Mineral Screen (Whole blood)

What is the Mineral Screen (Whole Blood)?

The Mineral Screen (Whole Blood) assesses intracellular (red cell) mineral levels, reflecting how minerals are stored and used inside cells rather than what is temporarily circulating in blood plasma. Because many minerals move rapidly between blood and tissues, serum levels can appear normal even when cellular deficiency exists.

Red cell testing offers a functional, long-term view of mineral status and is particularly valuable for evaluating fatigue, muscle symptoms, neurological complaints, and chronic stress where serum results are inconclusive.

Why do I need a Mineral Screen (Whole Blood)?

Minerals are essential for nerve transmission, muscle contraction, energy production, enzyme activity, and hormonal balance. Intracellular depletion can cause symptoms even when standard blood tests look normal.

You may benefit from this test if you experience:

• Persistent fatigue or low energy

• Muscle cramps, twitching, or weakness

• Stress intolerance or poor recovery

• Brain fog or poor concentration

• Headaches or migraines

• Cardiovascular symptoms without clear cause

• High training load or chronic stress

• Long-term supplementation monitoring

This test helps uncover hidden mineral deficiencies affecting cellular function.

Benefits of the test

1. Measures intracellular mineral status
   Reflects true tissue availability.

2. More accurate than serum testing
   Less affected by short-term fluctuations.

3. Supports neurological and muscular assessment
   Key minerals are critical for nerve and muscle function.

4. Useful in chronic fatigue investigation
   Identifies long-standing deficiencies.

5. Ideal for stress and recovery assessment
   Magnesium and potassium depletion are common under stress.

6. Supports supplementation planning
   Helps avoid guesswork and over-supplementation.

7. Widely used in functional assessment
   Accepted for deeper nutritional evaluation.

8. Single comprehensive mineral panel
   Multiple intracellular minerals assessed together.

Step-by-step: How we offer testing

Clinic-based testing (UK-wide)

• Choose your nearest UK clinic

• Attend your appointment

• Whole blood sample taken by a clinician

• Sample sent to the laboratory

• Results issued once analysis is complete

Home or hotel visit (+£60, UK-wide)

• Mobile phlebotomist attends your location

• Whole blood sample taken at home or hotel

• Sample securely transported to the laboratory

Your results explained

Low levels (cellular deficiency)

• Low red cell magnesium – fatigue, cramps, poor stress tolerance

• Low red cell potassium – weakness, palpitations

• Low red cell zinc – immune and skin issues

• Low red cell selenium – oxidative stress and thyroid strain

Typical UK reference examples (vary by lab):

• Red Cell Magnesium: <1.65 mmol/L

• Red Cell Zinc: <130 µmol/L

Normal levels

• Red cell minerals within reference range

• Suggests adequate intracellular storage and utilisation

• Supports normal nerve, muscle, and metabolic function

High levels (excess or accumulation)

• May reflect excessive supplementation

• Possible reduced cellular utilisation

• Requires interpretation alongside symptoms and intake history

Whole blood results should be interpreted differently from serum values.

Biomarkers included

• Red Cell Potassium

• Red Cell Magnesium

• Red Cell Calcium

• Red Cell Manganese

• Red Cell Zinc

• Red Cell Copper

• Red Cell Selenium

• Red Cell Chromium