Functional doctors understand the important role nutrition plays in the body. Nutrient imbalances can be associated with various health issues, whether they contribute to health challenges or arise as a consequence of other conditions. Conventional labs may offer limited testing options to assess nutritional status. For those seeking nutritional guidance specific to optimizing health, specialty labs offer comprehensive nutritional panels that can identify micro- and macronutrient imbalances and guide personalized dietary suggestions.
Metabolomix+ is a panel offered through Genova Diagnostics that assesses nutritional status based on the functional assessment of organic acids, oxidative stress markers, and amino acids. This non-invasive test is easy for patients to collect at home and features a user-friendly report that can help direct individualized nutritional suggestions.
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What is The Metabolomix+ Test
The Metabolomix+ is a comprehensive and functional nutritional evaluation of organic acids and amino acids used to screen for antioxidant, vitamin, mineral, and protein levels. It is a non-invasive test requiring a single urine collection, which can be collected in the comfort of the patient's home.
Options for an at-home blood spot finger stick and/or cheek swab allow the provider to add measurements for fatty acids, exposure to certain elements, 15 additional nutrients, and four common genetic variations onto the test.
The Metabolomix+ is very similar to Genova's NutrEval FMV panel, but includes fewer analytes, is lower in cost, and does not require a blood draw.
Unique features of Genova test reports include:
- Results Overview with functional imbalance scores to help interpret patient results and prioritize recommendations that address methylation, exposure to certain elements, mitochondrial function, fatty acid balance, and oxidative stress
- Nutrient Need Overview page that includes personalized suggestions for antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, amino acids, and digestive support
- Interpretation-At-A-Glance provides education on functional nutritional therapy for the doctor and the patient.
What Does The Metabolomix+ Test Measure
The basic Metabolomix+ (without add-on components) measures 93 analytes related to nutritional status. The test report is broken down into six metabolic areas:
Organic Acids are metabolic byproducts of the cells that can act as markers to assess:
- Digestive function
- Intestinal bacterial and yeast balance
- Mitochondrial function and cellular energy production
- Neurotransmitter synthesis and metabolism
- Oxalate production
- Toxic load and antioxidant levels
- Vitamin levels
Oxidative Stress Markers assist in quantifying the level of cellular and DNA changes present, which can indicate the need for antioxidant support.
Amino Acids measured in urine reflect recent protein intake over the last 48-72 hours. Essential and non-essential amino acids provide insight into protein and amino acid intake, digestion/absorption, and synthesis. Other markers in this section give additional information regarding the nutritional status of vitamin cofactors required for protein metabolism.
Essential and Metabolic Fatty Acid Markers (Optional Add-On) measure the patient's omega-3, omega-6, omega-9, saturated, and monounsaturated fatty acid levels.
Nutrient and Toxic Elements (Optional Add-On) assess an additional 20 toxic and 15 mineral elements.
Genetic SNPs (Optional Add-On) are variations in the genetic code that may influence an individual's biochemistry and physiology. SNPs that can be added to this test include MTHFR, COMT, TNF-a, and APOE.
When to Consider The Metabolomix+ Test
Nutrient levels can affect every body system and may be associated with various health processes. Functional nutritional analysis is most commonly considered for the following situations:
- Cardiovascular health
- Chronic fatigue
- Cognitive health
- Digestive health concerns (e.g., Celiac disease, Crohn's disease)
- Mental health considerations
- Metabolic health, diabetes, and insulin resistance
- States of increased nutrient demand (e.g., physical injury, pregnancy, lactation)
Nutritional assessment is also a helpful tool for patients needing additional dietary guidance. This may include patients with histories of restricted eating patterns, those looking to gain or lose weight, and those pursuing to optimize athletic performance.
Finally, nutritional assessments can be ordered for patients without health concerns but looking to support overall wellness. By proactively assessing metabolic function and nutritional status, you can help maintain nutritional balance and support overall health through dietary modifications and supplemental protocols.
How to Use the Metabolomix+ in Practice for Best Patient Outcome
This test cannot be ordered for patients under two years.
Patients should be advised on proper sample collection protocol before test collection to ensure valid test results. Complete patient instructions can be found on Rupa Health's website. Key details include:
- Do not collect urine sample while menstruating
- Limit fluid intake to 48 ounces 24 hours before sample collection
- Fast overnight (water ok) before sample collection. Collect samples immediately upon waking before eating or drinking anything (water ok).
The decision to advise your patient to discontinue medications and supplements prior to sample collection depends on the risk associated with discontinuation and what you hope to achieve with the test. Diuretics, valproic acid, acetaminophen (Tylenol), and berberine may affect test results but should not be discontinued if they are essential to the patient's health. Non-essential supplements should be discontinued at least four days prior to sample collection if wanting to assess the patient's baseline nutritional status. You can monitor the efficacy of and patient response to nutritional therapy by advising your patient to continue their supplemental regimen leading up to the specimen collection.
This test's optional fatty acid component can be beneficial for patients in whom you are looking to support brain/nerve function and cardiovascular health.
The results of this report should guide personalized nutritional suggestions through diet and supplements to address imbalances identified on the panel. Antioxidant support, herbal antimicrobials, and digestive enzymes may also be considered to support detoxification and digestion and to help maintain intestinal balance.
The results of Metabolomix+ may indicate the need for additional testing. Genova tests frequently considered in conjunction with Metabolomix+ include:
- Adrenocortex Stress Profile
- Cardio Check
- GI Effects Comprehensive Profile
- Methylation Panel
- Toxic Element Clearance Profile
- Doctors can monitor patient response to nutritional therapy by repeating the Metabolomix+ test at least three months after the initiation of treatment.
Summary
Genova offers comprehensive functional nutritional testing through its Metabolomix+ profile. By assessing organic acids, amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, this test can help identify imbalances related to common health concerns. Optional add-ons allow you to customize the test to the patient's needs. The results of this test will provide insight into how nutritional and environmental factors impact your patients, guide personalized nutritional suggestions, and may indicate the need for additional testing. Metabolomix+ is a cost-effective, easy-to-collect test for patients with a wide range of clinical applicability.
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