I have found that detecting and then correcting nutrient deficiencies is a very important aspect of treating a number of otherwise "resistant" health conditions. Accurate measurement of your current status is the first step.
Measuring nutrient levels is complicated by the fact that enzymes and molecular pumps in cell walls selectively create concentration gradients between the plasma and the inside of the cell for some nutrients. In general, measuring the level inside red blood cells, as opposed to in the plasma, results in the measurements that most accurately reflect functional ability. However, there are exceptions—for example magnesium, for which there isn’t really a good blood test (a loading test is the best measurement).
[[MORE]]There’s also another class of tests related to “functional” levels of both vitamins and minerals. I know a couple of docs and researchers that swear by those tests, but my personal experience with them hasn’t been very good (and they’re expensive).
You can get some sense of deficiencies from looking at trace mineral levels in hair. The advantage is that the test is cheap and easy to do. Unfortunately, those results are easily contaminated (even from things like chromium on the blades of scissors used to cut the hair, as well as shampoo contents). Mineral levels in hair are generally most useful for detecting heavy metals.
Here are links to a few labs that do the right kind of tests:
http://www.doctorsdata.com/home.asp
http://www.metametrix.com/content/Home
http://www.genovadiagnostics.com/
Correcting deficiencies is a whole other art and science, because so many factors are involved: everything from stomach acid to minerals that compete, to gut dysbiosis, to the form of supplement that’s used, associated microcontaminants, competing foods or drugs (including alcohol), etc, etc.
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