Functional Testing
Invaluable information into what is needed for your health journey
We use the following functional tests to help us better understand what is happening on a molecular level inside the body. Unfortunately, these tests are not subsidised nor do we have the facilities in New Zealand or Australia to analyse such tests and most have to be sent to the US. Please be aware that testing within a NZ labs currently have low reliability and the reproducibility can be inconsistent.
All test kits come with a pre-paid courier bag and instructions for you to conduct and send yourself. The results of the tests get sent directly to us which we can then discuss with you in detail at either an in-person or online consultation.
All test kits come with a pre-paid courier bag and instructions for you to conduct and send yourself. The results of the tests get sent directly to us which we can then discuss with you in detail at either an in-person or online consultation.
Food Sensitivity Test
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Sample Required: Blood-spot | Test Type: Allergy
Gain meaningful insights about your health with this easy-to-understand test. The Food Sensitivity Test measures your immune system's IgG reactivity to foods, which can help guide in the preparation of a temporary elimination diet. Key Advantages:
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Metabolism & Nutritional Test
Sample Required: Urine | Test Type: Hormone & Metabolism
The Organic Acids Test (OAT) is a comprehensive metabolic and nutritional snapshot of your overall health. The test provides insight into metabolic products (organic acids) which give a view into your body’s cellular metabolic processes. Identifying metabolic blocks that can be managed nutritionally allows individual tailoring of interventions that maximise your response to naturopathic remedies and leads to enriched health outcomes.
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Key Advantages:
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Mineral / Heavy Metal Testing
Sample Required: Hair/urine | Test Type: Toxicity
The following 2 tests are carried out for both heavy metal testing and nutritional status of certain minerals. Your personal reason for testing will determine which test is better suited for you:
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Key Advantages & Reason for Testing:
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Complete Thyroid Test
Sample Required: Blood | Test Type: Hormone
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The Complete Thyroid Profile measures thyroid gland activity, peripheral conversion of thyroid hormone and thyroid autoantibodies.
Why Test Thyroid Function? Thyroid dysfunction is one of the most under-addressed conditions in healthcare. There are thyroid receptors on every tissue in the body, demonstrating its necessity for all systems. Thyroid hormones impact energy production, cognitive function, mood, emotions, concentration, memory and attention. According to the Journal of Endocrinology, standard measures of thyroid function may miss up to half the population. However in New Zealand typically only TSH is measured - which would suggest our rate of missing a positive diagnosis would be much higher. That being said, some GPs occasionally request the assessment of T3 and T4 (but is not standard practice). To ensure that the entire pathway of thyroid function is working effectively however, each step within thyroid function must be assessed. Unfortunately, since these other markers are not requested by GPs, they must be paid for privately. |
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Key Advantages & Reason for Testing:
- TSH - thyroid stimulating hormone
- Total T4 - total amount of thyroxine
- Free T4 – unbound levels of thyroxine
- Total T3 - total amount of triiodothyronine
- Free T3 - unbound levels of triiodothyronine
- Reverse T3 - converted by the liver from the stored T4
- TPO Abs - thyroid peroxidase antibody
- TG Abs - thyroglobulin antibody
Toxic Non-Metal Chemical Profile
Sample Required: Urine | Test Type: Toxicity
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Every day, we are exposed to hundreds of toxic chemicals through products like pharmaceuticals, pesticides, packaged foods, household products and environmental pollution. As we have become more exposed to chemical-laden products and to toxic chemicals in food, air and water, we have been confronted with an accelerating rate of chronic illnesses like cancer, heart disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, chemical sensitivity, autism spectrum disorders, ADD/AD(H)D, autoimmune disorders, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
The GPL-Tox test is a toxic (non-metal) chemical profile that screens for the presence of 172 different toxic chemicals including organophosphate pesticides, phthalates, benzene, xylene, vinyl chloride, pyrethroid insecticides, acrylamide, perchlorate, diphenyl phosphate, ethylene oxide, acrylonitrile and more. This profile also includes Tiglylglycine (TG), a marker for mitochondrial disorders resulting from mutations of mitochondrial DNA. These mutations can be caused by exposure to toxic chemicals, infections, inflammation and nutritional deficiencies. Key Advantages:
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environmental mould Toxicity
Sample Required: Hair/urine | Test Type: Toxicity
Mycotoxins are some of the most prevalent toxins in the environment. Mycotoxins are metabolites produced by fungi like mould, which can infest buildings, vehicles and foodstuffs. A majority of mycotoxin exposures are through food ingestion or airborne exposure. In the European Union, 20% of all grains harvested have been found to be contaminated with mycotoxins. Unfortunately, mycotoxins are resistant to heat and many processing procedures.
Fungi are able to grow on almost any surface, especially if the environment is warm and wet. Inner wall materials of buildings, wall paper, fibreglass insulation, ceiling tiles and drywall (Gyprock) are all good surfaces for fungi to colonise.
These fungi then release mycotoxins into the environment which may cause symptoms of many different chronic diseases.
Fungi are able to grow on almost any surface, especially if the environment is warm and wet. Inner wall materials of buildings, wall paper, fibreglass insulation, ceiling tiles and drywall (Gyprock) are all good surfaces for fungi to colonise.
These fungi then release mycotoxins into the environment which may cause symptoms of many different chronic diseases.
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Key Advantages:
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Glyphosate Test
Sample Required: Urine | Test Type: Toxicity
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Glyphosate is the world’s most widely produced herbicide and is the primary toxic chemical in Roundup™, as well as in many other herbicides. It is a broad-spectrum herbicide that is used in more than 700 different products from agriculture and forestry to home use. Glyphosate was introduced in the 1970s to kill weeds by targeting the enzymes that produce the amino acids tyrosine, tryptophan and phenylalanine. The enzymes of many bacteria are also susceptible to inhibition by this chemical, thus altering the flora of many animals. Usage of glyphosate has since amplified, after the introduction of genetically modified (GMO) glyphosate-resistant crops that can grow well in the presence of this chemical in soil.
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In addition, toxicity of the surfactant commonly mixed with glyphosate, polyoxyethyleneamine (POEA), is greater than the toxicity of glyphosate alone. In 2014 Enlist Duo™, a herbicide product which contains a 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) salt and glyphosate, is approved for use in Australia. In Canada and the U.S. it is used on genetically modified soybeans and genetically modified maize, both of which have been modified to be resistant to both 2,4-D and glyphosate. 2,4-D has many toxic effects of its own and can be measured in the GPL-TOX test.
Comprehensive Hormone Test
Sample Required: Urine | Test Type: Hormone & Metabolism
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The 'DUTCH' test (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones) is a comprehensive hormone profile that evaluates your reproductive and adrenal hormones. It is a urine test, dried on collection, that is currently the most comprehensive adrenal and reproductive hormone test available for both men and women. Hormones measured (35 in total) include DHEA, Progesterone, Oestrogen (3 forms), Testosterone, Cortisol, Cortisone, Melatonin as well as their metabolites. 8OHdG – a validated marker for oxidative damage to DNA – is also measured. Daily free cortisol patterns give insight regarding stress loading and cortisol response, which we compare to normal diurnal patterns.
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Key Advantages:
For symptomatic women who need to not only understand their hormones throughout their entire menstrual cycle, but also want the benefits of knowing the thirty-five different hormone levels as tested in the DUTCH Complete, the DUTCH Cycle Mapping collection is an optional add-on to this test. This extra test gives a detailed analysis graphing the hormones throughout the cycle and the additional androgen hormones, estrogen metabolites and adrenal results provide a comprehensive picture for your healthcare provider to better address your health goals.
- More comprehensive than serum, saliva or 24-hour urine testing
- Easy collection
- Unparalleled adrenal testing (diurnal free cortisol pattern with cortisol metabolites)
- Accurate and comprehensive testing of sex hormones and metabolites (including 2,4,16-OH oestrogens)
- Effective monitoring of hormone replacement (improved clinical accuracy for many scenarios)
- 8 separate lab methods (GC-MS/MS, LC-MS/MS) to ensure the most accurate methods for each test
- One simple test to bring you unrivalled clinical information and confident clinical conclusions
For symptomatic women who need to not only understand their hormones throughout their entire menstrual cycle, but also want the benefits of knowing the thirty-five different hormone levels as tested in the DUTCH Complete, the DUTCH Cycle Mapping collection is an optional add-on to this test. This extra test gives a detailed analysis graphing the hormones throughout the cycle and the additional androgen hormones, estrogen metabolites and adrenal results provide a comprehensive picture for your healthcare provider to better address your health goals.
SiBO Breath Test
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Sample Required: Breath | Test Type: Immunity
Normally, bacteria are found in the trillions in the large intestine, where they perform various functions for the human body. SIBO is defined as an increase in the number of bacteria, and/or changes in the types of bacteria present in the small intestine. In most patients, SIBO is not caused by a single type of bacteria, but an overgrowth of the bacteria that should normally be found in the colon. Prevalence estimates are based on a percentage of the population with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). This is 11-14% of the population globally and 17% in New Zealand. It is the most common gastrointestinal diagnosis in primary care although it is thought that up to 50% of people with symptoms of IBS do not consult their GP. Studies also show that over 50% of patients diagnosed with IBS actually have SIBO. |
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comprehensive stool profile
Sample Required: Stool | Test Type: Immunity
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Our comprehensive and clinically-applicable stool profile (called the GI360 Profile by Doctor’s Data) includes 6 component test bundles that together give you a 360-degree functional assessment of the GI system.
The summary of the 6 parts:
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In a little more detail, the GI360 Profile:
- Utilises multiplex PCR molecular technology coupled with growth-based culture and ID by MALDI-TOF, sensitive biochemical assays and microscopy to detect and assess the status of pathogens, viruses, parasites and bacteria that may be contributing to acute or chronic gastrointestinal symptoms and disease.
- It is a gut microbiota DNA analysis tool that identifies and characterises the abundance and diversity of more than 50 targeted analytes that peer-reviewed research has shown to contribute to dysbiosis and chronic disease.
- Can identify the presence of 15 pathogenic viruses, bacteria and parasites using multiplexed, real-time PCR. Viruses are the primary cause of acute diarrhoea, and least commonly tested. The identification of pathogenic bacteria, viruses and parasites improves treatment strategies and patient outcomes.
Other Tests
The above are the more common functional tests we carry out. Many more test are available so if you would like to enquire about a specific test, please don't hesitate to contact us.