Anyone done the DEXA scan?

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  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    I've read it's not as accurate for trying to find out about the body fat people care about (for appearance) since the percentage includes the fats in the liver and other internal organs.

    Really? I'd be fairly interested to know if I had a lot of visceral fat considering it is one of the main contributing factors to many life threatening diseases.

    emcdermott85: Sounds good and sounds like you learnt a thing or 2 :smile: I think they are worth while for anyone who is serious about health and fitness.
  • kazsjourney
    kazsjourney Posts: 263 Member
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    They actually give the visceral fat as a individual value.
  • LongIsland27itl
    LongIsland27itl Posts: 365 Member
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    The only guy ny me that does it says its mot dor nody fat and is trying to tell me hos bio impedoance is kore accurate.
    Back to dinding a scanner aeound LI or NYC. anyone know if the radia is pretty harsh like a regular xray.?
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    I've read it's not as accurate for trying to find out about the body fat people care about (for appearance) since the percentage includes the fats in the liver and other internal organs.

    These people want to look good on the mortuary table ?
  • sam308lbs
    sam308lbs Posts: 1,936 Member
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    i had it done twice 12 weeks apart
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  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    anyone know if the radia is pretty harsh like a regular xray.?

    The Radiation is low dose but because its low does is more readily absorbed by the skin. A standard Dexa is about the same Radiation as 2 Chest X rays. I wouldn't have one or let a member of my family but I'm a Qualified Radiographer (who has worked with DEXA scanning for oesteoporosis) who has dealt with x rays for years and have always gone on the Mantra there is no such thing as a good dose of Radiation. Having an x ray examination (which a Dexa is) for no real diagnostic reason (the reason people have them for body fat is more out of interest) is a pointless risk in my opinion.
  • LeanButNotMean44
    LeanButNotMean44 Posts: 852 Member
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    I have had 2 Dexas now, and I love how the report breaks the percentages/numbers up by regions (arms, legs, trunk, etc.). The Android (mid-section)/Gynoid (lower body) ratio was emphasized to me as a really important reading because it does measure visceral fat. I was extremely pleased with the results, because it reinforced that what I am doing really is working. :happy:
  • wwwdotcr
    wwwdotcr Posts: 128 Member
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    Don't look at the BF percentages. The key is to look at where you are at in terms of actual fat free mass, bone and fat mass in kg.
    The percentages on their own tell you very little as they obviously mask what is going on.

    I don't get what you're saying by not looking at the BF%. and only look at the FFM. If someone has 20% BF, that's a lot better than 40%...

    BF% on Dexa scans can be a bit misleading for some people. Most people have BF% checked using caliper testing etc which assumes you have an average level of fat free mass. For anyone who is outside that 'normal' range a dexa scan will show a drastically different number. For example, I had my BF% tested before having a dexa scan and was told I had about 25% fat. The dexa scan then said I was 31% fat!!!! This is because I was quite underweight in lean mass so a healthy kg of fat was actually a very high % on my body. The Dr I go to agrees not to put too much stock into the BF% (I do anyway)... he says to pay attention to the amount (kg) of fat/lean you have instead.

    Hope that helps!

    Sorry to burst the bubble, but body fat is body fat. You get the DEXA scan so you can have a very accurate LBM reading in which you base your macros on. Doesn't matter if its fat around your organs or "visible" fat. When you work out, it will burn both.

    This is by far the most accurate reading with a margin of error plus minus 2%, and is a reality check for most people. Calipers aren't very accurate nor weight scales.

    Reference: My scale said 13.6% when my actual DEXA verified bf was 23.7% in April.
  • mad4beinhere
    mad4beinhere Posts: 63 Member
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    So glad i looked at your post, I have been thinking of getting a scan done.
    Have you had another scan done since this one in June 2013?

    Just going to find MeasureUp now and make an appointment, again thanks for posting.
  • Railabs
    Railabs Posts: 1
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    I actually run DEXA scans. We charge $150 for the scan alone and $250 for the scan plus a coaching session afterward to help you set up a solid diet and fitness plan. We also do VO2 Max testing for $250 and a package deal of DEXA and VO2 for $375. The DEXA is a great tool and I highly recommend it! Not only does it give you accurate body fat %, but it also gives you regional fat, lean muscle mass, overall bone mineral density, and bone mineral density in the spine and femurs.

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