Nutrition

Can Testing Help Improve My Symptoms?

Nutrition and lifestyle can have a tremendous impact on our health, but sometimes, nutrition and lifestyle changes won’t completely eliminate our symptoms. I believe this is when testing can provide much-needed clues and patterns about what imbalances may be present in the body so we can look for the best ways to address them.

Why Get Tested?

Here are 5 reasons why testing may be beneficial:

1. Symptoms may be common to many ailments.

For example, if you have brain fog, it could be a result of a hormone imbalance, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth or liver dysfunction. Treating these conditions varies greatly, therefore, testing can help your practitioner decide which treatment route is best for you.

2. Uncover nutrient deficiencies.

Nutrient deficiencies can lead to malnutrition and/or malabsorption, which may lead to other conditions. Here’s a short list of common nutrient deficiencies and at-risk populations:

B vitamins, specifically B12 – vegetarians and vegans
Vitamin D – elderly
Electrolytes – athletes
Potassium – chronically ill
Magnesium – all ages

3. You’ve made diet and lifestyle changes, but are still taking medications.

Once we’ve made significant nutrition and lifestyle changes, our bodies may start to heal themselves, and our medications may no longer work the way they were designed. For example, some people on statins, hormone therapy or thyroid medications may experience unwanted symptoms again as their bodies begin to work more efficiently. Re-testing these markers can alert practitioners to reconsider dosing.

4. Children or anyone who is unable to clearly explain their symptoms.

5. Evaluate if protocols have been successful.

This is important for cases like SIBO, parasites and candida when symptom relief doesn’t necessarily mean the issues have been completely resolved. Re-testing may reveal if bacteria, parasites or yeast are still present in unwanted numbers and help prevent future flare-ups from occurring.

Types of Tests

There are many types of tests. Some may overlap for different conditions and your practitioner may have specific reasons for ordering one type of test over another. Below are some common tests that your practitioner may request.

Blood Tests

Lipid panel, complete blood count (CBC) and comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) are standard tests requested by most practitioners. From a nutritional standpoint, these tests can reveal inadequacies that may lead to suboptimal health.

For example, checking red blood cells, iron, B12 and folate patterns may reveal different types of anemia. White blood cell patterns may reveal information about different immune responses. A fasting glucose test may indicate if insulin resistance is present.

Stool Tests

Stool testing is considered the “gold standard” of insight into digestive issues. Our poop can reveal conditions such as maldigestion of food and/or malabsorption of nutrients that result in unwanted levels of bacteria, yeast, parasites and other pathogens. In turn, bacteria, yeast, parasites and pathogens can cause inflammation which may bring on more maldigestion and malabsorption. For example, if you traveled out of the country and returned with digestive issues, a stool test is imperative for identifying unwanted things like parasites.

Breath Tests

Unwanted bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine may be found by measuring hydrogen or methane gasses through a breath test. A special diet is followed the day prior to the test. The next morning, you’ll drink a substrate of lactulose or glucose, then breathe into a series of 6 to 9 tubes at specific time intervals. Breath test results can indicate if a high level of gas or gases is present which may signal bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine.

Urine tests

Urine tests may provide insight into the organic acid and amino acid levels present in the body. Testing organic acids may be one of the best ways to provide information about one’s nutritional status as it evaluates the by-products created through our bodies’ biochemical pathways.

Every step in a pathway requires nutrients. If the pathway becomes blocked because of a nutrient deficiency, it will cause a build-up of a particular substance. This build-up is called an “organic acid” and may indicate signs of a metabolic dysfunction, intestinal dysbiosis or neurotransmitter dysfunction.

Testing for amino acids through urine highlights how our bodies are metabolizing protein. If the body cannot digest and absorb protein properly, it will affect vitamin and mineral absorption which may, in turn, lead to a whole host of symptoms.

In addition, the DUTCH test is a dried urine test for sex hormone and cortisol patterns and can be a great help in determining hormone levels, especially when considering hormone replacement therapy. This test can only be ordered by a licensed practitioner.

Hair Testing

Hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA) can provide insights into nutrients and toxic elements in the body. According to the Cleveland Clinic, hair grows 2 – 7 years before it falls out. As it grows, chemicals from your body are absorbed into the strands, so testing can reveal not only chemicals, but also toxins, such as arsenic, aluminum, cadmium, lead and mercury. If you ever lived near a chemical plant or other toxic environment and suspect you may have high toxic levels, hair testing, alongside blood testing, may be beneficial to know how to begin detoxification.

There are many other types of testing which we won’t cover here, such as genetics, muscle and ultrasound, but may be considered by your practitioner based on symptoms.

How to Get Tested

Start with your practitioner. Even if your provider doesn’t bring up testing as a possibility, they may consider it if you inquire about it.

Direct to Consumer Labs. More and more tests are becoming available via direct-to-consumer lab companies. These companies may be an option if you have a suspicion, and your practitioner declines to order the test. Most of these labs do not bill insurance. In addition, you will still want to have a practitioner properly interpret results for you as markers can vary depending upon the lab or facility. For example, a “normal” result on a lab can either mean what is common for the general population versus what is optimal for you. Having a practitioner explain the results or suggest additional testing can be highly beneficial. Some direct-to-consumer lab companies are:

If you decide to order your own tests, it’s wise to evaluate the company and the test so you’re aware of exactly what kind of test you’re ordering.

Things to Remember About Testing

Remember that one test may not reveal everything but may provide clues. It may take several types of tests over time to get to the root cause. Here’s where a practitioner can be extremely helpful to narrow down and guide you towards the appropriate tests for your symptoms.

Understand the test and what it can reveal. And if your practitioner chooses not to order the test for you, ask how your practitioner is determining treatment. Your practitioner may feel that testing isn’t necessary to address your issues and avoid spending extra money.

Tests are constantly improving. If your first test provides inconclusive results, talk to your practitioner. Confirm that you took the test properly and, if not, ask if it’s worth taking the test again. If you did take the test properly, ask if there’s a different type of test that might provide better or different results. For example, a blood test can reveal individual hormone levels at the time the test was taken, but a DUTCH test will provide more detailed information about hormonal patterns during different times of day.

Conclusion

The world of testing has improved significantly during the past 50 years and can be a valuable resource in assessing overall nutrition and nutritional deficiencies. The best thing you can do for your nutrition and health is to get involved in your own healthcare. Pay close attention to and track your symptoms, then clearly communicate them to your practitioner. Be proactive to ask for tests and find a practitioner willing to listen and discuss your symptoms and treatment. Testing doesn’t always reveal conclusive evidence, but it can be a positive tool in your health toolkit.

Resources

Jill Dopp

As a Nutrition Master Therapist, I help people meet their health goals by listening to their issues, addressing their symptoms and brainstorming positive ideas while helping them avoid hours and hours of researching diets, illnesses, supplements, and you-name-it on “Dr. Google.”