Nutritional Testing

Our office offers nutritional testing in order to determine if you are absorbing nutrients and to make sure that you have adequate levels of key nutrients to function optimally. Not only do the foods you eat affect your health, but the things you don’t consume that your body needs can also have an adverse impact. Your body needs a wide array of nutrients – vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, amino acids, fatty acids, enzymes, and more. Based on genetics, long-term eating habits, exposure to toxins, addictions, and many other factors, every individual’s makeup is different and unique. What some may be lacking in, others may be abundant in. It is important to understand which supplements are right for your body, your lifestyle, and your circumstances, thus ensuring your unique needs are met without wasting money and effort on items that could be unnecessary or even harmful.

Certain elements of healthy nutrition are considered “essential” and must be obtained from the diet. Imbalanced or deficient levels of these essential nutrients have been related to a number of health conditions including inflammation, cardiovascular issues, hormonal imbalances and deficiencies, mood disorders, and more.

For example, nutrient minerals are regulators of body processes and must be obtained from diet or supplementation. Inadequate levels of beneficial minerals, such as magnesium, calcium, and zinc, can contribute to many disorders including mood instability, constipation, painful joints and muscles, and muscle cramps. At the same time, increased levels of some mineral elements, such as mercury, lead, or other heavy metals can be harmful and are related to a wide range of chronic health conditions. 

Amino Acids are vital to a healthy body. They are a basic building block for all protein structures in your body. Imbalances of amino acids have been related to a wide range of health issues, such as fatigue, increased cardiovascular risk, or impaired mood, or cognitive dysfunction. Organic acids are compounds produced during daily metabolism. Organic acids testing is a way to measure whether your body is getting and using the nutrients needed for key metabolic processes. 

Many patients experience chronic illnesses because of nutritional deficiencies. NutrEval® testing offers nutritional recommendations based on a patient’s individual test results. Our providers often use such testing to determine the nutritional deficiencies that are at the root of chronic conditions such as:

• Fatigue
• Mood disorder, depression, anxiety
• Sleep problems
• Inflammation and pain
• Optimized health and sports fitness

NutrEval Testing delivers very exact insights about the way nutrition and the environment impact your body’s needs. Your provider will tell you how you could benefit from such nutritional testing to achieve optimal health.

NutrEval is a very thorough nutritional testing by Genova Diagnostics. It is used by our office to give a better understanding of patients’ nutritional deficiencies. These deficiencies could be worsening or, in some cases, causing unwanted physical conditions.  

More Information from the Genova Website about NutrEval

Genova designed the NutrEval® profile to give physicians a better understanding of patients’ nutritional deficiencies. By combining testing in 5 key areas of core nutrients, physicians are offered a depth of insight into a patient’s overall nutritional status unrivaled in the laboratory industry. Genova diagnostics has created an enhanced report that synthesizes the results of more than 100 individual biomarkers into one, easy-to-interpret overview, as well as a personalized patient supplementation schedule. 

The NutrEval® Profile includes:

• Metabolic Analysis Profile
  Metabolic Analysis assessment provides information on 45 key organic acids. These biomarkers are grouped into easy-to-understand categories, and provide insight for functional support in the areas of: malabsorption & dysbiosis; cellular energy & mitochondrial metabolism; neurotransmitter metabolism; vitamin deficiencies; and toxin exposure & detoxification need.

• Amino Acids Analysis
  Amino Acids analysis features either plasma (37 total) or urine (41 total) amino acids. This assesses nutritionally essential and non-essential amino acids, as well as intermediary metabolites that augment an understanding of B vitamin need, and need for support of protein digestion & absorption.

• Essential & Metabolic Fatty Acids Analysis
  Essential and Metabolic Fatty Acids Analysis provides a high level overview of the balance of various families of fatty acids in relation to each other: Omega 3, 6 and 9 Fatty Acids; Saturated Fatty Acids; and Monounsaturated Omega 7 and Trans Fats. It also provides key ratios for understanding cardiovascular risk, including the Omega 3 Index.

• Elemental Analysis, Packed Eyrthrocytes
  Elemental Profiles provide information in two categories: Nutrient Elements which evaluates intracellular nutrient status, and Toxic Elements which evaluate short-term toxic element exposure.

• Oxidative Stress
  Oxidative Stress biomarkers highlight the body’s current state of oxidative stress and reserve capacity. Markers of oxidative injury assess cell membrane (lipid peroxides) and DNA (8-hydroxydeguanosine/8-OHdG) damage, while direct measurement of glutathione and CoQ10 provide insight into antioxidant reserve available to counter free-radical impact. Additional markers are available in our Oxidative Stress 2.0 profile.

Nutrition affects many aspects of your health. Some of the diseases and conditions affected by nutrition are: Is nutritional testing right for you? • Mood/memory/behavioral changes • Fatigue and/or sleep disturbances • Stress-related/chronic pain disorders • Gastrointestinal/digestive complaints • Malnutrition • Weight issues • Immune dysfunction • Joint and skin disorders • Reproductive issues • General health and sports fitness optimization.

 

Free Phone Consultation with Our New Patient Coordinator