8 Weight Loss Blood Tests that You Need to do Today!

You have restricted fat, sugar, oil, and rice from the diet; have you ever pushed yourself to the extremes of exercise but still, you are gaining weight!  

You fail to see the reason behind unexplained weight gain.

Well, you are still missing out on an important aspect, your physiological health. In simpler terms, your blood may have the answer to it.

Hence you ought to be aware of the blood tests that can help you detect your weight gain reasons. 

Complete Liver Profile | Lipid profile | Thyroid hormone test or thyroid blood test | Diabetes or insulin profile test. | Iron tests  |  Vitamin D and vitamin B12 tests | Sex hormone tests  | Stress hormone tests  

There are a lot more reasons for resistant weight loss than just a bad diet and lifestyle.

Hormones and weight loss are some of the oldest associations you can find.

Blood tests will help you determine your hormonal status accurately, indirectly helping the investigation of weight gain. 

Watch the video to know why blood tests or lab tests are important for weight loss.

8 Recommended Blood Tests for Weight Loss

We bring to you these proven blood tests that will help you determine the root cause of your weight gain which will further aid you in fighting the cause in order to fight the weight,

1. Complete Liver Profile

The blood tests that come under the liver profile or liver function tests are ALT, AST, and GGT.

Why request these blood tests is because the liver is one of the major organs in the body which takes care of detoxification.

Detoxification is nothing but getting rid of the toxins, which also include excess fat, from the body. The liver helps in fat metabolism. [1]

An overworked liver or a dysfunctional one can mean a buildup of toxins in the blood, inflammation as seen in obesity, and a fat accumulation around the belly.

All of us know how stubborn belly fat is to lose! So if you are looking at long-term weight loss, pay attention to your liver health.  That may hold a clue to your weighty issues!

2. Lipid Profile

The test which comes next in line is the lipid or the fat profile test. The blood test that comes under a lipid profile test is HDL cholesterol levels, LDL cholesterol levels, total cholesterol, and triglycerides.

As you may know, high levels of LDL and total cholesterol sound an alarm bell for your overall health; not just weight loss.

On the other hand,  a high or optimum level of HDL or good cholesterol is definitely a good sign. Get this report to a nutritionist for a diet-related solution.

3. Thyroid Hormone Test or a Thyroid Blood Test

A thyroid hormone blood test involves measuring T3, T4, and TSH levels. Do you know, the thyroid hormone works on every cell of the body controlling it. This also means our metabolism.

A thyroid-stimulating hormone high level can cause a reduction in your metabolic rate (the amount of energy always burnt for heart beating, thinking, breathing, etc).[2]

Not good news if you’re looking for weight loss. Read more about how thyroid hormones affect your weight.

4. Diabetes or Insulin Profile Test

A fasting and postprandial blood glucose test, same for the insulin levels can be done. Insulin is known to be a fat-building hormone. So excess levels are sure to guarantee the accumulation of fat in the body.

Not only does insulin result in fat storage, but it also prevents the breakdown of fat as an energy source.

Diabetes is a condition signified by an increase in circulating insulin levels, leading to insulin resistance. Hence it is common sense to get your blood sugar and insulin levels tested.

5. Iron Tests

The blood tests that you can request at serum iron, hemoglobin, ferritin, transferrin, total iron-binding capacity.

This will help you understand your iron status. Now, weight loss is dependent on the availability of many nutrients, iron being one of them. If you are iron deficient, then you may experience fatigue and tiredness.

In this scenario, even your metabolism slows down. Exercise may also seem like a difficult task when deficient in iron.

Your dietician can help you out with ways to prevent iron deficiency by altering your diet. And studies have shown that correcting iron deficiency induces weight loss. [3]

6. Vitamin D and Vitamin B12 Tests

Vitamins and weight loss? Let us tell you the results of a study. Researchers have found that our body has a switch to control weight.

The minute it reaches a set mark, it tries to maintain our body weight at that mark.

The entire problem starts when this set mark increases which happens during winters. Winters are also when vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, is not available.

So when you are deficient in this vitamin, your body thinks it is winter and starts piling on fat! [4] Similarly, B-complex vitamins are important for the digestion and utilization of carbohydrates in the diet.

In their absence, this process gets disrupted leading to fat deposition. Hence it is important to have a diet that is replete with these nutrients.

7. Sex Hormone Tests

Women can struggle with a weight if they have a polycystic ovarian syndrome or PCOS. Women with PCOS have high levels of male hormones namely testosterone and insulin.

These present as menstrual irregularities and weight gain among others. Observational studies among young women with PCOS showed longitudinal weight gain. [5]

You can request for total and free testosterone test.  We present a detailed view of how PCOS affects weight.

8. Stress Hormone Tests

Different hormones are released under stressful situations that lead to weight gain and obesity.

It has been found that the body also releases a hormone called cortisol when it is under stress.

This hormone not only leads to the storage of body fat but also increases food cravings and encourages hunger pangs for fatty or sugary foods. You can request a cortisol blood test.

So there you go, a complete list of blood tests that will help you understand your body well and help you make wise dietary decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is there a blood test for weight loss?

A: There are multiple blood tests that you can take for weight loss like 1)Complete Liver Profile 2) Lipid Profile 3)Thyroid Hormone Test or a Thyroid Blood Test 4)Diabetes or Insulin Profile Test 5)Iron Tests 6)Vitamin D and Vitamin B12 Tests 7)Sex Hormone Tests 8)Stress Hormone Tests 9)CBC test 10) KFT.

2. What are the first signs of weight loss?

A: Feeling lighter and energetic are the first signs,secondly, your body will start feeling more hydrated and comfortable in the first 10-12 days.

Here are a few good basic signs you can look for in your weight loss journey 1)You’re not hungry all the time 2)Your clothes fit differently 3)Your body measurements are changing 4)Your blood parameters become normal 5)You have better control over your emotions.

3. What thyroid hormone helps you lose weight?

A: The T3, T4, and TSH levels are evaluated during a blood test for thyroid hormones. Do you know that the thyroid hormone affects and regulates every cell in the body?: Thyroid hormones stimulate multiple metabolic processes, mainly regulating basal metabolic rate, fat mobilisation-increasing concentrations of fatty acids in plasma, etc., carbohydrate metabolism-regulation of gluconeogenesis and glycolysis. Thyroid hormones have been used as a weight loss tool in the past. Many studies have shown that excess thyroid hormone treatment can help with the increase in the rate of weight loss than can be achieved by dieting alone. However, once the excessive thyroid hormone supply is stopped, the weight is usually regained and turns into a medical condition where the thyroid gland becomes underactive to produce thyroid hormones to keep the body running normally. Low thyroid hormone levels cause the body’s functions to slow down, leading to general symptoms like dry skin, fatigue, loss of energy, and memory problems. A high dose of the thyroid-stimulating hormone might lower your metabolic rate

4. Can low iron affect weight loss?

A: The availability of numerous minerals, including iron, is necessary for weight reduction. You could feel worn out and exhausted if you lack enough iron. Even your metabolism slows down in this situation. When iron-deficient, exercise could also feel like a challenging chore. Your dietician can offer advice on how to change your diet to prevent iron deficiency. Additionally, research has shown that treating an iron deficit results in weight reduction.

5. Do vitamin D and B12 help you lose weight?

A: When you don’t get enough of these vitamins, your body starts to store fat as if it were winter. Similar to this, B-complex vitamins are crucial for the use and digestion of dietary carbohydrates. This procedure is disturbed when they are not present, which causes fat to accumulate. Therefore, it’s crucial to eat a diet rich in essential nutrients.