Nutrition is at the core of integrative health and our Micronutrient Testing is the most advanced diagnostic tool available.Micronutrient testing measures how micronutrients are actually functioning within your patients' white blood cells. These tests allow nutritional assessment of your patients for a broad variety of clinical conditions, general wellness and the prevention of chronic diseases including arthritis, cancer, cardiovascular risk, diabetes, various immunological disorders and metabolic disorders.
Micronutrient test includes:
Vitamins :
| Vitamin A | Vitamin B1 | Vitamin B2 | Vitamin B3 | Vitamin B6 | Vitamin B12 |
| Biotin | Folate | Pantothenate | Vitamin C | Vitamin D | Vitamin K |
Minerals:
| Calcium | Magnesium | Manganese | Zinc | Copper |
Amino Acids:
| Asparagine | Glutamine | Serine |
Fatty Acids:
| Oleic Acid |
Antioxidants:
| Alpha Lipoic Acid | Coenzyme Q10 | Cysteine | Glutathione | Selenium | Vitamin E |
Carbohydrate Metabolism:
| Chromium | Fructose Sensitivity | Glucose-Insulin Metabolism |
Metabolites:
| Choline | Inositol | Carnitine |
SPECTROX™
for Total Antioxidant Function
IMMUNIDEX™
Immune Response Score
Cardiovascular:
Poor blood sugar regulation and unhealthy triglyceride and lipoprotein levels often present long before a diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes. SpectraCell’s CardioMetabolic, Pre-Diabetes, and LPP™ Plus Tests offer clinically relevant evaluation to help define risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), progression toward Type 2 Diabetes, and inflammation. These check points, along with a new CardioMetabolic Risk Assessment and Type 2 Diabetes Risk Assessment, help patients understand that not just one factor, but rather a constellation of factors, contributes to the genesis and progression toward cardiovascular disease including stroke, poor blood glucose control including Type 2 Diabetes, and/ or inflammation. Test results allow doctors to know when guidance, educational referral, and/ or treatment are necessary. Key components of the CardioMetabolic Test are listed below.
CardioMetabolic Test:
Hormone Health
New life solutions offers comprehensive male and female hormone panels that reveal the overall state of hormonal balance in a patient. Like nutrients, hormones influence all aspects of health and disease - mood, sleep, metabolism, immunity, heart health and appearance. An imbalance of one hormone can initiate cascade of events that alters other hormones, so a comprehensive look at hormone status is key.
Thyroid hormones directly regulate every cell in our body as most basic functions like metabolism, emotions and thinking. We also test several proteins that affect thyroid function as well as antibodies to thyroid which can detect autoimmunity (when the immune system attacks healthy tissue) and your levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.
Hormones & Makers
Regulatory (Peptide) Hormones
THYROID HORMONES
Genetics
Telomere Testing
The first commercially available telomere analysis in the United States.
A window to your patient’s cellular health.
What does Telomere Testing measure?
Telomeres are sections of genetic material at the end of each chromosome whose primary function is to prevent chromosomal “fraying” when a cell replicates. As a cell ages, its telomeres become shorter. Eventually, the telomeres become too short to allow cell replication, the cell stops dividing and will ultimately die - a normal biological process. SpectraCell’s Telomere Test can determine the length of a patient’s telomeres in relation to the patient’s age.
How are the results reported?
The Patient Telomere Score is calculated based on the patient’s average telomere length in peripheral whole blood cells. This average is then compared to telomere lengths from a population sample in the same age range as the patient to determine the patient’s percentile score.
What do the results mean to the patient and the doctor?
Cellular attrition by analyzing the rate at which changes in average Telomere length occur over time. Cells are being lost and replaced. (Cellular attrition)
What are the nutritional implications on telomere length and repair?
An inflammatory diet, or one that increases oxidative stress, will shorten telomeres faster. This includes refined carbohydrates, fast foods, processed foods, sodas, artificial sweeteners, trans fats and saturated fats. A diet with a large amount and variety of antioxidants that improves oxidative defense and reduces oxidative stress will slow telomere shortening. Consumption of 10 servings of fresh and relatively uncooked fruits and vegetables, mixed fiber, monounsaturated fats, omega-3 fatty acids, cold water fish, and high quality vegetable proteins will help preserve telomere length. In addition, it is advised to reduce total daily caloric intake and implement an exercise program. Fasting for 12 hours each night at least 4 days per week is recommended.
What lifestyle modifications are likely to be helpful?
One should achieve ideal body weight and body composition with low body fat (less than 22 % for women and less than 16 % for men). Decreasing visceral fat is very important. Regular aerobic and resistance exercise for at least one hour per day, sleeping for at least 8 hours per night, stress reduction, discontinuation of all tobacco products are strongly recommended. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy may decrease the rate of telomere loss.
When should retesting be considered?
Testing should be done once per year to evaluate the rate and direction of telomere changes and make adjustments in nutrition, nutritional supplements, weight management, exercise and other lifestyle modifications known to influence telomere length.
What role will nutritional supplements play in slowing telomere shortening?
Oxidative stress may shorten telomere length and cause aging in cellular tissue. Antioxidant supplements can potentially reduce oxidative stress very effectively, which will ultimately improve oxidative defenses, mitochondrial function, reduce inflammation and slow vascular aging. Targeted supplementation is key, as antioxidants work synergistically and must be balanced to work most effectively and avoid inducing a pro-oxidant effect. Increasing antioxidant capacity at the cellular level is critical to maintaining telomere length.
Recent evidence suggests that a high quality and balanced multivitamin will also help maintain telomere length. Specifically, studies have linked longer telomeres with levels of vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids and the antioxidant resveratrol. In addition, homocysteine levels have been inversely associated with telomere length, suggesting that reducing homocysteine levels via folate and vitamin B supplementation may decrease the rate of telomere loss. Similarly, conditions such as cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis and even dementia affect telomere length. Correcting subclinical nutritional deficiencies that may contribute to such diseases is crucial for telomere maintenance.
What pharmacologic treatments are known to slow telomere loss?
Control all known coronary heart disease risk factors to optimal levels
Overall recommendations to maintain telomere length
Some clinicians have recommended reducing all known coronary risk factors, inflammation, oxidative stress, ADMA levels and angiotensin II levels or its action. At the same time, therapy should increase nitric oxide levels and nitric oxide bioavailability, increase arginine, increase endothelial progenitor cells, improve mitochondrial function and increase oxidative defenses. In addition, one should optimize hormone levels, exercise, sleep, nutrition and nutritional supplements. Fasting and caloric restriction should be part of the regimen as well.