Diagnostic Testing
We Offer a Wide Range of Diagnostic Testing depending on symptoms and presenting health picture. Following a Nutritional Consultation, we can determine if testing is required.
All Tests follow on from a Nutritional Consultation £65 Naturopathic Nutritional Healing
Here are just some of the tests available:-
Food Sensitivity Testing
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an IgG?
IgG stands for Immunoglobulin (type G). Immunoglobulins are a class of proteins that function as antibodies produced by the immune system in response to foreign bodies entering the body. There are several different types of immunoglobulins with IgA, IgE, IgG, IgM being the most well-known.
Why do foods cause an IgG response?
Generally, foods are broken down during digestion into their component parts e.g. amino acids, glycerides etc. These pass harmlessly through the gut into the bloodstream. However, occasionally small fragments of partially digested or undigested foods are able to pass through the gut wall into the bloodstream where they are recognized by the immune system as being ‘foreign’. The immune system responds by making IgG antibodies to these foods.
Do high IgG antibody levels cause symptoms?
When a food causes the body to produce high levels of IgG then these antibodies combine with the protein in the food to form an ‘antigen-antibody complex’. These complexes are usually eliminated by other cells in the immune system. However, if the immune system is overloaded, these insoluble molecules become deposited in tissues within the body, causing chronic inflammation and the subsequent production of symptoms.
Is it possible to have high IgG levels and not experience symptoms?
Yes, some people do have high IgG levels to certain foods but do not have any symptoms at all. This is most likely due to their immune system being extremely efficient at clearing away the antigen-antibody complexes before they have chance to be deposited in the tissues and cause a problem. While it is true that certain common foods are more likely to show a positive result e.g. wheat, dairy, soya. The reason for this is that these foods are consumed on a regular basis in our diet and along with digestive issues this can increase the likelihood that the body may react to them. While an elimination diet will always be the gold standard, the benefit of doing a food intolerance test is that it will be able to quickly show which of the foods that are eaten on a regular basis, are a potential problem. In addition, the tests are able to highlight more unusual foods which a person may not have considered removing from their diet.
Why test for IgG antibodies to foods?
The efficacy of a diet based on the measurement of IgG antibodies specific for food components has been demonstrated in a number of conditions, both in independent studies and clinical practice. Excellent results have been obtained in patients with migraine, IBS and obesity.
FoodPrint 40+ £111.60
Includes common food groups including wheat, soya, yeast, gluten and dairy
The CNS FoodPrint® 40+ service utilises state of the art immunoassay microarray technology to detect food-specific IgG antibodies to 44 different foods.
FoodPrint 60+ £162.00
20 additional foods including goat’s milk, salmon, avocado and garlic
The CNS FoodPrint® 60+ service utilises state of the art immunoassay microarray technology to detect food-specific IgG antibodies to 64 different foods.
FoodPrint Vegetarian £162.00
Includes gluten, soya, yeast, chickpeas, lentils, goat’s milk and cow’s milk
The CNS FoodPrint® Vegetarian service utilises state of the art immunoassay microarray technology to detect food-specific IgG antibodies to more than 60 different non-animal meat foods.
FoodPrint Vegan £162.00
Includes gluten, soya, yeast, chickpeas, lentils, sesame, coconut and carob
The CNS FoodPrint® Vegan service utilises state of the art immunoassay microarray technology to detect food-specific IgG antibodies to more than 60 different non-animal based foods.
FoodPrint 120+ £211.20
Additional 60 food groups including buckwheat, mackerel, venison, tomato, cocoa, tea and coffee
The CNS FoodPrint® 120+ service utilises state of the art immunoassay microarray technology to detect food-specific IgG antibodies to 125 different foods.
Full Hormone Profile Test (Including Adrenal stress) £286
DUTCH offers the most extensive profile of sex and adrenal hormones along with their metabolites. Additionally, the daily (diurnal) pattern of free cortisol is included along with melatonin. This unique combination of clinical information is not available by any other method.
Effective Monitoring: DUTCH testing was specifically made to be optimally effective for most forms of hormone replacement therapy. Unique methods are used for improved monitoring of oral progesterone and vaginal hormones.
Easiest Patient Collection: Patients collect just four or five dried urine samples over a 24-hour period. Dried specimen shipments are convenient worldwide. Dried samples are stable for several weeks.
Comprehensive Stool Analysis Test with Parasitology £276
The Comprehensive Stool Analysis with Parasitology x 1, 2, or 3 is an invaluable non-invasive diagnostic assessment that allows us to objectively evaluate the status of beneficial and imbalanced commensal bacteria, pathogenic bacteria, yeast and parasites. Precise identification of pathogenic species and susceptibility testing greatly facilitates selection of the most appropriate treatment. Important information regarding the efficiency of digestion and absorption can be gleaned from the measurement of the fecal levels of elastase (pancreatic exocrine sufficiency), fat, muscle and vegetable fibers, and carbohydrates. Inflammation can significantly increase intestinal permeability and compromise assimilation of nutrients. The extent of inflammation, whether caused by pathogens or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), can be assessed and monitored by examination of the levels of biomarkers such as calprotectin, lysozyme, lactoferrin, white blood cells and mucus. These markers can be used to differentiate between inflammation associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and less severe inflammation that can be associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) which is frequently due to the presence of enteroinvasive pathogens.
Cornerstones of good health include proper digestion of food, assimilation of nutrients, exclusion of pathogens and timely elimination of waste. To obtain benefits from food that is consumed, nutrients must be appropriately digested and then efficiently absorbed. Poor digestion and malabsorption of vital nutrients can contribute to degenerative diseases, compromised immune status and nutritional deficiencies. Impairment of the highly specific nutrient uptake processes, or compromised GI barrier function, as in "leaky gut syndrome," can result from a number of causes including:
- Low gastric acid production
- Chronic maldigestion
- Food allergen impact on bowel absorptive surfaces
- Bacterial overgrowth or imbalances (dysbiosis)
- Pathogenic bacteria, yeast or parasites and related toxic irritants
- The use of NSAIDs and antibiotics
Impairment of intestinal functions can contribute to the development of food allergies, systemic illnesses, autoimmune disease, and toxic overload from substances that are usually kept in the confines of the bowel for elimination. Assessing the balance within the gut gives a look through a window that is often overlooked in chronic long-term health conditions.
This stool test can be conducted over 1, 2 or 3 days and parasites will be analysed from each additional day's samples (ie: from 1 day, 2 days or 3 days samples).
SIBO -Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth £160
What is SIBO?
So, what exactly is SIBO? SIBO stands for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. This condition occurs when there is excessive bacteria in the small intestine. Our digestive tracts are home to many different bacterium however, the small intestine is not supposed to contain as much bacteria as the colon. When bacteria build up occurs, SIBO may be to blame and SIBO symptoms can occur.
The small intestine is where food combines with digestive juices and then where nutrients go on to be absorbed into our bloodstream. With SIBO, malabsorption can occur. This is especially true for fat-soluble vitamins as well as iron. This malabsorption occurs due to bacteria imbalance which can even lead to damage to the stomach lining if SIBO goes untreated. The bacteria overgrowth can even consume essential nutrients your body needs to thrive.
SIBO Symptoms
There are many symptoms associated with SIBO, and many of them can mimic other gastrointestinal disorders. For this reason, if you have any of the following symptoms it’s best to get tested for SIBO using a SIBO breath test.
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Bloating
- Malnutrition
- Weight loss
- Joint pain
- Fatigue
- Skin conditions such as acne, eczema, and rashes
- Asthma
- Depression
Breath testing measures the hydrogen and methane gases produced by bacteria in the small intestine that has diffused into the blood, then lungs, for expiration. These gases are produced by bacteria, yeast or archaea, not by humans, and are tracked on a graph over the small intestine transit time of 2-3 hours. A sugar solution of glucose or lactulose is taken after a 1 or 2 day preparatory diet, which removes much of the food that would feed the bacteria, allowing for a clear reaction to the sugar drink. There are two types of breath test: lactulose and glucose.
Lactulose Breath Test
Lactulose is a non-digestible sugar to humans: only bacteria can metabolise it, and they then produce gas. If there is an overgrowth, this will be reflected in the levels of hydrogen or methane gases. Lactulose takes longer to metabolise than glucose and can therefore help assess the distal end of the small intestine.
Glucose Breath Test
Both humans and bacteria absorb glucose, and this should occur within the first three feet of the SI, therefore if the bacterial gases of H and/or M are produced during this test, it reflects an overgrowth in the proximal/upper end of the SI (within the first two feet). This test successfully assesses proximal SI overgrowth, but can not assess distal overgrowth which is thought to be more common.
The test is performed at home. There should be a 24 hour preparation period prior to starting the test, which should be started with a 12 hour preparation diet followed by a 12 hour overnight fast , this process will take 3 hours to collect the samples at timed intervals.
Thyroid Complete £189
A blood test providing including : TSH, Free T3, Free T4, Total T4,Total T3, Thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO Ab) and Thyroglobulin Abs, Reverse T3 and T3 Uptake
Thyroid Basic Test £97.50
A blood test providing including :
TSH, Free T3, Free T4, Total T4, Total T3, Thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO Ab) and Thyroglobulin Abs.
Fees include UPS shipping within mainland UK.
Or sample can be shipped via Royal Mail Special Delivery pre 1pm delivery ( No discounts applicable)
Centrifugation of this sample is not required but it must be sent the same day as the draw on Monday to Thursday only.