Leaky Gut Syndrome Testing Overview:

In order to gauge your current state of health, our clinic will often request copies of your last two years of medical testing and will often recommend further testing as needed.  Our clinic does request some testing that is and not commonly performed in more "mainstream" medical clinics.  24-hour heavy metal testing with provoking agent, neurotransmitter analysis, food sensitivity testing, comprehensive stool testing and Candida antigen testing are commonly recommended by our medical staff.   Some of these are discussed in detail in the links in this section.

What to Expect on Your First Visit:

First office visits typically last 45-60 minutes.  Your doctor will review your intake form with you and gather a detailed medical history.  A partial physical exam is usually performed and medical records are often requested from your primary care physician and/or other doctors.  Specialty laboratory testing may be recommended.  Most clients are offered an initial protocol consisting of nutritional supplementation, dietary and life style recommendations.

First Visit: Blood Test

To assess and identify kidney, liver, blood sugar and other key factors such as blood cholesterols. The results are explained to the patient, giving him/her a fuller understanding of the blood chemistry, so that they may take control.

Patients are required to fast for 14 hours before the test. Water may be drunk freely, but not tea, coffee, juices or other beverages. Appointments are normally arranged for mid-morning so that food and drink can be consumed up to 8pm the previous evening. On the day of the appointment, any prescribed medication should be taken with water as normal.

Patients are recommended to bring food to eat after the blood sample has been taken. Diabetics should advise the clinic, and separate arrangements will be made.

First Visit: Urine Analysis

To establish exactly how the kidneys are functioning. Patients are required to collect urine over a period of 24 hours. This should be as near the date of the blood test as possible, but must not include the 14 hours fasting period prior to the appointment.

A recommended timetable is that the first urine of the day should be excluded, than all subsequent urine for the next 24 hours collected in clean plastic containers. (If collection starts at 8am, this process must be followed until 8am the following day.) Eg. Appointment 10am Friday, fasting commences Thursday 8pm. Urine collection starts Wednesday 8am. until Thursday 8am.

Containers should be clearly labeled with the patient’s names and brought to the clinic at the time of their appointment.

First Visit: Resting ECG for Doctors Report

The electrocardiograph (ECG) determines the condition of the heart and measures its actions and the pulse.

The doctor in charge reports any findings in his medical notes.

Specific Leaky Gut Syndrome Testing:

1. Candida Antibodies Test

Formation of antibodies may occur. They leak across and look similar to antigens on our own tissues. So when an antibody is made to attack it, it also attacks the tissue. This is possibly how auto-immune and chronic disease like Crohn's Disease, Rheumatoid arthritis, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, and Thyroiditis start.

What is the Candida Antibodies Test?

The Candida Antibodies test is a blood test that is used to detect and measure the levels of the antibodies (IgA, IgM, and IgG) in the blood.

Indications and Contraindications:

This test is done to diagnose patients that are suspected to have the following conditions:

• Candidiasis
• Infections (e.g. Yeast Infection, jock itch, finger and toenail infection, ringworm)

How do you prepare for the Candida AntibodiesTest?

There is no fasting or any special preparation required for this test.

How does it feel? How long will it take?

The Candida Antibodies Test is a painless procedure that usually lasts for a few minutes. The blood sample is taken from a vein in your arm. An elastic band is wrapped around your upper arm and it may feel tight. You will feel nothing at all from the needle while your blood is being drawn, or you may feel a quick sting or pinch depending on your sensitivity to pain.

Expected effects after the test:

Normally, there are no major effects after the test. In most cases, patients may feel a little throbbing and slight bleeding may occur on the needle site. Bruising or swelling may occur.

Special instructions after the test:

After drawing blood, cover the needle site with a clean and dry bandage. If advised by the health care professional, apply pressure or warm compress on the area several times a day to minimize swelling and bruising. Check for signs of infection and notify the physician immediately.

Results:

Normal Findings: No antibodies detected

Abnormal Results: elevated or presence of IgG, IgA, and IgM

• Elevated IgM levels indicates a present infection.
• Elevated IgG levels indicates that you have been infected in the past.
• Elevated IgA levels indicates superficial Candida infections. Seen in patients who have had localized mucosal Candida infections typically in the vagina or in the mouth.

Notes:

This test also gives us the opportunity to monitor the body’s status over time to measure treatment response. Reducing yeast organisms in the body and replacing friendly bacteria will usually reduce elevated antibody levels

2. Comprehensive Stool Analysis

What is a Comprehensive Stool Analysis

The Comprehensive Stool may be used to assess digestive and absorptive functions, the presence of opportunistic pathogens and to monitor the efficacy of therapeutic remediation of GI disorders.

The   Comprehensive Stool Analysis (CSA) is a non-invasive diagnostic assessment that evaluates the status of beneficial and imbalanced commensal bacteria, pathogenic bacteria, yeast/fungus. Precise identification of pathogenic species and susceptibility testing greatly facilitates selection of the most appropriate pharmaceutical or natural treatment agent(s).

Indications and Contraindications

The Comprehensive Stool analysis is done to evaluate a person’s overall digestive health. Additionally, this test is necessary for patients who have conditions such as:

• Candidiasis
• Yeast infections, digestive parasites
• Viral, fungal and bacterial infection
• Colon cancer
• Chronic Fatigue
• Fibromyalgia
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Leaky Gut Syndrome
• Various gastrointestinal problems
• Chronic diseases (mostly digestive)

How do you prepare for a Comprehensive Stool Analysis?

Inform your physician of any medications that you are taking. Certain medications must be avoided as this may alter the results of the stool analysis. In most cases, you may need to avoid taking medications 1-2 weeks prior to the scheduled testing.

You may need to follow a recommended 2 day diet prior to the test if you are being tested for blood in the stool. Be sure to follow the diet that is provided.

How does it feel? How long will it take?

Depending on what the stool is being tested for, you may need to collect a stool sample for 3-10 consecutive days, once a day. Collecting stool samples is painless, unless you are experiencing straining due to constipation. Pressure and a slight discomfort might be felt if stool is collected through a rectal swab.

Expected effects after the test:

There are no side effects after collecting stool samples.

Special instructions after the test:

Practice good hygiene every time stool is collected. Stool sample must be in placed in a tight sealed container and delivered to the laboratory as soon as sample has been collected. Thoroughly wash hands with soap and water right after collection as this may spread diseases.

Results:

The abnormal values that result from the Comprehensive Stool Analysis may indicate the presence of the following diseases:

• Pancreatitis, enteritis, celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, Crohn’s disease, Cystic fibrosis (abnormal levels of fat)
• Ileostomy (sodium and chloride, potassium)
• Cholera (sodium and chloride)
• Hemolytic anemia (Urobilinogen)
• Liver disease, aplastic anemia, biliary obstruction ( urobilinogen)
• Cystic fibrosis ( meat fiber)
• Chronic ulcerative colitis, localized abscesses, Shigellosis, E. coli diarrhea (positive in leukocytes)
• Candidiasis, Leaky Gut Syndrome (presence of bacteria, yeasts, fungi)
• Candidiasis, Colitis, diarrhea ( pH)
• Carbohydrate and fat malabsorption ( pH)
• Colon carcinoma, adenoma, gastric carcinoma, peptic ulcer, gastritis, Kaposi’s sarcoma, vasculitis, GI bleeding (positive presence of blood)
• Severe diarrhea, upper GI bleeding, lower GI bleeding, biliary obstruction (abnormal color of stools)

Notes:

Medications such as antibiotics and NSAIDs may cause inaccuracies in the results of CSA.

The Right Diagnosis and Treatment for Leaky Gut Syndrome

Once the comprehensive review is completed for each patient, our doctors and our team of medical professionals will evaluate your diagnosis. At this point, our doctors will spend one on one time with you to interpret and explain your results. Together you will explore your goals and discuss your treatment plan options. These treatment plans can be implemented using multiple modalities such as medications, hormones, diet, supplements, behavior and lifestyle changes, and alternative therapies. Our doctors will prescribe a preventative and comprehensive treatment plan that is tailored to your needs and fits into your lifestyle.

Patients Medical’s Personal Approach to Leaky Gut Syndrome

Our doctors and our team at Patients Medical will regularly monitor your progress and track the effectiveness of your program making adjustments if necessary. Our goal is to support you and advise you every step of the way.

We work in conjunction with your existing doctors. Any gaps between specialists are filled to ensure we support your overall health and well-being. While we treat serious medical conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Diabetes, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, anxiety, depression, and heart disease; the primary objective of our staff is prevention and early detection of disease.

We are located at: Patients Medical PC, 800 Second Avenue, Suite 900 (Between 42nd & 43rd Street), Manhattan, NYC, New York, NY 10017.

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Article Last Updated: 06/26/2009