Published on June 26, 2025
Don’t Guess! Test important health markers using code SUMMER to get 15% off home kits through July 1, 2025.
Why do you want to measure the following today? Here is just some of what the latest research and experts conclude.
Vitamin D
Understanding the Health Benefits of Vitamin D
Dr. Sunil J Wimalawansa explains why vitamin D is vital for overall health, playing key roles in musculoskeletal, immune, and cardiovascular functions.
Key Points
- Optimal serum vitamin D, as 25(OH)D, levels are essential for preventing infections, autoimmune diseases, and chronic conditions – he suggests aiming for 40-80 ng/ml
- Different tissues exhibit varying thresholds for adequate diffusion of vitamin D into the cells from circulation. For example, musculoskeletal tissues function optimally at levels of approximately 20 ng/mL, whereas the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems require 30–40 ng/mL. For immune system optimization, cancer prevention, and longevity, levels exceeding 50 ng/mL are necessary.
- In the United States, approximately 40% of the population has deficient vitamin D levels (<20 ng/mL), while rates in Central Europe exceed 50% and tropical regions such as South Asia and the Middle East, deficiency prevalence surpasses 60%.
- These data underscore the importance of individualized assessment and monitoring of vitamin D status, especially given the variation in environmental exposure, dietary intake, and health conditions.
Omega-3s
Large Study Finds Higher Blood Levels of Omega-3s Reduced Risk of Heart Failure and Death
A study from December 2024 found a 21% lower risk of heart failure and almost 50% lower risk of death among individuals with the highest blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids compared to the lowest levels
Key Points
- Individuals with the highest blood levels of omega-3s had a 21% lower risk of heart failure and 47% lower risk of death (among those with pre-existing heart failure)
- VITAL trial omega-3 highlights included 50% reduction in death from heart attack, 25% overall reduction in heart attack risk, and 77% reduced heart attack risk among African American participants
- EPA may have stronger cardioprotective effects than DHA or total omega-3 levels.
- These findings support the potential role of ensuring adequate omega-3 levels with targeted omega-3 supplementation—particularly EPA—in reducing cardiovascular risk and improving long-term outcomes.
Omega-3s & Omega-6s
Should You be Decreasing Your Omega-6 Intake while also Increasing Omega-3s?
Here’s what you can do to ensure optimal levels of both of these essential fatty acids
Key Points
- Excess omega-6 intake may contribute to chronic inflammation and interfere with improvements in the Omega-3 Index, even when omega-3 supplementation is increased.
- The optimal anti-inflammatory AA:EPA ratio is considered to be between 1.5 and 3; however, the average ratio in the U.S. exceeds 20.
- Lack of response to omega-3 supplements may be due to factors such as supplement type and continued high intake of omega-6 fatty acids.
- Reducing intake of arachidonic acid (AA) and linoleic acid (LA) supports a more favorable inflammatory profile.
- The conversion of LA to AA is enhanced by elevated insulin levels, which may result from high-glycemic diets or insulin resistance—highlighting the importance of maintaining blood sugar balance in managing inflammation. Measure blood sugar health with the HbA1c test highlighted below.
Essential & Toxic Elements (Magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, mercury and cadmium)
Common Minerals: How Deficiency and Toxicity Can Affect Our Health
Minerals such as magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, and others play critical roles in metabolic, immune, and cellular functions. A recent review by M. Razzaque and S. Wimalawansa explores both the consequences of mineral deficiencies and the potential toxicities associated with excess intake.
Key Points:
- Specific macrominerals (e.g., calcium, magnesium, phosphorus) are important due to their broad physiological roles and interrelated metabolic pathways.
- Trace minerals are required for specific functions within the body but exhibit toxic effects when present in excessive amounts
- A summary table outlines each mineral’s physiological role and potential toxicity, offering a helpful reference for assessing risk and status.
- At-risk groups for deficiency include pregnant women, older adults, and vegetarians
hsCRP (C-Reactive Protein)
Could Low Vitamin D and High CRP Take 7.6 Years Off Your Life? Research Says Yes…
New research demonstrates the effect of vitamin D and inflammation on telomere length and aging.
Key Points
- A recent randomized controlled trial found that daily supplementation with 2,000 IU of vitamin D₃ significantly reduced telomere shortening compared to placebo—equivalent to a biological aging delay of approximately three years.
- Prior studies have shown that higher vitamin D levels are positively associated with longer leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and lower levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation.
- The association between vitamin D status and LTL remained significant after adjusting for age and other variables.
- When analyzing both vitamin D and CRP together, individuals with low vitamin D and high CRP had LTLs 164.6 base pairs shorter than those with high vitamin D and low CRP—equivalent to a difference of approximately 7.6 years of biological aging.
HbA1c (Hemoglobin A1c)
A Huge Contributor to Aging and Chronic Inflammation
How does your blood sugar level contribute to inflammation and chronic illness, and what can you do about it?
Key Points
- A video by Dr. Mobeen Syed explains how elevated blood glucose can lead to glycation, a non-enzymatic binding of glucose to proteins, enzymes, and tissues.
- This process forms advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), which impair cell function and promote inflammation and biological aging.
- AGEs are associated with diabetes, joint stiffness, and chronic inflammatory conditions.
- Higher HbA1c levels may indicate insulin resistance or metabolic dysfunction and are a useful marker for assessing inflammation-related disease risk.
- Monitoring HbA1c can offer insight into how diet and blood sugar regulation affect long-term health outcomes.
Comprehensive Thyroid Panel with Vitamin D
Low Energy, Fuzzy Thinking, and Weight Gain – Could These Nutrients or Your Thyroid be the Culprit?
Are you stuck in a cycle of trial and error trying to get rid of these symptoms? Find out if the underlying cause is thyroid disfunction
Key Points
- Thyroid dysfunction may present with a range of nonspecific symptoms, including:
- Unexplained weight gain, fatigue unrelieved by rest, heat or cold intolerance
- Hair loss, insomnia, menstrual irregularities, low libido, and cognitive issues such as memory lapses or slowed thinking
- Digestive changes such as constipation or loose stools
- Emerging research has shown that vitamin D levels are significantly associated with thyroid hormone levels and thyroid autoantibodies; some studies demonstrate a direct impact of vitamin D supplementation on thyroid function.
- In response, GrassrootsHealth has introduced a Comprehensive Thyroid Panel with Vitamin D to support further investigation into the connection between vitamin D status and thyroid health.
Don’t wait on measuring the above—knowing your health data can help you change your life.
Use code SUMMER at checkout to save 15% on all test kits. Offer ends July 1! (Not valid on the T1D Prevention Test Kit or with any other offers.)
Interested in Other Tests?
There are many other health markers that can be assessed through home testing using dried blood spot, dried urine, saliva, and other methods. Are you interested in expanding your home testing options? What other health markers are you interested in measuring?
Let us know – GrassrootsHealth might be able to help you access those tests now!
Contact [email protected] with your requests, questions, or feedback.
Measure Your Levels Today!
Check your vitamin D, CRP, omega-3s and 6s, magnesium, and other important markers today as part of the vitamin D*action project.
Measure your:
- Vitamin D
- Magnesium PLUS Elements (including zinc, copper, selenium, mercury, cadmium and lead)
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- hsCRP (for Inflammation)
- HbA1c (for Blood Sugar)
- and more
Did you know that each of the above can be measured at home using a simple blood spot test? As part of our ongoing research project, you can order your home blood spot test kit to get your levels, followed by education and steps to take to help you reach your optimal target levels. Start by enrolling and ordering your kit to measure each of the above important markers, and make sure you are getting enough of each to support better health and wellbeing!
Start Here to Measure Your Levels
How Can You Use this Information for YOUR Health?
Having and maintaining healthy vitamin D and other nutrient levels can help improve your health now and for your future. Measuring is the only way to make sure you are getting enough!
STEP 1 Order your at-home blood spot test kit to measure vitamin D and other nutrients of concern to you, such as omega-3s, magnesium, essential and toxic elements (zinc, copper, selenium, lead, cadmium, mercury); include hsCRP as a marker of inflammation or HbA1c for blood sugar health
STEP 2 Answer the online questionnaire as part of the GrassrootsHealth study
STEP 3 Using our educational materials and tools (such as our dose calculators), assess your results to determine if you are in your desired target range or if actions should be taken to get there
STEP 4 After 3-6 months of implementing your changes, re-test to see if you have achieved your target level(s)
