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With age, the risk of developing many diseases, such as atherosclerosis, diabetes and cancer, increases. Therefore, it is important to perform prophylactic laboratory tests to detect early symptoms of disease. If you are over 50, check what tests you should do to live longer and in good he alth.

Laboratory tests in adulthood are an integral part of the prevention or detection of various diseases. Even a simple blood test can determine the he alth of a person. It is also worth performing more advanced tests that will allow you to assess the work of individual organs. Here are the9 tests you should do:

Peripheral blood count

Blood morphology is the basic test that we should perform regularly at least once a year. A blood count will allow you to assess the number and appearance of blood cells, as well as hemoglobin levels.

One of the most common causes of changes in the blood count is inflammation, which unfortunately increases with age and may result, among others, from from chronic infections, allergies, autoimmune diseases or the atherosclerotic process.

Moreover, the blood count test is helpful in recognizing:

  • anemia,
  • problems with blood clotting,
  • deficiencies of minerals and vitamins, e.g. iron, vitamin B12,
  • cancers, e.g. leukemias and colorectal cancer.

Additionally, performing a morphology with a manual smear allows for a more detailed assessment of the appearance of blood cells directly under the microscope.

Lipidogram

Myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke and arterial hypertension are some of the most common diseases faced by people over 50.

Therefore, in addition to regular blood pressure measurements, they should also perform a lipid profile which includes tests for total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and non-HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides.

Lipidograms should be made by every 50-year-old every year, and if irregularities are found, every 3 months.

High-sensitivity CRP protein (hsCRP)

Increasing inflammation with age may contribute to the formation of many diseases. CRP protein is mainly produced by the liver and it formsthe most commonly used indicator of inflammation.

Increased concentration of CRP protein in the blood may indicate:

  • increased risk of cardiovascular disease,
  • connective tissue diseases, e.g. rheumatoid arthritis,
  • inflammatory bowel diseases, e.g. Crohn's disease,
  • cancer e.g. colorectal cancer,
  • diabetes,
  • viral or bacterial infections and is an indication for further diagnosis.

Glucose

Type 2 diabetes is another disease that increases in frequency with age. The symptoms of diabetes are:

  • increased feeling of thirst,
  • frequent urination,
  • increased appetite and feeling hungry after meals,
  • weight loss,
  • fatigue,
  • deterioration of vision,
  • difficult wound healing.

For early diagnosis of diabetes, people over 50 years of age should have an annual fasting blood glucose test.

Thyroid hormones

When we turn 50, we should also take care of our thyroid gland, especially in women. Thyroid dysfunction is more common in the elderly and may be asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic.

The following markings are used to assess thyroid function:

  • thyrotropin (TSH),
  • free triiodothyronine (fT3)
  • and free thyroxine (fT4) in the blood.

Additionally, it is worth performing an ultrasound of the thyroid gland and the determination of anti-thyroid antibodies in the blood (anti-TG and anti-TPO), the presence of which may indicate Hashimoto's disease.

Liver tests

The liver is an organ that is the detoxification center of our body. Unfortunately, the liver is weakly innervated and its pathological pain may appear only when it is enlarged and oppresses the surrounding organs.

Symptoms of a malfunctioning liver may be:

  • nausea,
  • indigestion
  • and gas.

In order to assess the liver function, once a year after the age of 50, we should perform the so-called liver tests, which include tests:

  • alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate (AST),
  • glutaryltranspeptidase (GGTP)
  • and bilirubin from blood.

Sex hormones

Menopause in women and andropause in men most often occurs after the age of 50. In both cases, there is a decrease in the level of sex hormones, which may be associated with such symptoms as:

  • mood drop,
  • weight gain,
  • libido decrease,
  • fatigue,
  • problems with concentration.

Therefore, every person over 50 who develops symptoms of menopause or andropause should have the level of sex hormones in the blood tested, in women:

  • estradiol,
  • progesterone,
  • follicle stimulating hormone (FSH),
  • luteinizing hormone (LH).

Whereas in men:

  • testosterone,
  • androstendionu,
  • Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA).

Cancer markers

Number of incidents of malignant neoplasms, such as:

  • prostate cancer,
  • breast cancer,
  • ovarian cancer
  • and colon cancer increases with age.

Early diagnosis is of great importance in the treatment of cancer.

Although there is no single marker for detecting all cancers, regular blood tests and observation of your body can help in a quick diagnosis.

There are currently many cancer screening programs funded by the Ministry of He alth.

Laboratory tests worth doing prophylactically include:

  • fecal occult blood (colorectal cancer diagnosis)
  • CA 19-9 and CEA markers in the blood (colorectal cancer)
  • marker CA 72-4 in the blood (diagnostics of gastrointestinal neoplasms)
  • prostate antigen (PSA) in the blood (prostate cancer diagnosis)
  • CA 15-3 and CEA markers in the blood (breast cancer diagnosis)
  • marker HE-4 in the blood (ovarian cancer)
  • CA-125 marker in the blood (ovarian cancer)

General urine test

At the age of 50, it is advisable to do a general urine test once a year. Similarly to blood count, it is a simple and cheap test that can be a source of information about the ongoing disease process.

As part of the general urine test, the following is assessed:

  • color,
  • transparency,
  • pH,
  • weight,
  • content of protein, glucose, ketone bodies, leukocytes, erythrocytes and bacteria.

A general urine test will allow for the evaluation of the functions of the entire urinary system and of other organs, e.g. diagnosis of diabetes or cancer.

  • Blood morphology - what can it say about your he alth and how often should you do it?
  • "Fasting" - what does it mean? What tests should be performed "on an empty stomach"?

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