Take control of your liver health with a Randox Health Check
Take control of your liver health with a Randox Health Check
09 January 2020
Understanding your liver health
Take control of your liver health with a Randox Health Check
Are you taking part in Dry January? Giving up alcohol can do your insides a lot of good, and it’s great news for your liver in particular. It may be that after the festive period our liver needs a little bit of rest!
Did you know that alcohol consumption across the UK increases by a staggering 41 percent more than the annual monthly average in December? That’s more than anywhere else in the world.
The effects of alcohol on your health really depend on how much you drink and how often, but as the statistics show, more of us increase our uptake of alcohol over the festive period.
So how does this impact our body and our liver?
The results of over indulging vary from a hangover, a poor night’s sleep, to causing an irregular heartbeat, and in some cases, excessive alcohol intake can lead to liver damage. This can be a very serious condition, given the liver’s vital role in the body.
The liver plays a central role in all metabolic processes. In fat metabolism, it breaks down fats and produces energy. When we intake alcohol or drugs, it metabolizes the drug and detoxifies chemicals. And it also makes proteins important for blood clotting and other functions.
Following these processes, the liver also secretes bile that ends up back in the intestines and helps the digestion of fats and oils, otherwise known as lipids.
The liver can develop new cells, but abuse over a prolonged period reduces its ability to regenerate, causing serious damage.
It is not just heavy drinking over years that can cause liver disease – binge drinking is also a culprit and can lead to a build up of fat and subsequent inflammation. The best advice is to drink in moderation. Simple tips like taking a glass of water in-between alcoholic drinks are key to staying hydrated.
Know your units;
- According to drinkaware.co.uk, unit guidelines are now the same for men and women.
- Both are advised not to regularly drink more than 14 units a week
- This equates to 6 pints of 4% beer / 6 glasses of 13% wine / 14 glasses (25ml) of 40% spirits
- But don’t save up your 14 units, it’s best to spread evenly across the week.
- If you want to cut down the amount you’re drinking, a good way is to have several drink-free days each week.
- If you’ve had a heavy drinking session, avoid alcohol for 48 hours.
What does one unit of alcohol look like?
One unit of alcohol is the amount of alcohol an average adult can process within one hour so that so that there’s no alcohol left in their bloodstream.
One unit of alcohol equates to:
- 218ml of standard 4.5% cider
- 76ml of standard 13% wine
- 25ml of standard 40% whiskey
- 250ml of standard 4% beer
- 250ml of a standard 4% alcopop
How many units are in my drink?
- Small glass white / rosé / red wine (125ml 12%) = 1.5 units
- Standard glass white / rosé / red wine (175 ml 12%) = 2.1 units
- Large glass white / red / rosé wine (250ml 12%) = 3 units
- Pint of lager / beer / cider (5.2%) = 3 units
- Bottle of lager / beer / cider (330ml 5%) = 1.7 units
- Single small shot of spirits (25ml 40%) = 1 unit*
*taken from NHS Live Well Guidelines
Having your liver health checked after Christmas is a great way of tracking any changes that you may need to make to your lifestyle, for better or for worse – essential for helping you prevent disease and allowing you to take early action if it is diagnosed.
At Randox we offer a comprehensive menu of liver function tests to determine its health. Provided by Randox to a wealth of hospitals, laboratories and research facilities across the globe, these tests are also directly available to you, the consumer, via our Randox Health clinics.
They include:
- Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) – an enzyme mainly found in the liver. Liver injury or disease will release ALT into the bloodstream, thus elevating serum ALT levels. Moderately high or mildly elevated ALT levels can be associated with chronic diseases, such as cirrhosis, which is scarring of the liver.
- Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) – an enzyme found predominantly in the heart, liver and skeletal muscles. Cell injury or disease will release AST into the bloodstream, thus elevating blood AST levels. Increased AST levels may be associated with hepatitis (inflammation of the liver), cirrhosis, or drug-induced liver injury.
- Gamma-Glutamyltransferase (GGT) – an enzyme found mainly in the liver. Increased levels of GGT in the blood may indicate bile duct injury, hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver necrosis (death of tissue), tumours or the use of drugs that are toxic to the liver. A high GGT level is frequently associated with increased alcohol consumption, as this enzyme is involved in the breakdown and removal of alcohol from the body.
- Glutamate Dehydrogenase (GLDH) – an enzyme located within the mitochondria (energy-producing machinery) of cells, particularly within liver tissue. Significant liver cell damage may cause release of GLDH into the bloodstream. Toxic liver damage, liver cell necrosis or hypoxic liver disease (where liver cells are deprived of oxygen) may cause an increase in GLDH. Measurement of GLDH in combination with other liver markers may help distinguish between different causes of liver dysfunction.
- Bilirubin – a yellowish-brown pigment found in bile. Increased levels may be associated with liver or bile duct blockage (eg due to gallstones), hepatitis, cirrhosis, trauma to the liver, a drug reaction, long-term alcohol abuse or rare inherited disorders (eg Dubin-Johnson syndrome which is characterised by mild jaundice).
- Albumin – produced by the liver, albumin is the most abundant protein in the blood. Albumin plays in important role in maintaining blood pressure and transporting a wide variety of small molecules, such as hormones, vitamins and drugs, throughout the body. Various conditions are associated with decreased albumin levels, including kidney and liver diseases.
- Copper – an essential mineral that plays a part in many enzyme systems within the body. Excess or deficiency of copper is very rare, however raised copper levels may be caused by chronic liver disease or acute hepatitis.
And when used in conjunction with the wide variety of other tests available within the world’s most comprehensive and personalised health testing menu, you can obtain an understanding of your full body health like never before.
That’s why we don’t test in isolation, which can give a patchy representation of your health and can fail to pick up on related symptoms elsewhere in the body. We test up to 350 tests across 25 areas of your health – giving you the power to take your health into your own hands.
Contact the Randox Health team today to determine the health of your liver, and of your body.
Call 0800 2545 130 or click here.
To find out more and purchase the most thoughtful of Christmas presents – a gift card for the ‘gift of health’ – click here.
Want to know more?
Contact us or visit our Randox Health page to view more.
Our Randox Health programmes
Everyman
Everywoman
Signature
Specialised testing
Give your loved ones the Gift of Health this Christmas
02 December 2019
Randox Health Christmas Gift Cards
Give your loved ones the Gift of Health this Christmas
This year, you can give the ‘gift of health’ to someone you love, with a Randox Health Gift Card.
Randox Health has the most comprehensive health check packages in the world, as well as a wide range of specialised tests. The EveryMan, EveryWoman packages carry out 150 different health tests while the Signature package does 350. That means your results deliver a complete understanding of your health; your heart, kidneys, thyroid, fertility, bones and more.
And it doesn’t just tell you how you are now, but helps you to manage your health for the future.
Each one of our packages lasts for twelve months and include personalised health plans, a private consultation with an expert and repeat testing. This unique aspect enables you to see exactly what impact you’re making on your health as you follow our recommendations.
Specialised testing is also available on areas including cardiac health, coeliac autoimmune disease, hormonal health and genetic testing.
The health check packages are available at our clinics in London, Liverpool, Holywood and Crumlin, and also through our innovative mobile health clinic. Gift cards can be purchased from as little as £20.
To find out more and purchase the most thoughtful of Christmas presents – a gift card for the ‘gift of health’ – click here.
Want to know more?
Contact us or visit our Randox Health page to view more.
Our Randox Health programmes
Everyman
Everywoman
Signature
Specialised testing
We Are Randox | ‘Tis the Season of Giving at the Christmas Raffle 2018
This year our much-anticipated Christmas Raffle took place on Monday 24th December 2018, in aid of our official charity partners, AWARE NI and Mind Your Mood.
The main depression charity for Northern Ireland, AWARE has an established network of 24 support groups in rural and urban areas across the country, and also delivers mental health and well-being programmes into communities, schools, colleges, universities and workplaces. Mind Your Mood is an initiative designed and managed by students at Ulster University to help break down the stigma of mental health and encourage students to access support.
Did you know that the prevalence of mental health conditions in Northern Ireland is up to 25% higher than in England, with anxiety and depression being the most common mental disorders? We’re proud therefore to be supporting both AWARE and Mind Your Mood with a range of fundraising initiatives this year, including now the Randox Christmas Raffle 2018, at which, we are delighted to announce, we raised more than £2500 – with the official total still to be counted!
Congratulations to all our prize winners from this year’s Christmas Raffle, and in particular to the lucky winners of our most coveted prizes – a 55″ Ultra HD 4K Sony Bravia TV and an extra day of annual leave!
The Gift of Health: FREE Specialised Test with every Everyman or Everywoman purchased in December
This December, treat your friends and family to the greatest gift of all. The gift of health.
Throughout the month, Randox Health are offering a free Specialised Test, Cough, Cold & Flu, with every Everyman or Everywoman Programme purchased.
Examining up to 150 different indicators of health in your body! The programmes are among the most advanced in the world with our Signature Programme being the most advanced, examining up to 350 different indicators of disease and ill-health. This is due to our advanced technology.
The perfect gift, or perhaps Christmas treat for yourself? These 12-month programmes are guaranteed to give you the most advanced picture available of your current health status.
This month, each programme also comes with a free Cough, Cold & Flu check worth £100.
What is the Cough, Cold and Flu check?
In a world where warnings about antibiotic resistance make daily headlines, Randox Health is helping people take back control.
Antibiotics are used to prevent and treat antibiotic infections. But they don’t work for everything. Taking them when we don’t need them can enable dangerous bacteria that lives inside us to become resistant. That means if you need antibiotics in the future, they may not work. As the NHS says, this puts you and your family at serious risk.
Only bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics, so finding out what’s behind your infection is essential.
With the Randox Health Cough, Cold and Flu test one swab can detect and identify the cause of 21 respiratory infections in just five hours. With this knowledge, you will find out what’s treatment is going to be appropriate for you.
Take the guesswork out of getting better and book your Cough, Cold and Flu test either as a standalone check or for free with or Everyman or Everywoman Programme.
Specialised tests are available at our clinics in London, Liverpool, Holywood and Crumlin, and also through our innovative mobile health clinic. Gift cards can be purchased from as little as £20.
To find out more about the offer or to purchase the most thoughtful of Christmas presents – a gift card for the ‘gift of health’ – please phone our team on 0800 2545 130. You can also drop them an email. info@randoxhealth.com
Randox Teoranta set to host Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Career Open Day on Christmas Eve
Do you have a flair for science? Are you an electronic, mechanical or software engineering expert? Or, perhaps, you are a mastermind of manufacturing know-how. There are world-leading careers on offer for world-leading candidates at Randox Teoranta in Dungloe this December.
That’s the message that global diagnostics firm Randox Teoranta wants to send to students, graduates and experienced professionals alike as it opens its doors to the public once again on Monday 24th December 2018.
Held from 9am to 12noon, the morning is an opportunity for those interested in science, engineering, software development and manufacturing roles in Donegal to have a tour of the state-of-the-art facility and chat with Randox Teoranta staff members about the careers on offer.
Randox Teoranta is particularly passionate about attracting back those who have left Ireland to find careers further afield due to lack of opportunities in their particular vocations. Dream careers in science, engineering and manufacturing are available on the doorstep in Dungloe.
Dr. Ciaran Richardson, Head of Research & Development at Randox Teoranta, commented;
“At Randox Teoranta, we’re constantly pushing the boundaries of healthcare and diagnostic capabilities, allowing us to offer world-class career opportunities in the heart of Donegal.
“Our scientists are working on a range of research projects which will lead to quicker diagnoses of conditions such as stroke, gastrointestinal disorders and chronic kidney disease. In 2016, our scientists even developed a pioneering new test to determine a patient’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
“There are also opportunities for software developers, electronic & embedded systems engineers, validation and mechanical engineers as our technology continues to advance to accommode our scientific breakthroughs.
“Our manufacturing department also boasts a number of competitive roles which are essential to Randox Teoranta’s continuation as a world leader in healthcare diagnostics and associated technology.
“There are fantastic career opportunities here in one of the most beautiful parts of the world – and the quality of life is second-to-none.”
There are a wide variety of career opportunities available at Randox Teoranta. From placement opportunities for college and university students to graduate roles in a variety of fields, young scientists and engineers have the opportunity to get their ‘big break’ on the career ladder with a globally-recognised company.
There are also opportunities for experienced and driven individuals looking for a smart career move. Randox Teoranta offer competitive salaries, career progression, personal development and the opportunity to work in a cutting-edge company paving the way in ground-breaking global health diagnostics.
Healthcare shouldn’t be one-size-fits-all. Neither should your career.
Randox Teoranta’s Open Morning will take place on Monday 24th December 2018 from 9:00 until 12:00 at Randox Teoranta, Meenmore, Dungloe, Co. Donegal.
Students, graduates and experienced professionals are welcome to visit along with their family and friends. Potential candidates are welcome to bring their CV on the day or email it to recruitment@randoxteoranta.com.
Booking is not required, however, more information, including directions, can be found by searching Randox at www.eventbrite.ie.
More information about the open day can also be found by contacting +353 7495 22600 or emailing RandoxPR@randox.com.
We Are Randox | Christmas Raffle raises £4030 for Cancer Fund for Children
This year our much-anticipated Christmas Raffle took place on Friday 22nd December 2017, in aid of Cancer Fund for Children.
Every week in Northern Ireland, another three children, teenagers or young adults, aged between 0 and 24 years old, are diagnosed with cancer.
Cancer Fund for Children helps families cope with the impact cancer has on their lives, and they support them through life, both during and after treatment, by offering a range of free short breaks for families coming to terms with a cancer diagnosis.
We’re delighted to let you all know that we raised a mammoth £4030 from this year’s Christmas Raffle. This money will go a long way in providing families dealing with cancer in Northern Ireland the opportunity to relax far away from the pressures of gruelling cancer treatment and hospital visits.
Congratulations to all our prize winners from this year’s Christmas Raffle, and in particular to the winners of our most coveted prizes – a 55″ Ultra HD 4K Curved Samsung TV, and an extra day of annual leave!
This Christmas, treat your laboratory to the “gift” of Randox Quality Control
At Christmas time all around the globe, people search for the best gift for their loved ones, something they will really like. At Randox Quality Control, we understand you care for your patients, and your laboratory. This year, show how much you care by treating your lab to a Randox Quality Control.
With over 35 years’ experience in the market, Quality Control is our passion and streamlining QC practice is our forte! Our extensive product offering comprises true third party controls, interlaboratory data management, external quality assessment and calibration verification.
Last year we looked in depth at Acusera – our range of true third party controls. This year, lets add another product to the Christmas wish list in the form of RIQAS, the world’s largest EQA scheme. Don’t wait until Christmas to wake up to a RIQAS programme under your tree – enrol in one of our comprehensive programmes today.
With over 45,000 laboratory participants across 133 countries, our RIQAS portfolio spans 32 comprehensive programmes ranging from Chemistry to Immunoassay, Lipids to Cardiac, Drugs to Serology and much more!
User-friendly, one page per parameter reports are available within 72 hours of the submission deadline. These reports enable at-a-glance performance assessment, ultimately allowing your laboratory to save valuable time. You will also gain access to complimentary multi-instrument and inter-laboratory reports as well as an end-of-cycle report summarising laboratory performance for each cycle and helping to identify progress over time.
Consolidation is key – and with an extensive parameter index available (up to 360 parameters) RIQAS will help you to significantly reduce costs, time and the number of individual programmes required to cover your test menu.
All RIQAS samples are free from interfering preservatives ensuring a commutable matrix that reacts to the test system in the same manner as a patient sample.
Additionally, enrolling in RIQAS isn’t just enrolling in an EQA scheme. Our programmes are accepted by National and International accreditation bodies worldwide and at the end of each cycle, participation in the scheme results in a certificate that can be used to decorate your laboratory all year around – not just at Christmas!
So this Christmas don’t give your laboratory second best, choose RIQAS, and reap the rewards.
To find out more on any of our RIQAS programmes visit our website – http://www.randox.com/riqas-external-quality-assessment/ or email us at acusera@randox.com
Randox Quality Control wish you all Season’s Greetings & a Prosperous New Year!
Give the Gift of Health this Christmas with Randox Health
Showing you care comes in many different packages.
This year, you can give the ‘gift of health’ to someone you love, through a Randox Health Gift Card.
Randox Health has the most comprehensive health screening programmes in the world, as well as a wide range of specialised tests. The Everyman, Everywoman and Signature programmes carry out up to 350 tests. That means your results deliver a complete understanding of your health: your heart, kidneys, thyroid, fertility, bones and more. And it doesn’t just tell you how you are now, but helps you to manage your health for the future.
Each one of our programmes lasts for twelve months and include personalised health plans, a private consultation with an expert and repeat testing. This unique aspect enables you to see exactly what impact you’re making on your health as you follow our recommendations.
Specialised testing is also available on areas including cardiac health, coeliac autoimmune disease, hormonal health and genetic testing.
The programmes are available at our clinics in London, Holywood and Crumlin, and also through our innovative mobile health clinic. Gift cards can be purchased from as little as £20.
To find out more and purchase the most thoughtful of Christmas presents – a gift card for the ‘gift of health’ – click here.
To book a health screening at a Randox Health clinic in Crumlin, Holywood or London, please call 0800 2545 130.
For further information please contact the Randox PR Team by emailing randoxpr@randox.com or phoning 028 9442 2413
We Are Randox | Christmas Traditions at Randox
Christmas time at Randox is always something to look forward to. Each year the different sites are brightly decorated, the Christmas tree goes up and everyone is full of Christmas cheer.
And with Christmas 2016 around the corner we thought that we would share with you some festive traditions that take place here at Randox.
It starts with some fairy lights and tiny Santas, and suddenly you realise you’re in a Winter Wonderland at Randox at Christmas time. Teresa is almost hidden at Ardmore reception by a miniature fir tree, decked with balls and stars! Wherever you are in the company, you will find festive cheer – this is a time of year when Randox goes to town, not only for its staff and their children but also charities and people in need.
It began in 1982, the same year the company was founded. Mrs FitzGerald invited all the staff to bring their children to work on the final Friday before Christmas, where they were greeted by Santa and given a present. As the company has grown so too has Santa’s list and this year his very busy helper Steven Moore has searched high and low for the perfect gift for 108 girls and boys! Each year the room is always jam-packed and the air filled with joy and small squeaks of excitement, and 2016 is of course no different.
Over the years new traditions have been added and everyone looks forward to the now legendary Randox Christmas raffle where there are always some fabulous prizes to be won. This year our raffle takes place on Friday 23rd December, and prizes include a 55” TV, an iPad and an extra day’s holiday which is always a popular prize! All money raised by the raffle is going towards the very worthy cause of Hope 365, an Antrim based charity that works to help street children in Ethiopia.
Then it’s time for ‘Secret Santa’ organised within each department. From a hat names are drawn, and you have to buy a present for whoever you pick! This has been a great tradition carried on by Randox staff for many years. It’s always fun to see what people get and trying to guess who was behind it!
As well as many individual team Christmas dinners over the month of December, the annual company-wide Christmas lunch is something many people look forward to. This year we’ll have almost 100 people joining us at the luxurious Merchant Hotel in Belfast on Thursday 22nd December.
Not only do our teams get involved in the Christmas festivities but they also organise a number of events to raise money for charities. This year we took part in Christmas Jumper Day on the 16th December for ‘Save the Children’ and raised a staggering £640.52!
We are also organising a collection for ‘Help the Homeless’, donating hats, scarfs, gloves to help keep everyone warm during the winter months. Our Randox Teoranta team in Donegal also donated 54 Christmas shoeboxes for the annual Team Hope Ireland Appeal.
We hope that you have enjoyed reading about some our traditions here at Randox and we wish you an enjoyable and relaxing time with your family at this time of year. Season’s Greetings!
For more information on our Christmas traditions at Randox please contact randoxpr@randox.com
Talented Teoranta: David McIntyre’s journey from the 2015 Open Morning to joining Team Randox
It’s not every day you get to have a cup of tea and a chat with someone who’s been involved in revolutionising the face of global health – that’s why we think our Open Mornings are so important.
Our next one is on Friday 23rd December at Randox Teoranta in Dungloe, Donegal – if you’re a scientist, engineer, software developer or software tester we’d love you to join us.
During our 2015 Open Morning, final year Engineering student David McIntyre came along to find out more, and was so inspired he left his CV. Now he’s part of our team. Read more to find out why.
Hi David, how did you start your career with Randox Teoranta?
I first came here on the Christmas Eve Open Morning 2015. I was home for the holidays, and as I was in my final year I was obviously thinking about where I would go after graduation. I already knew a few people who worked here and I’d heard it was doing some impressive things, but I wanted to see for myself what a €25m R&D facility looked like.
What was your first impression of the facilities here?
My first impression didn’t disappoint. It is a top class facility and is packed with the latest technology. You don’t see many companies as high end as this in Donegal- it’s really one of a kind. When I arrived I met Christina the Engineering Manager who gave me a tour of each of the departments. I was really pleased that I got to view the Randox Biochip as I’d heard a lot about it in the news, and I also get to walk about the manufacturing and engineering departments. I got to talk to some of the engineers and ask them questions, and see some of their design work which I was extremely impressed with. It gave me a good feel for the facility, because I could visualise myself here –where I’d be, and who I’d be working with. Everyone was very friendly which put me at ease straight away so I decided to submit my CV at the end of the tour.
How did you find the recruitment process?
As part of the recruitment process I was invited back for six weeks to undergo an assessment period which was a brilliant experience. It actually happened before University started back so it suited me perfectly.
At the end of the six weeks I was offered a full time positon which I was thrilled about. I was delighted that I was able to get a job in my own county and not have to commute long distances to work each day. Currently I live in to Kincasslagh, Belcruit, Co Donegal which is only 15 minutes from Dungloe.
What was the most challenging thing you faced during your first few months?
The most challenging thing that I faced in the beginning was getting used to how everything works. This was my first job related to my degree so I didn’t really know what to expect. It took a while to get used to procedures and dealing with documentation – with a global company there is a lot you have to get right!
I’m well settled in now and really enjoying my role here in Randox, especially working with our 3D printer. To be given the opportunity to work with a 3D printer is great, that’s really been the highlight of my year so far as it’s such a unique piece of equipment. I have had the opportunity to create gears and even bearings which has been really interesting. It’s such an impressive machine. We can design a part and print it the very same day. If you were going to do this via conventional methods you would need to create the drawings and send the drawings to a fabricator and then you would be waiting a week or so to get it back.
What advice do you have for anyone who is interested in engineering?
My advice to anyone who is interested in engineering or science is to definitely come along to the Open Morning 2016 and see what Randox Teoranta has to offer. It’s a fantastic facility in Donegal, in a beautiful location and you will get a good insight as to what goes on in a design and manufacturing facility.
This is something that you don’t really get the opportunity to do in college and it’s a chance to get some behind the scenes knowledge of what it’s really like to work as an engineer. Everyone who works here is very friendly so you can ask as many questions as you like. It worked out great for me – it could do for you too!
For more information about our Randox Teoranta Open Morning on Friday 23rd December please contact randoxpr@randox.com
Make sure to share on your social media platforms using the hashtag #TalentedTeoranta!
