How to get a requisition for some obscure tests from a US GP

[nicholson]

Hi folks:  I haven't posted here for a long time.  I have been distracted, among other things by a case of the (almost) inevitable prostate cancer, the eventual outcome of which remains to be determined.  (I never had any of the listed risk factors for it!)

But the purpose of this note is to ask if anyone has advice about how to get a requisition from a US doctor for some rather obscure tests.   I live in Canada.  In Canada it is doubtful the lab that does the tests here has even heard of them.  Let alone be able to administer them.  The head office of the lab that does all the tests here, has never heard of the 'ultrasensitive PSA' test for example, and that one isn't even especially 'obscure'.  And it is illegal here even to pay for tests you would like to have done, so, given the state the system is in, it will certainly not foot the bill for $700 of tests they have never heard of  : ^ ((( 

Impressed (perhaps I shouldn't be?) by the most recent GlyNac paper, I was wondering if - at age 80 -  I should start supplementing GlyNAC.  If so it might make sense to get half a dozen relevant tests done at Labcorp, and do it again in six months to see if supplementation makes a difference. 

I have approached an MD in Montana who I briefly consulted with a few years ago.  But she has not returned phone calls since I told her what I wanted.

Any thoughts about how to get a requisition for five tests shown to be available on Labcorp's website?  Or would all I would need to do is go in to a GP and ask?  Labcorp REQUIRES a requisiton from an authorized US prescriber. 

All the best to everyone, and thanks for any responses,

Rodney Nicholson.

REGARDING GlyNAC:  Of course, I will also be happy to listen to reasons why I should NOT start supplementing GlyNAC.  But the sheer huge size of the improvements claimed, for so many seemingly-important biomarkers, makes it look like an easy decison.  I have a 115-year old (human-equivalent) domestic cat here that I started supplementing GlyNAC a few weeks ago.  And it is clearly exhibiting one small example of rejuvenation, and no evidence of negative effects.   But the cat is obviously very old with serious mobility issues, so I am not expecting a miracle. 

 

[Todd Allen]

OwnYourLabs offers many tests through LabCorp at a significant discount ordered direct without a doctor.  The blood draws are only done at LabCorp locations in the US but there is no need to be a US citizen.  Here's their shopping list:

https://ownyourlabs.com/shop-oyl/

If by GlyNAC you mean supplementing with both glycine and NAC I have been doing this for over 2 years at a fairly high dose of about 4 g NAC per day.  My dosage of glycine has varied and come from a mix of sources such as TMG and gelatin in addition to straight glycine.  I started it as part of treatment for lead poisoning and I've found it helpful with no noticeable adverse effects.  I use bulk powders for cost, dosing flexibility and avoiding unwanted ingredients in other forms.  Most of my supplements I mix into kefir but for the NAC that was a terrible choice.  I settled on taking the NAC with glycine, the juice of a lemon, a bit of ginger powder, 3 g of my citrate salt mix, 0.5 g ascorbic acid and a few drops of liquid stevia extract in about 20 ounces of water for a daily lemonade where the NAC enhances the taste and I drink this beverage not just for its effects but because it has become a favorite.

Edited October 12, 2022 by Todd Allen

[nicholson]

Thanks, Todd, so much for this information.  Very helpful.  I have contacted Ownyourlabs.com and am awaiting a reply.  But I see that of the seven tests I would like to have done (all but one of them selected from the tests in the GlyNAC paper, PMID: 35975308 - Kumar P.)  three of them are not on the Ownyourlabs test list, despite being listed by Labcorp.

The four tests that are on their list are hsCRP, insulin, Interleukin-6 and TNFalpha. 

The three that aren't are RBC glutathione, Interleukin-10 and usPSA.  The last-mentioned being particularly important for me.

I note that in the Kumar paper, the dosage that got the difficult-to-believe huge improvements in so many biomarkers was 100mg/Kg/d for each of Glycine and NAC. 

For my body weight that comes out at about 7g of each per day.  Which seems huge since my NAC supply comes in capsules of just 660mg!

But it often seems to be the case in nutrition that for many nutrients the amount needed for plenty-adequacy is tiny.  So perhaps 4g/day is sufficient.

And I find it difficult to believe that simple amino acids - of the kind found in many foods - are likely to be harmful.  Which leads to the conclusion that the only reason the Kumar paper created such apparent benefits is that, with advancing age, the human digestive tract is no longer able to extract these two nutrients from food.  But is able to asbsorb them, apparently.

If I succeed in getting these tests done, I will post again whether or not the test results have changed after six months of supplementation. 

[BrianA]

You could check with the Life Extension Foundation folks, they also sell tests done at Labcorp, and might be willing to work with you on more obscure tests? Not sure, but worth a shot.

[Todd Allen]

8 hours ago, nicholson said:

But I see that of the seven tests I would like to have done (all but one of them selected from the tests in the GlyNAC paper, PMID: 35975308 - Kumar P.)  three of them are not on the Ownyourlabs test list, despite being listed by Labcorp.

Here is LabCorp's direct order shopping list:

https://www.ondemand.labcorp.com/catalog

I don't know why only some tests are offered or why the list through OwnYourLabs is different but you might also try inquiring through LabCorp about the other tests you seek and how you can get them.

[nicholson]

Thanks Todd.  Labcorp told me they must have a requisition from an authorized US source, and their 'On demand' service did not list the tests I am hoping to get.    Ownyourlabs has not responded yet.  Another possibilty is that perhaps next time I am in Montana I will stop unannounced at a clinic or two and see if one will provide me with the requisition.  OTOH, I would prefer not to delay too long.  

Thanks Brian.  I will contact Life Extension.

Rodney.

 

[nicholson]

Well that was interesting.  I emailed both Ownyourlabs and Life Extension. 

Ownyourlabs has yet to respond.

Life Extension could hardly have been more helpful.  It appears I will soon have a requisition for seven tests at a price perhaps one-third lower than going to Labcorp directly.  But the tests I need are not in Life Extension's 'Ondemand catalog'.  So I had to order through their main web page.

The suggestions are much appreciated. 

If the results I get seem to be of general interest I will post about them when I get them.

Thanks to Brian and Todd. 

Rodney.

 

[nicholson]

Incidentally, when I mentioned "rejuvenation" in a post above, regarding a very old domestic cat, I probably ought to explain in more detail.  

I have been clipping this cat's claws for 19 years.  As a kitten they were pure white, very slim and razor sharp. 

Over the years they have gradually become 'fat', much longer, almost black and blunt. 

After supplementing 50 mg/kg of body weight/day of both glycine and N-acetylcysteine, within two weeks slim, pure white and razor sharp claws have appeared, protruding from the tips of the existing blunt claws.  It could only have been caused by the supplementation.  However, there is no improvement in this very old cat's serious mobility issues.

My conclusion is that the cat has been deficient these nutrients - and the implied glutathione deficiency - for many years.  Yet she has been fed cat foods that contain glycine and cysteine.   And at an age of 19.5 she has lived about 35% longer than the typical life expectancy of this breed of cat.   

In six months I will know if supplementation in an equivalent amount affects my biomarkers. 

Rodney.

[nicholson]

Hi folks:

For those interested in the GlyNAC story, the following quotation from PMID: 35975308 - Kumar P. - may be of interest:

Near the end, under the heading:  "(c) GlyNAC is not the same as NAC-alone or glutathione-alone":

"Although NAC and glutathione have antioxidant properties, the effect of their supplementation on age-associated defects are limited.  We compared the effects of NAC-alone versus GlyNAC on cardiovascular function in old mice and found that only GlyNAC improved cardiac function and inflammation (leukocyte infiltration), and this was not achieved by NAC-alone.  Human clinical trials supplementing NAC-alone did not find any improvement in RBC-glutathione concentations, oxidative stress, or inflammation (as TNFalpha), GlyNAC supplementation improved/corrected these outcomes in this RCT.  ..........................  " 

So, assuming this is correct, then supplementing NAC+Glycine together is far superior to either on their own, and even, it seems, to the supplementation of glutathione.  

The logic behind this counter-intuitive conclusion could possibly be that, since glutathione is created inside cells, when glutathione is supplemented it either isn't absorbed in the gut or, if it is absorbed, it is unable to gain access to cells.  But the results of this study indicate that NAC and glycine apparently are both absorbed in the gut and are able to access cells, and having done so are able to produce glutathione there when needed.   

Rodney.