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What is a Metabolic Profile?

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

A metabolic profile is a term that may be used in a variety of ways in the medical field. Some use it to specifically refer to tests that evaluate the blood for certain aspects of health. These may be called metabolic panels too, and may either be a complete or basic panel, depending on the number of tests that are done on the blood. Alternately, the metabolic profile could be used as profiling is used, to determine a type of something. For instance what would blood work of varying kinds say about people who exercise regularly or who are born to mothers with certain types of diseases? Profiling of this nature can help predict either health concerns or health benefits of certain groups.

The first way in which metabolic profile is used may refer to metabolic panels. These are very often blood tests that could be ordered to watch body function of certain types for people with disease or to evaluate blood to determine health issues. The complete metabolic panel measures 14 different elements that might be revealing. Some of the tests look at protein levels in blood serum, and others measure electrolyte balance, which when askew may cause problems. Additionally, calcium and glucose levels are measured.

The complete metabolic panel measures 14 different elements of the body.
The complete metabolic panel measures 14 different elements of the body.

A complete profile or panel can keenly evaluate function of the kidneys and liver by looking at how the blood reflects generation and handling of waste by these organs. A simple difference between complete and basic panel is that basic panels leave off evaluation of liver function. The basic panel also omits blood protein tests for albumin and total protein. Depending on the reason for the blood panel, doctors may opt to order a basic or complete profile.

Metabolic profiling is a series of blood tests that help physicians diagnose medical problems.
Metabolic profiling is a series of blood tests that help physicians diagnose medical problems.

In contrast to metabolic profile referring to a blood test a person might have, the medical or scientific community may speak more generally about the profile of types of people who have certain behaviors in common or bear the same type of genetic background or prevalence for disease. For instance, in order to diagnose diseases, doctors look at the numbers that appear on blood testing to see if they fit a profile for certain illnesses. Someone with kidney disease, for instance, is going to have distinct results on one of these blood tests that fit the profile for most or all people who have kidney disorders or diseases.

The most common metabolic profiling tests, the basic panel, generally measures only 8 elements.
The most common metabolic profiling tests, the basic panel, generally measures only 8 elements.

When a profile or a series of symptoms is established, it can be very useful for diagnosing a single person or it can be helpful in studying large groups of people. Laboratory studies may be either somewhat whimsical or deadly serious. For instance some studies have shown that people who crave chocolate tend to have a similar metabolic profile to each other, while other studies have evaluated how trends in profiles increase risk for developing illnesses, indicating need to watch people that fit certain profiles more closely.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent TheHealthBoard contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

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Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent TheHealthBoard contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

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Discussion Comments

Drentel

I agree with @mobilian33 that blood panels and metabolic profiles are a better way of diagnosing patients than simply doing the regular hands on examination that the doctor does, but it's unbelievable all the different tests they have.

I was having problems with my feet swelling, and the possible causes were narrowed down. The doctor then asked which blood tests I wanted to do first. I didn't realize they would have to do all of these tests separately . I don't know how many tests they ended up doing, but I had to pay for most of them since my insurance didn't cover all of them.

What's worse, after all the test were completed, we still don't know what is causing the swelling and pain in my feet.

mobilian33

When I was a kid and went to the doctor because I was sick, he didn't take any blood for blood tests. He would look in my mouth, feel around my neck, look in my ears and up my nose and all the time he was doing these things he would be asking my mother questions about how I was feeling. He wanted to know whether I was eating and how much I was sleeping and so on.

After about 10 minutes of this he would tell my mother what was wrong with me and give me a shot or write a prescription we had to get filled at the drug store.

When I go to the doctor now, everything seems to depend on the blood. They take my blood and they can tell almost everything they need to know about me, and why I'm not feeling well. Medicine has come a long way in the last 40 years.

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    • The complete metabolic panel measures 14 different elements of the body.
      By: Boggy
      The complete metabolic panel measures 14 different elements of the body.
    • Metabolic profiling is a series of blood tests that help physicians diagnose medical problems.
      By: Kasia Bialasiewicz
      Metabolic profiling is a series of blood tests that help physicians diagnose medical problems.
    • The most common metabolic profiling tests, the basic panel, generally measures only 8 elements.
      By: spflaum
      The most common metabolic profiling tests, the basic panel, generally measures only 8 elements.
    • A metabolic profile may evaluate liver function.
      By: pankajstock123
      A metabolic profile may evaluate liver function.