...that isn’t found in current patient blood work, but that is done by standard commercial labs when requested. This might include:
NOTE: Research shows all of the above markers can be controlled, normalized, and/or improved through targeted nutrition plans.
Often referred to as minerals, the chemical elements are fundamental to every function in the body. Minerals catalyze enzyme function that drive and direct most biochemical reactions and activity in our bodies. They also shuttle independently across membranes, resulting in nerve impulses. Because of their diverse and vital roles, nutrient element imbalances are frequently found to be factors in degenerative diseases. Research has established that specific patterns and ratios of mineral imbalance are indicative of equally specific biochemical and enzyme function, and various disease states. Such minerals patterns and their derivative effects on biochemistry can be adjusted accordingly through diet. Since the body cannot manufacture the elements — and daily losses are unavoidable — all nutrient elements are "essential" and must regularly be taken in through the diet. As they are easily lost in food processing, it’s easy for deficiencies to occur.
Nutrient element analysis is critical for identifying both the need for and monitoring of either oral or IV supplementation. Both hair and blood testing should be used to get the most accurate picture of nutrient element balance in the body. (Further, this needs to be cross-referenced against toxic element testing done at the same time to determine if one’s nutrient element status is further compromised.)
Metal toxicity is a common & significant environmental health concern. Heavy or toxic metals are trace metals with a density at least five times that of water. As such, they are stable elements (meaning they cannot be metabolized by the body) and bio-accumulative (passed up the food chain to humans). These include: mercury, nickel, lead, arsenic, cadmium, aluminum, platinum, and copper (the metallic form versus the ionic form required by the body). Heavy metals have no function in the body, and can be highly toxic because of this.
Once liberated into the environment — through the air, drinking water, food, or countless human-made chemicals & products — heavy metals can be taken into the body via inhalation, ingestion, and skin absorption. If heavy metals enter and accumulate in body tissues faster than the body’s detoxification pathways can dispose of them, a gradual buildup of these toxins will occur.
High-concentration exposure is not required to produce a state of toxicity in the body, as heavy metals accumulate in body tissues and, over time, can reach toxic concentration levels. As biological levels increase, a point is reached where sub-clinical effects do become clinically significant. In a population whose mean exposure has reached this threshold, a small increase, 20% for example, can lead to a doubling in the number of symptomatic persons. Though a relatively small increase in exposure to toxic metal may seem trivial, the chance that the metal is causing health problems increases significantly.
Lead, cadmium, mercury or arsenic toxicity is capable of rendering considerable damage to the brain and nervous system, particularly in children. Toxic elements produce negative effects through various mechanisms. Anemia is caused when lead binds to enzymes in the hemoglobin synthesis pathway. Arsenic’s cancer-inducing effect seems due to an inhibition of DNA repair. Genotoxicity, in which chromosomes are damaged, is linked to the free radical generation abilities of cadmium, lead and nickel.
This profile helps to gain an overall perspective of patient health, nutrient processing, and dietary insufficiencies. Serum levels of vitamins A, D, E, K plus beta-carotene and coenzyme Q10 are measured to evaluate total body status of these antioxidant nutrients.
Testing these nutrients together is important because nutrient functionality is dependent on the adequate supply of each nutrient. For bone health, taking vitamin D without adequate levels of vitamins A, E, and K may be detrimental since all are needed for proper bone calcification. Antioxidants, such as Vitamin E, CoQ10, and beta-carotene, help ensure proper oxidation-reduction chain reactions.
Vitamins measured include:
Assessing fat-soluble vitamin levels is essential in patients with the following conditions:
Powerful indicators of vitamin, mineral, amino & fatty acid deficiencies and imbalances. Grouped by:
Used to assess:
This amino acid is one of the most important markers for excess oxidation, impaired detoxification, cardiovascular disease, and other disease states. Elevations indicate levels of oxidative damage going on in the body.
Moderate elevations are associated with a significantly increased risk of atherosclerosis. High levels in body fluids of this amino acid have been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease as well as ocular, neurological, musculoskeletal, and joint abnormalities.
Elevations are usually easily modified with vitamin therapy.
Lipid peroxides are the products of chemical damage done by oxygen free radicals to the polyunsaturated fatty acids of cell membranes. These indicate levels of oxidative damage going on in the body. High levels of lipid peroxides are associated with cancer, heart disease, stroke, and aging. High levels of such markers can also be immediately reduced through nutritional therapies.
This test is an assay of total thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) in serum using HPLC. The HPLC separation step isolates the TBARS from potential interfering compounds that can give false elevations in a simple colorimetric assay. The results provide a measure of total serum lipid peroxidation, an indicator of whole body free radical activity.
Amino acids, the "building blocks" of proteins, are found in every tissue of the body. They play a major role in nearly every chemical process that affects both physical and mental function including the formation of ligaments, tendons, bones, as well as antibodies and regulation of enzymes and blood transport proteins. Twenty different amino acids are used to synthesize proteins.
The human body can synthesize all of the amino acids necessary to build proteins from 10 "essential amino acids". These ten must be included in the diet or supplemented to be in adequate supplies. Failure to obtain enough of even one of these essential amino acids has serious health implications and can result in degradation of the body's proteins. Muscle and other protein structures may be dismantled to obtain the amino acid that is needed.
Amino acids have more diverse functions than any other nutrient group, affecting:
Conditions associated with amino acid changes in plasma include:
Fasting plasma levels represent a homeostatic balance between supply and utilization of amino acids making it ideal for repeated assessments to monitor progress of treatment. Collecting a fasting plasma specimen from a patient removes recent dietary intake effects.
Testing of the levels of 10 essential and 10 derivative amino acids in plasma are grouped to show potential effects on:
Evidence of fatty acid deficiencies has led to sharply increased consumption of essential fatty acid supplements. When incorporated into the cell membranes of the body, these omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids function as precursors for eicosanoids that control a host of cellular functions and responses.
The balance between the pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory eicosanoids is influenced in large part by the balance of fatty acids we consume. Since inflammation has now been shown to be integral to so many disease processes, nutrients which counteract inflammation can have profound health benefits. Doctors and their patients need an answer to determine whether they are taking too little to be effective, or an excess such that they are causing other health problems.
Reasons to test fatty acids and ratios:
Fatty acids tested and ratios include:
Proper gastrointestinal function is critically important for general health. The intestinal tract contains significant amounts of bacteria; some beneficial, some neutral, and some harmful. Excess consumption of refined sugars, beverages and other foods, and/or the use of antibiotics can very quickly disrupt the balance of bacteria and function in the gut, resulting in bloating, gastrointestinal irritation and/or disease.
Rebalancing beneficial microbial flora in the gut is key to proper digestion, efficient nutrient usage, and ridding the body of waste and pathogens. Poor digestion and malabsorption can lead to “leaky gut” and immune dysfunction, nutritional insufficiencies, mental/emotional disorders, and autoimmune diseases.
The stool analysis profile Paragon uses is exceptional and unlike any other. It goes far beyond the standard parameters for identifying gastrointestinal disorders by using Microbial DNA analysis to identify microbiota including anaerobes, a previously immeasurable area of the gut environment. While this testing also includes aerobes, anaerobes comprise over 95% of the bacteria in the gut and are difficult to detect with traditional culture methods. DNA assessment is specific and accurate, avoids the pitfalls of sample transport, reports results as specific numbers, and is more sensitive than classic laboratory methods.
Other advantages of this advanced stool profiling are:
This testing offers the most thorough look at the gut microbiome. Easy and cost-effective follow-up testing options are also available to help monitor targeted therapy in patients.
IgG4 antibodies are associated with non-atopic or "delayed" food reactions that can worsen or contribute to many different health problems. These reactions are considered the most common form of immunologically mediated food intolerance. An IgG4 response to food is actually more common than the IgE response, which causes an immediate reaction. IgG4 acts as a blocking antibody, protecting the individual from potentially fatal IgE reactions. These reactions are more difficult to notice since they can occur hours or even days after consumption of an offending food. In some cases, a person's reaction to a food may occur several days after eating the offending food and the link between the food and their symptoms may not be connected. These "hidden" food allergies are caused by increasing blood levels of IgG4 antibodies in reaction to specific foods.
Metametrix Innovation in IgG Antibody Testing:
Common offending frequently eaten foods typically hard to avoid:
The IgE antibody causes "classic" or "atopic" allergic reactions related to hay fever and anaphylaxis and is well-known for causing immediate allergic reactions. IgE food allergy testing reveals reactions that occur immediately after ingesting offending foods such as peanuts or shellfish.
More than 160 foods identified by the FDA can cause allergic reactions in people with food allergies. The eight most common foods accounting for 90% of food allergic reactions are required by law to be listed in the ingredients, and are the food sources from which many other ingredients are derived.
Those eight foods which cause common food reactions are:
Estrogen Panel Testing measures five important estrogen metabolites and their ratios to help women, and men, assess whether he or she is at risk of developing estrogen sensitive cancers.
Estrogen sensitive cancers include uterine, ovarian, cervical, prostate, and even head and neck cancers. The Estrogen Profile measures five important estrogen metabolites, and ratios, including:
“Good” Estrogen
"Bad" Estrogen
Ratios
Advantages of the Estrogen Profile:
Porphyrins are proteins involved in the formation of heme measured in urine. Heme is essential for the proper function of many proteins including oxygen transport, energy production, and detoxification. Proper porphyrin production is essential for our body's capacity to detoxify toxins.
Porphyrins are particularly well suited for assessing heavy metal toxicity. First, the heme pathway is a constantly-changing pathway that is active in almost every cell of the body. Any disturbance in the pathway tends to cause rapid and relatively large accumulations of intermediates, such as porphyrins. Second, the enzymes of the pathway are widely distributed in human tissues, and are highly sensitive to the presence of various toxins, creating the large accumulation of porphyrins in the pathway.
Porphyrin testing helps identify the severity of heavy metal toxicity or organic chemical exposure in patients. Chemical exposure and a heavy toxic burden can have physiological effects resulting in impaired metabolism and cellular function.
Porphyrin testing helps doctors monitor patient therapy.
Porphyrin testing helps identify:
Possible symptoms of toxicity:
Some sources of toxicants:
Helps identify patient exposure to the most toxic PCBs and the body burden of the patient. The testing looks at the most commonly found PCBs for which there are national reference ranges, and that have been documented to cause adverse health problems. Levels are given both in parts per million (PPM) and as lipid-adjusted amounts so the clinician can best estimate the total body burden of these compounds.
Why perform polychlorinated biphenyl testing?
Once PCBs enter the body, they are absorbed by our fat cells and stored. Since PCBs are not water-soluble, they are not easily excreted from the body and can accumulate over a person's lifetime, increasing that person's body burden of PCBs. Polychlorinated biphenyl testing can help determine the extent of this PCB burden.
In adults, a heavy burden of PCBs over time can cause impairments in the brain, nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system, and may cause fertility issues.
A PCB burden affects children more than adults. PCBs are most often passed to children through breastfeeding and trans-placental transfer. PCB exposure in children can impede neurobehavioral and immune system development. These impediments may cause delayed neurobehavioral development such as motor skills, short-term memory, and lower scores on intelligence, psychomotor, and behavioral tests. A lowered immune system can create many problems in children including allergies, sensitivities, and chronic infections.
What are PCBs?
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were used as lubricants and coolants in transformers, capacitors, and electronic equipment because of a high resistance to heat. Due to the stability of PCBs, unfortunately they also do not break down in the environment and bioaccumulate in animals and humans.
PCBs were banned from use in the US in 1979 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). However, due to the persistence of PCBs in the environment, PCBs continue to leach into soil and groundwater from hazardous waste sites and landfills. Since PCBs bioaccumulate, we are exposed through our food chain by eating fish, meat, and dairy products, especially from areas considered contaminated.
Symptoms of PCB exposure:
Symptoms of PCB exposure in children:
Sources of PCB exposure:
Helps identify patient exposure to chlorinated pesticides and insecticides, and the patient’s body burden. Looks at the most commonly found chlorinated pesticides, for which there are national reference ranges, and which have been documented to cause health problems. Levels are given both in parts per million (PPM) and as lipid-adjusted amounts so the clinician can best estimate the total body burden of these compounds.
Why perform chlorinated pesticide exposure testing?
Chlorinated pesticides have been identified in over 98% of all persons studied, have an affinity for lipid-rich tissues, and are stored in various organs and adipose tissues. These toxins bioaccumulate in the body, increasing toxic body burden over time, are powerful mitochondrial toxins, and may be the root cause of many chronic illnesses. Identifying such body burden is why pesticide exposure testing is important.
Most chlorinated pesticides have been banned for use in the United States; however some of these pesticides and insecticides are still in use around the world. The largest and most common routes for pesticide exposure are ingestion through food, from pesticide residue, and drinking water as the chemicals leech through soil into drinking water reservoirs. These chemicals are passed to infants through breastfeeding and trans-placental transfer.
Direct skin contact with chlorinated pesticides can cause necrosis of skin and gums, itching, swelling, blistering, and epidermolysis.
The primary toxic effect of this family of pesticides is at the site of nervous tissue and muscle membranes. These poisons are absorbed across the gut and interfere with nerve impulse transmissions. In humans, this interference normally shows up as chronic neurological problems including mood disorders and difficulties with learning and memory. These poisons have also been shown to cause fatigue, obesity, diabetes, certain cancers, immune dysregulation, allergies, heart disease, and a host of other problems.
What are chlorinated pesticides?
Chlorinated pesticides were first placed into wide-spread agricultural use after World War II and are made up of ringed structures to which numerous chlorine atoms are attached. Of the chlorinated pesticides, DDT is the most well-known.
These pesticides are insoluble in water, persist in soil, bioaccumulate in fatty tissues, and also biomagnify through the food chain.
Possible symptoms of exposure:
Sources of exposure:
Can help identify a patient's prolonged exposure to the most commonly found volatile solvents that have been shown to cause serious health problems.
Why run a Volatile Solvent Test?
Overexposure or chronic exposure to volatile solvents damages the central nervous system and causes chemical-driven liver and kidney damage. Benzene, in particular, has a severe toxic effect on the hematological system and is a recognized human carcinogen. Other solvents contribute to atrophy of skeletal muscles, loss of coordination, vision problems, and depression of the central nervous system.
What are Volatile Solvents?
A solvent is a liquid or gas used to dissolve a solid, liquid, or gas to create a new solution. Volatile solvents are routinely used in industrial processes to manufacture consumer products. Each year, annual production of these solvents numbers in the tens of billions of pounds in the United States.
Air and water pollution are common routes of exposure in both homes and workplaces. We are also exposed by inhalation or ingestion of car exhaust, paints, glues, adhesives, and lacquer thinners. These volatile solvents are used in large numbers to produce items in our homes such as furniture, building materials, paint, shoes, cleaning and degreasing agents, inks, pharmaceuticals, and as additives to gasoline. For those living and working in urban areas, the exposure to this class of compounds goes on twenty-four hours a day.
Solvents are very damaging to bone marrow and have been associated with many of the bone marrow cancers as well as anemia and thrombocytopenia. They are also associated with immune disorders, including autoimmunity, chronic neurological problems, and infertility.
Possible Symptoms of Solvent Exposure:
Sources of Solvent Exposure
Helps identify everyday exposures to toxins from the use of common personal care products and plastic food containers. Environmental toxins should be evaluated as a "first step" to help patients get back on the road to wellness.
Why assess phthalate and paraben levels?
Exposure to phthalates and parabens is more common than many realize. Phthalates and parabens are often classified as xenoestrogens, foreign compounds in the body functioning as endocrine disruptors by binding specifically to estrogen receptors.
Endocrine disruptors are associated with diseases such as:
Other health problems associated with daily exposures are:
Where are phthalates and parabens found?
Phthalates, also called "plasticizers", are found in numerous everyday products such as
Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate ester (DEHP) is a common additive to Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC). This additive helps make PVC soft and pliable to be moulded into eye-pleasing shapes. PVC products are marked with the plastic identification code 3. The analytes measured in this profile are metabolites of DEHP. In perfumes and air fresheners phthalates are often listed as "fragrance".
Parabens are used as preservatives to prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi in personal care products, such as: