The ZRT Laboratory Blog

If there is anything the United States is lacking in the war against the 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is the mass testing required to detect the virus in those with suspected cases and in asymptomatic individuals. In February the Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency, which allowed for “emergency use of in vitro diagnostics for detection and/or diagnosis of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).”…

Tags: Blood Spot Testing, Dried Urine Testing, Laboratory Quality, Serum Testing, ZRT Laboratory, Test Validation, Covid19

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It seems like there is an endless loop of stories these days about new viruses and the spread of disease. There is no doubt that as the human population increases and the space between us decreases, we will only experience more of these events in the future. While the world waits on new vaccines, one solution to slowing or preventing the spread of viruses may be something as simple as adequate…

Tags: Selenium, Essential Elements, Blood Spot Testing, Dried Urine Testing

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ZRT’s Laboratory Developed Tests - How We Bring Innovative Dried Sample Testing to MarketZRT Laboratory has been working with dried samples for over 15 years, and the number of tests we offer using dried urine and blood spot make us the world expert on dried sample validation and commercialization. ZRT Laboratory specializes in dried sample types because of their superior stability, ease of…

Tags: Dried Urine Testing, Blood Spot Testing, Hormone Testing, ZRT Laboratory

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Delivery of the bioidentical hormones estradiol (E2), progesterone (Pg), and testosterone (T) through the skin as a cream or gel (topically) has become a mainstay of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) for women and men. A plethora of FDA-approved pharmaceuticals, compounded, and even over-the-counter topical BHRT products are available. The popularity of these products lies not only…

Tags: Bioidentical Hormones, Estrogen, Progesterone, Testosterone, Dried Urine Testing, Blood Spot Testing, Serum Testing, Saliva Testing

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Have you ever wondered where dietary iodine comes from? Most people are familiar with iodized salt and shellfish containing high levels of iodine, but few realize a vast assortment of food and drinks contain this essential nutrient. What food products contain the highest levels of iodine? It may come as a surprise that most dietary iodine comes from dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt.…

Tags: Elements Testing, Essential Elements, Dried Urine Testing, Iodine, Thyroid Health

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Gadolinium is a rare-earth heavy metal that most humans will have little exposure to. The designation of “rare-earth” element is misleading as it has a very common medical use: gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs). GBCAs were first approved in 1988 to help make diseased tissues look brighter or darker during Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). In 2017 nearly 40% of MRIs used GBCAs, and it is…

Tags: Elements Testing, Heavy Metals, Dried Urine Testing

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When getting to the root of health issues by accurate laboratory testing of hormones and other analytes, it’s important to distinguish theories from facts and make sure that our interpretation of the science is valid and corresponds with what is seen clinically. This month, as the weather and the time of year put us in the middle of winter, let’s take a critical look at a hormone sometimes…

Tags: Thyroid Health, Dried Urine Testing, Hormone Testing

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Mercury is one of the most toxic heavy metals. There are numerous natural and man-made sources of mercury, but the most concerning are the ones we are exposed to daily. Mercury is known to affect the nervous, circulatory, immune, reproductive, and digestive systems, along with organs such as the kidneys, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract. Mercury primarily targets sulfhydryl groups (sulfur) and…

Tags: Dried Urine Testing, Heavy Metals, Mercury, Blood Spot Testing

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Cadmium is a dangerous heavy metal and a known carcinogen. Even though daily exposure is usually relatively low compared to toxins like arsenic, cadmium bioaccumulates with a half-life in the body of 25-30 years. Essentially, the older you are, the more cadmium you have stored in your body. When cadmium exposure is high, it increases cellular oxidation products that deplete antioxidants like…

Tags: Dried Urine Testing, Heavy Metals, Cadmium, Fertility

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A couple years back, I wrote a blog about iodine deficiency in athletes resulting from excessive sweat loss. Later, while studying the kinetics of the iodine loading test which involves taking a 50-mg dose of iodine and collecting urine for 24 hours, I investigated the excretion of iodine in sweat along with urine. Surprisingly iodine levels in sweat tracked urine iodine excretion over a period of…

Tags: Dried Urine Testing, Heavy Metals, Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic, Mercury

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