapid rise in popularity brings significant health risks, emphasising the need for UK clinical teams to adopt comprehensive pre-treatment and follow-up protocols to ensure patient safety.…
read moreDr Riccardo Di Cuffa MBBS, MRCSEd, MRCGP, DOHNS - Viva Health Laboratories, Clinical Director In this piece, we will explore the clinical rationale for promoting seasonal blood tests, with an emphasis on the unique health challenges patients face during the winter months. As healthcare providers, we constantly seek ways to optimise patient care by focusing…
read moreLactose, a disaccharide, is not normally absorbed directly from the gut, but is broken down into glucose and galactose by the enzyme lactase. If the lactase is absent (or insufficient for the dietary load of lactose), then non-absorbed lactose will then pass into the lower small intestine and the colon. This may result in diarrhoea…
read moreWhat is SIBO? SIBO is an increasingly common condition caused by too many of the wrong kind of bacteria being too high up in your gastrointestinal tract. These bacteria produce gases that contribute to uncomfortable SIBO symptoms. The NHS estimates that up to 80% of IBS sufferers may have SIBO. Common SIBO symptoms include: Loss…
read moreSmall Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth is the largest contributor to IBS which effects up to 10 million people in the UK. The analysis of alveolar breath hydrogen and methane, fermentation products of intestinal bacteria post-ingestion of carbohydrates, is a well-proven method for screening patients for SIBO (and carbohydrate intolerances), enabling both rapid diagnosis and treatment monitoring.…
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