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Foundational Lab Tests

Top Foundational Tests

These are the main tests that are used in my program packages. Others may be recommended based off of your needs and findings, you can read about other tests offered HERE

Organic Acids Test

Organic Acids Testing (OAT test) is a functional and applicable way to look into your bio-individual needs and give us a comprehensive, broad view into your health.

The OAT Test has 74 different markers covering energy production, vitamins, oxidative stress and antioxidants, detoxification, neurotransmitters, intestinal yeast and bacteria, oxalates and more. It is an ideal test to start with when you are looking to optimize health and work to prevent disease and get rid of health symptoms.

WHAT IT SHOWS US:

  • Fat burning
  • Carb burning
  • Vitamin mineral deficiencies
  • Amino acid insufficiencies
  • Oxidative damage and  antioxidant markers (glutathione, CoQ10, Lipoic acid)
  • Detox sufficiency markers
  • Neuro metabolites
  • Energy production
  • Methylation sufficiency status
  • Specific dysbiosis markers for bacterial and yeast overgrowth

For complete information on this test please visit HERE

Testing: urine test

 FAQ:
  • Advantages of this test: It is a simple urine test that is delivered straight to you and taken in the privacy of your own home. It is one of the most valuable and cost-effective tests you can perform as a functional approach to a "wellness check-up," to give us a detailed look at your overall health and help us identify the underlying causes of health symptoms or obstacles.

GI MAP 

Diagnostic Solutions Laboratory- Gut panel

The Diagnostic Solutions Laboratory GI Microbial Assay Plus (“GI-MAP”) includes markers for gluten sensitivity (anti-gliadin IgA), inflammation in the gut (calprotectin), immunity in the gut (SIgA), pancreatic enzyme sufficiency (elastase), and occult blood. It also looks for the presence of pathogens – including H Pylori and other bacteria, parasites, worms and viruses – in the gastrointestinal tract.
MARKERS INCLUDED ON THIS TEST:
  • Bacterial Pathogens (Campylobacter, C difficile Toxin A & B, EHEC, E coli 0157, EIEC/Shigella, ETEC LT/ST, Salmonella, Shiga-like Toxins, Shigella, etc.)
  • Parasitic Pathogens (Cryptosporidium, Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia)
  • Viral Pathogens (Adenovirus, Norovirus, Rotavirus)
  • H pylori (H Pylori, with 7 virulence factors)
  • Normal Bacterial Flora (Bacteroides Fragilis, Bifidobacter, Enterococcus, E. coli, Lactobacillus, Clostridium Spp., Enterobacter Spp.)
  • Phyla Microbiota (Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Bateroidetes/Firmicutes ratio)
  • Opportunistic Bacteria (Bacillus, Enterococcus, Morganella,  Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, etc)
  • Autoimmune Triggers (Citrobacter, Klebsiella, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Prevotella Copri, Proteus Spp etc)
  • Parasites (Blastocystis hominis, Dientamoeba fragilis, Endolimax nana, Entamoeba coli, Chilomastix mesnelli, Cyclospora, Pentatrichomonas)
  • Fungi/Yeast (Candida albicans, Candida spp., Geotricum spp., Microsporidia spp., Rodotorula spp.)
  • Viruses (Cytomegalovirus, Epstein Barr Virus)
  • Worms (Ancylostoma duodenale, Ascaris lumbricoides, Necator americanus, Trichuris trichiura, Taenia spp)
  • Additional Tests (Elastase, Steatocrit, SIgA, Anti-Gliadin, Calprotectin, b-Glucuronidase, Occult Blood)
  • Antibiotic Resistance Genes

To detect pathogens, the lab uses Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), or quantitative PCR (qPCR), which combines amplification and detection into one step. qPCR “is one of the most powerful and sensitive gene analysis techniques available to detect the DNA of microorganisms.

TEST DETAILS:
  • Test Type: Stool (1-day single specimen collection)
FAQs:
  • Advantages of this test:
    • The GI-MAP is the first FDA-approved DNA/PCR assay for GI pathogens, making the results more widely accepted.
    • PCR technology provides the ability to identify bacteria, parasites, viruses, and fungi regardless of their viability in the sample. Stool cultures grow only aerobic bacteria but 95% of the bacteria in the digestive system are anaerobic, including the pathogens. It is not possible to measure strict anaerobes, viruses, or virulence factors with a culture based test. Parasites need to be in high numbers to be detected by microscopy, so there are times when O&P (Ova & Parasite) testing may miss pathogens that might be detected by PCR.
    • It tests for H pylori and identifies if the H pylori is one of the more virulent strains (cagA or vacA) which has been associated with ulcers and gastric cancer.
    • DNA/PCR assays are superior at detecting Giardia and E histo, as very low amounts of these parasites are typically shed in the stool.
    • DNA/PCR assays are far more sensitive in picking up Candida than culture-based stool tests.
    • In addition to looking for pathogens, this test panel contains several additional markers which can provide invaluable insight into gut immunity (SIgA), gut inflammation (lactoferrin), pancreatic enzyme sufficiency (elastase), and gluten sensitivity (anti-gliadin).
  • Disadvantages of this test:
    • At this time, it does not test for Iodamoeba butschlii (a type of parasite)

DUTCH Adrenal, Hormone Testing

The Precision Analytical DUTCH hormone test panels provide you with detailed information on how adrenal and sex hormones are being produced AND metabolized in the body. DUTCH stands for Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones.

MARKERS INCLUDED ON THIS TEST:

Precision Analytical DUTCH test panels:

  • DUTCH Complete (DUTCH Adrenals + DUTCH Hormone Metabolites Profiles + Melatonin), the DUTCH Complete now includes the following additional markers
    • Homovanillate (HVA) – the primary dopamine metabolite
    • Vanilmandelate (VMA) – the primary norepinephrine and epinephrine metabolite
    • 5-hydroxyindoleacetate (5HIAA) – the primary serotonin metabolite
    • Methylmalonate (MMA) – elevated if patients are vitamin B12 deficient
    • Xanthurenate – elevated if patients are vitamin B6 deficient
    • Pyroglutamate – elevated if patients are glutathione deficient

TEST DETAILS:

  • Test Type: Dried Urine (urine is collected onto filter paper strips at 4 specific times throughout the day)
 FAQ:
  • Advantages of this test:
    • In addition to measuring daily free cortisol levels (the amount of available cortisol circulating in the body), the DUTCH test tells you about metabolized cortisol (the amount of cortisol the adrenals are producing or clearing), sex hormone levels, whether phase I (hydroxylation) and phase II (methylation) of estrogen metabolism is good or poor, and if DHEA and testosterone are being pushed down the more androgenic pathways.
    • Because the DUTCH test kit is small, dried urine is fairly stable, and samples are mailed back to the lab in a standard envelope, the DUTCH Complete may be a less expensive adrenal/hormone test for those who are overseas.

Comprehensive Thyroid Panel

The The Thyroid Secret Root Cause Plus Panel panel contains 7 tests with 59 biomarkers.

The Thyroid Secret Root Cause Plus Panel contains the following tests.

  • CBC (includes Differential and Platelets)
  • Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)
  • T3 Reverse (RT3), LC/MS/MS
  • T3, Free
  • T4, Free
  • Thyroid Peroxidase and Thyroglobulin Antibodies
  • TSH

For complete information on this test please visit HERE

Testing: specimens will be collected at a local testing center, located HERE

 FAQ:
  • Advantages of this test: This test offers a comprehensive look at the thyroid that many testing at traditional doctors offices do not offer. Having all of the markers tested offers us a complete view of thyroid health and autoimmunity that is often missed with traditional testing.

Genetic Methylation and Foundation Panel

GX Sciences

For our Foundation/Methylation/Wellness Nutrigenomic Panel, 21 genes have been chosen by our experts to be analyzed for SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms). The report algorithms and customized software will take the patient's genetic results and create nutritional and lifestyle recommendations along with recommended lab work and health precautions based upon SNP results and their clinical expertise. The built-in proprietary software takes out the guess work and allows the provider to recommend the proper nutrition and health advisements safely by your DNA results.

This panel will provide insight into the following:

  • Folate and B12 Metabolism (including MTHFR gene mutation, FOLR1 gene mutation, VDR Taq gene mutation, SLC19A1 gene mutation, MTRR...)
  • Mitochondrial Polymorphisms
  • Vitamin D transport
Testing: this is a easy cheek swab sample
FAQ:

Advantages of test: this is an easy saliva swab sample that can be collected on anyone. 

From Dr. Stewart: The term methylation describes a biochemical process that is utilized in the body for transport of nutrients, energy production and in gene modulation. In patients with decreased methylation activity (i.e. methylation deficiency), there are significant shortcomings in the ability to execute a variety of important chemical functions in the body. These shortcomings can leave the body unprotected from the everyday assault of environmental and infectious agents, sluggish in neurotransmitter production and slow to recover from inflammatory damage.

This shortfall can result in a wide range of medical conditions including neurological issues, such as seizures, migraines, dizziness, depression, anxiety, OCD, ADD/ADHD, developmental delay, autism, dementias and memory issues, chronic persistent infections, auto-immune disease, neural tube defects, infertility and pregnancy complications. Appropriate supplementation with the proper methylated vitamins and nutrients will bypass the genetic and acquired deficits and restore appropriate function of the pathway resulting in improvement in these complicated syndromes.

The proper functioning of the methylation cycle is essential for CRITICAL reactions in the body.