If you could only get one functional lab test right now ...

... the test I would recommend would depend a bit on your situation ...

... but if you had not yet run this one valuable cost-effective test ...

... or if it had been a long time since you had previously run this test ...

... I would probably have you start with an organic acids test (OAT).

That's because it provides unique information on multiple key systems in the body via dozens of functional markers.

A "marker" is the thing that is being measured. You are probably familiar with markers in conventional blood testing like glucose, white blood cell counts, and liver enzymes.

I am using the term "functional" with the word "marker" to refer to markers that shed more light on why something is happening in the body.  

Functional lab testing is all about understanding causality, what is causing things to happen in the body. 

What Does an Organic Acids Test Measure?

In an organic acids test, the markers are metabolites, which are biochemical products of metabolism, and they provide clues about the causes of healthy or unhealthy function in various systems of the body.

OATs from different companies include simiilar but different markers, but most OATs provide information on the following:

• Bacterial and fungal metabolites that can provide clues about bacterial dysbiosis and invasive Candidiasis
• Functional status of B vitamins (a better measure of sufficiency or deficiency than blood levels) and glutathione, the "master antioxidant"
• Mitochondrial function, including where in mitochondrial pathways toxins could be interfering with energy production, hormone production, immune system function, and more
• How well your body is metabolizing carbohydrates and fat
• A clue about your body's methylation cycle function
• Folate metabolism as it pertains to DNA synthesis
• A key neurotransmitter ratio that can cause certain neuropsychiatric symptoms like ADD/ADHD or anxiety and can be a sign of a certain type of bacterial overgrowth (usually in the small intestine)
• Metabolites that if elevated indicate potential causes of neurological excitotoxicity and inflammation
• Oxalate and whether it appears to be coming from fungal organisms in your body, diet, or your own metabolism

Because organic acids tests provide so much information about so many systems in the body, I think of them as the "Swiss knife" of functional lab tests.

Why Get an Organic Acids Test?

An OAT is important if you want to improve your energy, metabolism, brain function, gut health, and nutrition. 

An OAT can provide important clues about the root causes of ...

• low energy
• diabetes or prediabetes
• gastrointestinal issues
• neuropsychiatric symptoms like anxiety, depression, or ADD/ADHD
• and a lot more

My Favorite Organic Acids Test

Two of the companies that provide OATs have more markers of bacterial and fungal metabolism than the other OATs on the market, including mold metabolites that if elevated suggest colonization of the sinuses, lungs, and/or digestive tract by mold.

Sometimes what seems like small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is actually mold living in the digestive tract, creating massive bloating and misery.

The additional bacterial and fungal markers, especially the markers of potential mold colonization, set these two OATs apart from others if mold exposure or mold illness is suspected.

The two companies that provide these OATs are Mosaic Diagnostics (formerly Great Plains Labooratory) and Vibrant Wellness.

I use Mosaic Diagnostics because they (as Great Plains Laboratory) pioneered the use of these mold metabolites and several other microbial metabolites.

They also provide great training for practitioners, which is important because so few practitioners know how to read an OAT and get the most out of it.

And the price is also a bit better with Mosaic Diagnostics than with Vibrant Wellness.

Other Excellent Organic Acids Tests

Many practitioners favor the NutrEval and/or Metabolomix+ tests from Genova Diagnostics as organic acids tests. The NutrEval tests is more than an organic acids test because it also measures amino acids, fatty acids, nutrient metals, and toxic metals. The Metabolomix+ also measures amino acids and can additionally measure fatty acids, nutrient minerals, and toxic metals when two "add-on" tests are included, the "Essential and Metabolic Fatty Acids Blood Spot Add-On" and the "Comprehensive Urine Add-On". 

The NutrEval test comes in two versions, a version that uses blood to measure plasma amino acids and another version that uses urine to measure urinary amino acids. Plasma amino acids indicate "steady state" pool of amino acids; not affected by short-term diet fluctuations. Urinary amino acids indicate recent dietary intake and metabolism, wihch is more variable compared to plasma amino acids.

The number of nutrients tested varies between the two versions of the NutrEval and the Metabolomix+ with the two add-on tests and also whether the nutrient minerals and toxic metals are tested in blood or urine. These differences are described below.

Nutrient Metals and Toxic Metals

Both versions of the NutrEval test five nutrient minerals and four toxic metals in blood, whereas the Metabolomix+ "Comprehensive Urine Add-On" tests 15 nutrient minerals and 19 toxic elements in urine. There are advantages and disadvantages to measuring these elements in blood versus urine and measuring only a few versus many more.

Amino Acids

The version of the NutrEval that measures amino acids in urine and the Metabolomix+ measure 40 amino acids. The version of the NutrEval that measures amino acids in blood plasma does not include anserine, carnosine, or cysteine.

Fatty Acids

The fatty acids measured by both versions of the NutrEval and Metabolomix+ with the "Essential and Metabolic Fatty Acids Blood Spot Add-On" are the same across all three of these testing options.

By the way, Genova Diagnostics is the only only company I know of that measures an essential saturated fatty acid, pentadecylic acid, an odd-chain 15-carbon fatty acid found in dairy products and other foods. It was not known until recently that this fatty acid is an essential fatty acid.

Commonly referred to as "C15", low levels of this fatty acid may contribute to the development of diabetes and have implications for the body's ability to control inflammation,.

High levels of C15 are associated with balanced immunity, heart health, healthy metabolism, red blood cell health, liver health, and gut health. 

So are these tests better than the Organic Acids Test from Mosaic Diagnostics that I said was my favorite organic acids test? I'd say, "not better, just different" because it depends on your goals and your budget. 

The NutrEval and the Metabolomix+ with add-on tests cost significantly more than the Organic Acids Test from Mosaic Diagnostics. So I like the price point of the Organic Acids Test from Mosaic Diagnostics, but I also favor it when I want to use the additional microbial metabolite markers that it measures.

However, these microbial metabolites can also be measured by ordering just that section of the test via the Microbial Organic Acids Test from Mosaic Diagnostics. So one could combine the microbial OAT from Mosaic with either a NutrEval or a Metabolomix+ with the two add-on tests for a very cost-effecive way to test organic acids, an expanded list of microbial organic acids, plus amino acids, fatty acids, nutrient metals, and toxic metals.

"Turn the Light On"

Most people are stumbling in the dark, flying blind, and guessing too much on their health journey.

Getting the right lab tests is like turning the light on, opening your eyes, and then being able to see opportunities to make better, more targeted decisions based on clues in the test report data, instead of relying on guesses, dietary philosophies, or general biohacks.

The organic acids test is a great place to start, and the results of an organic acids test can also help to identify additional tests that might be necessary to dig deeper into what the OAT revealed.

By the way, if you would like to receive a free consultation and advice on which tests would best serve you next on your health journey, you can schedule a free 15-minute consultation with me to discuss what you're looking to accomplish, what you've done so far, and some suggestions about tests to consider getting.

To learn about my approach to resolving health challenges and optimizing energy, sleep, immunity, and more, download the Bio-Individual Blueprint Roadmap and watch the walkthrough video.