A bloody encounter

Monday October 5, 2009
A bloody encounter

SURFING the Net, I found three such centres – two private clinics and one wellness centre, all in the Klang Valley. I decided to pick one private clinic and made an appointment for a “check-up”.
The doctor asked detailed questions about my eating habits and sleeping patterns. I was given a physical examination, and she then lanced my finger. A drop of blood was placed on a slide. She proceeded to look at the slide under a microscope. That’s the LBA test. The whole process took 10 minutes.
According to the doctor, my red blood cells were of unequal size, which is a sign of vitamin deficiency. There were crystal-like structures seen in between the cells, which according to her, is a sign of early liver problems. Apparently, my white blood cells were not moving – a sign of a weak immune system.
Her diagnosis – I had some vitamin and antioxidant deficiency, early liver problems and a lack of “good organisms” in my colon.
I left the centre with a month’s supply of supplements to correct those abnormalities, which cost about RM200. I was told to go back to the clinic in a month’s time.
I couldn’t help but wonder if it is possible to deduce so much about my health just by looking at a drop of blood under a microscope.
With that in mind, I did a laboratory blood test to check whether I had those conditions mentioned. As vitamin and antioxidant levels are not routinely tested and colon health can often only be assessed by endoscopies and faecal examinations, I did a blood and liver function test – the results were normal.
Still unsure, I went to consultant haematologist Dr Ng Soo Chin with my results. He did not think that anyone could come to those conclusions just by looking at a drop of blood.
For instance, without testing the levels of vitamins in a person’s blood, one could not check for the presence of a deficiency. Specialised tests are also needed to study the number, appearance and the function of blood cells.
“I wished the process of diagnosing those conditions were so simple,” he said.
For him, using unestablished science on a commercial basis is misleading.
“And not only that, you are endangering the health of some of the patients who come forward because they may have some serious illness that may not be picked up by these tests,” he added.
But what about some people who actually got better after undergoing these tests and subsequent therapies?
Dr Ng said it may be due to the placebo effect.
The mere fact that a healthcare provider is doing something – even though the treatment does not have any therapeutic effect – is enough to make 30-40% of patients feel better, he added. — By LIM WEY WEN