At Spark Health, discovering the cause of your symptoms starts with a comprehensive understanding of how your body functions. Based on your unique symptoms, health concerns, and genetics, your naturopathic doctor will recommend specific functional and other lab tests to help determine the best treatment options. Testing may include:
Functional Lab Testing refers to several categories of tests that evaluate how the body functions. Specifically, whether the body has the optimal levels of key nutrients, hormones that are in optimal range and in balance with each other, and low levels of inflammation and other markers of underlying health problems like autoimmune disease, blood sugar problems, or cardiovascular risk.
A blood test is used to check serum and intracellular levels of many critical vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fatty acids (like omega-3 fats), amino acids, and metabolites:
The Hydrogen and Methane Breath Test for SIBO & IMO can be ordered with a lactulose or glucose substrate. The lactulose breath test for SIBO is the gold standard for diagnosis. The bacteria in the small intestine produce hydrogen and methane gas, which is measured in the breath test. The test is performed at home and takes 2 hours and 15 minutes to complete. Breath samples are collected every 15 minutes to assess the levels of both gases after a lactulose solution is ingested.
A blood and/or urine test is used to measure hormone levels in both men and women. This type of testing allows our doctors to:
Thyroid imbalance can manifest in a number of symptoms. Patients with hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid gland, can experience low energy, constipation, weight gain, fluid retention, hair loss, cold sensitivity, and depression. Patients with hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid gland, can experience anxiety, diarrhea, heart palpitations, heat sensitivity, and insomnia. Our doctors:
Our doctors recommend checking inflammatory markers as part of a comprehensive lab panel since inflammation can indicate several different underlying health problems such as:
Blood sugar problems, including insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, and diabetes are often present long before there are any outward symptoms. Checking these levels periodically, especially if there is any family history, is an important proactive step. These problems frequently co-exist with other cardiovascular risks that can be tested for such as:
Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) occurs when a high number of bacteria is found in the small intestine, causing discomfort and other common symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating, belching, fatigue, weight gain, mood, and skin issues. The Lactulose Breath Test for hydrogen and methane can identify this overgrowth and indicate the need for a comprehensive eradication treatment.
Chiropractic is a healthcare profession that focuses on treating people who have musculoskeletal conditionsDepending on your symptoms, your doctor will use one or more tests to evaluate how your body functions.
Functional lab tests can be highly beneficial in uncovering the underlying reasons for many chronic conditions. Functional lab testing can help in several ways to identify rick factors, track health status and improve compliance.
Functional Lab Testing provides important health information that is used to treat a variety of health conditions including
Lab testing enables us to discover the root cause of your symptoms and provide an outline of suggested services to incorporate into your plan.
Licensed healthcare practitioners can order Functional Lab Testing.
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