Trouble Focusing? What to Test for to Discover Root Causes

You might have tried a number of the typical hacks for better focus (ie. set a timer for a specific chunk of time, turned off your notifications, thrown your phone out the window, etc.) But are you still feeling frustrated by an inability to stay focused on the task at hand?

What if it’s not an issue of will-power alone, but underlying physical imbalances that make it that much harder to control that “wily-coyote” mind?

For instance, just one example comes from a study published in the scientific journal Biological Trace Element Research. They measured zinc/copper ratios of the 108 participants, those who had the highest levels of copper and the lowest levels of zinc, had the most issues with attention.

Other studies have shown how imbalances of neurotransmitters in the brain, like dopamine and/or serotonin have been implicated in a difficulty with focus, motivation, and feeling calm.

The good news is that it’s totally fixable! By running some tests, you can have a better sense of how to support these essential nutrients and neurotransmitters.

I know that going in out to get a blood draw can feel like a real drag, sometimes costly, and in some cases feel quite uncomfortable. In fact, I just hypnotized someone the other day to help them with their deep-rooted fear of getting blood drawn and it made her feel so much more at ease about the process!

If you can get over the hassle or do things to address anything that might be holding you back from doing it, blood, hair, or urine testing can give you a tremendous amount of information.

It’s information that sets you up for life.

So, it might be worth holding back on that vacation or that daily cup of Starbucks if it means that it frees up finances to get the information that will give you an indication of what you can do to get your brain working better again.

There’s nothing that feels better than a brain that’s firing on all cylinders…and the problem is, that without testing, it’s hard to know what your brain will respond best to. For instance, many people who get prescribed ADHD meds like Ritalin, already have too much dopamine in the brain, and since Ritalin is a dopamine-agonist, it leaves them feeling anxious & jittery, instead of resolving what could be root causes.

Some of these suggestions may be covered by insurance, and others you may have to pay out of pocket for. Depending on how important this issue is to you & how much you want to invest, you can cherry pick which ones make the most sense for you. I can send you orders for any of the tests below, but they won’t be covered by insurance. Keep in mind that I don’t up-charge testing for current clients---it’s all at-cost!

Here’s the master list:

Tests that are typically covered by insurance:

Vitamin D---Make sure it’s above 50. Vitamin D is not just important for immune function, but also for energy. The brain needs energy to be able to focus well!

Ferritin---This is a 3-month snap-shot of your iron reserves---without proper iron levels, energy is depleted.

Plasma Zinc---if your doctor is able to order this test, add this to the list! It’s one of the more essential minerals, not just for immune function but for focus as well. Having a proper ratio of copper-zinc is paramount. (*see Hair Element Test below as well---I recommend running both if you can, since zinc is one of the more challenging ones to test for, yet it is so essential.)

Homocysteine---If your homocysteine is high, it’s a pretty good indicator that you are low in certain B vitamins, namely B6 & B12. B vitamins are also essential for having proper energy.

A1C---this tests your blood sugar levels over the past 3 months. When blood sugar is elevated, people often complain about reduced attention, brain fog, and memory lapses. Long-term elevated blood sugar can not only cause Type 2 diabetes, but also pave the way for bigger brain-related issues such as dementia & Alzheimer’s.

Thyroid hormones---Ideally, I like to see a full thyroid panel, but if your doctor pushes back, make sure to at least get your T3 (your active form of thyroid) in addition to your TSH (the standard thyroid test). There are times when the TSH is normal, but T3 is low, which means that you aren’t properly converting your thyroid hormone to its active form. Low energy is one of the classic symptoms of low thyroid. Remember, we need energy to be able to focus!! And don’t follow the standard guidelines here as far as what’s normal---talk to a practitioner who knows about optimal levels, not just the standard range.

DHEA---this is a hormone that is the building block for testosterone, and some of our estrogens. Even in women, proper levels of testosterone can help to give that drive, energy, and “I can do it” mentality that is helpful for focus.

*It may be helpful to run a “full hormone panel”, but I’ve found testing for DHEA hormones to be the most helpful when it comes to attention, and the easiest to increase with supplementation.

Additional Testing:

Hair Element Test (Doctor’s Data)---This is an at-home hair test which can be a good indicator of essential nutrients like zinc, copper, magnesium, chromium, and lithium. While it’s not a perfect test (especially if you are a swimmer or your hair is colored), having enough of these essential nutrients can make a HUGE difference when it comes to your brain’s ability to focus. For instance, low levels of zinc & lithium make it hard to make proper levels of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, and low levels of magnesium make it hard for the brain to be able to feel relaxed enough to be able to focus. Given how reasonable the cost is ($100), it’s one of the first ones I recommend alongside standard blood testing. I can order it for you if you are interested!

Kryptopyrrole Testing (DHA Labs)---This is an at-home urine test for kryptopyrrole levels. When levels are high, they block the absorption of zinc and B6, so it’s another good test to indicate if you may be low in either of these nutrients. I’ve mentioned how important zinc is for focus, but B6 is another one of the most essential vitamins for fighting ADHD because it increases alertness, reduces fatigue, and is also critical for neurotransmitter production. ($138)

Neurotransmitter & Essential Fatty Acid Testing---The ION Test by Genova Diagnostics isn’t covered by insurance and isn’t cheap but it’s one of my favorite tests because it gives you an overall picture of how your brain is doing. You’ll be able to see if you’re low in any of the precursors to neurotransmitters---brain messengers like serotonin and dopamine---that help you feel both calm enough to focus but also motivated. Just knowing this information can be a game changer not only for focus, but also for issues like anxiety or depression. The ION test also includes testing for essential fatty acids like DHA, EPA’s, and your omega 3 to 6 ratio. These “essential fatty acids” are so essential for brain function (they are named that for a reason!) It even includes markers for certain nutrients like magnesium, potassium, zinc, and copper that also make a difference when it comes to brain health. IT also includes Vitamin D & Homocysteine, so you wouldn’t need to get those other ones separately. There’s more that I’m not even mentioning that it covers, but I think you get the picture ;) The cost for this test is $499---it’s expensive but if you can swing it, it’s worth it!

IgG Food Sensitivity Test (Mosaic Diagnostics)---This test is not testing a true allergy (like when someone has an allergy to peanuts & they go into anaphylactic shock) but it’s testing foods that you are sensitive to and still reacting to. Often times, you can do your own test by testing your heart rate after eating certain foods---if it goes up then it indicates that the body is stressed out by whatever has been ingested. However, this can hard to measure, and so that’s where an IgG food sensitivity test comes in. In the past, these tests were not as reliable so they got a lot of heat, but since then, the technology has improved, making them more reliable. Often times, when the aggravating foods that show up on the test are removed for 4-12 weeks, symptoms of inattention improve, along with better digestion. ($246)

Mold Test---Mold exposure, especially through environmental exposure, can create a cascade of neuroinflammation, making it very hard to concentrate. I know this from personal experience. It’s a factor that is often overlooked, yet is fairly common, and addressing it can be a gamechanger! Unfortunately, there is no gold-standard test for mold---most urine tests are showing food-borne sources of mold, which the body often excretes. I’ve found “mymycolab” blood test to better, but there’s conflicting opinions over how accurate a blood marker of mold in the system. Organic Acid Testing is another option because it has multiple indicators if mold is an issue in the body.

Sometimes testing your home environment can be a good option, but not all home tests are created equal. If you are interested in digging deeper to see if mold may be an issue for you, reach out to myself, or a functional medicine doctor that specializes in mold. survivingmold.com can be a good resource for a lot of mold-related questions.

Please email me if you would like me to order any of these tests, or book a consult to help interpret testing you may have already had done! I’m currently offering $50 off my typical $175 rate for a 60-min nutritional coaching consult through the month of Oct…

Keep in mind that often levels will show up “within range” and so standard doctors won’t flag or mention it, but these ranges are based on averages, not on optimal levels.

If you want to experience better brain-function, less agitation, and calmer moods, I suggest you start with some testing so we can see how to tailor treatment. If you are feeling overwhelmed as far as which tests to start with, feel free to book a free 15-min consult to get you going on the right track and get your brain firing on all cylinders!