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Blood: a window on your health The average person has about five liters of blood constantly being pumped through the arteries and vessels to every organ and cell in the body.  And blood travels fast. It takes only about a minute for a drop of blood to whip around the body. Blood supplies the body with oxygen, food and other nutrients and takes away waste products. These functions are performed by the red blood cells. White blood cells, with their capacity to mount a concerted attack against literally thousands of invading organisms, play an important defensive role. Rather than being an inert liquid, blood is a living entity, teeming with specialized cells. Blood can be separated into about three liters of plasma and two liters of cells. The plasma is liquid derived from the intestines and organs of the body. The cells make up the solids of blood and are produced in the bone marrow. Much of the health of our body is reflected in our blood. Diseases as varied as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, HIV, anemia and thyroid disorders all can be detected with blood tests. A blood test can be used as a diagnostic tool when a patient has symptoms and a physician is trying to diagnose the problem. It can also be used as a screening tool, to monitor seemingly healthy individuals for signs of problems that may not have triggered any overt symptoms. Often timely treatment or a change in lifestyle can avert more serious illness down the road. Common Screening Tests A number of blood tests—some old some new—can provide valuable information on the health of the heart and cardiovascular system. homocysteine and fibrinogen levels can detect the risk of heart failure among at risk patients. cholesterol profile can reveal heart disease risk fasting plasma glucose test, it is an important tool in the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes Complete Blood Count. It determines the presence of anemia or iron deficit, a symptom common to many diseases. Thyroid function test. It can help with the diagnosis of either underactive or overactive thyroid PSA (prostate specific antigen). It is recommended yearly for men over 50 to identify the presence of cancer. HIV and Hepatitis C are blood borne diseases and can be detected with a simple blood test. Blood screening provides an opportunity to peer through a window into the body.  It makes it possible to catch a disease in its early stages while it’s still possible to avoid serious damage and put us back on the road to good health. And it’s as simple as a prick in the arm. Editor's note: Reprinted from the August 1999 issue of HEALTHWire. Related links