Advanced Testing at iThrive Health & Wellness!

 Cardiometabolic diseases continue to be a leading cause of mortality around the globe, with younger populations reporting more cases each year.  

Advanced cardiometabolic testing focuses on the variety of factors driving metabolic interference and altered insulin-signaling pathways, providing new windows of opportunity for the preclinical detection and prevention of cardiometabolic diseases.  

Using advanced lipid assays and biomarkers of oxidative stress, inflammation, and hormone dysregulation as well as physical examination cues like body composition, we will be able to effectively evaluate the root causes of disease for each patient and accurately explain to them how these factors are contributing to your health.

 It is estimated that up to three billion people worldwide are affected by digestive diseases. 

Intestinal permeability or ‘leaky gut’ may play a precipitating role in dysfunction in the digestive tract and beyond, with changes in intestinal bacteria composition connected to a range of inflammatory conditions such as obesity, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, endocrine diseases, and autoimmune conditions. What are the far-reaching impacts of gut dysbiosis, and more importantly, which clinical approaches can move the GI tract back toward a state of balance?  

In functional medicine, the GI tract is often an important starting point for improving overall health. GI testing investigates the multifaceted gut microbiome, looking upstream to how several factors, including diet, lifestyle, and environmental stressors contribute to chronic dysbiosis and inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Advanced G.I. testing takes a whole systems approach to evaluating and treating not only local gastrointestinal disease, but many systemic diseases that are linked to GI dysfunction.

According to the World Health Organization, every country in the world is affected by one or more forms of malnutrition. Nutritional imbalances are often root cause contributors to disease. Correcting these imbalances can result in optimized health and well-being.

Our micronutrient testing is both a blood and urine profile that evaluates over 125 biomarkers and assesses the body's functional need for 40 antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, amino acids, digestive support, and other select nutrients. Personalized recommendations for nutrients are determined by using an algorithm based on your patient's test findings. Functional pillars with a built-in scoring system guide the need for therapeutic support in areas of methylation, toxic exposure, mitochondrial dysfunction, fatty acid imbalances, and oxidative stress. 

Common clinical indications for testing:

mood disorders, cardiovascular disease, obesity and insulin resistance, Type II diabetes, fatigue, weight issues, dietary guidance, malnutrition, mental digestion and malabsorption, athletic performance, physical trauma and healing.

 Hormones play a vital role in the body by signaling specific biological processes in cells, tissues, and organ systems responsible for glycemic control and metabolism, reproductive function, energy production, sleep, and more. 

Before considering hormone replacement therapy, what if there were another way to naturally modulate hormones in alignment with a patient’s biochemical makeup, genetic history, and lifestyle? Functional medicine prioritizes a root-cause approach to identifying and addressing the underlying processes contributing to hormonal dysfunction. 

By looking upstream to the wide variety of ways that the hypothalamic, pituitary, adrenal, thyroid, and gonadal (HPATG) axis modulates health, we can identify and address issues with the production, transport, or processing of these hormones.  

Advanced hormone testing equips you with comprehensive diagnostic and evaluation strategies to determine the unique causes of hormone imbalance in each patient. From there, we can deliver personalized care by applying dietary modifications, nutraceutical supplementation, and other lifestyle modifications as primary and adjunctive care strategies. 

 Neurotransmitter testing is a specialized diagnostic method that analyzes urine samples to assess the levels of neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers in the brain. This advanced testing provides a comprehensive view of an individual’s neurotransmitter status, offering valuable information for understanding and addressing various mental health concerns.

Identifying Neurotransmitter Imbalances: Neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, play crucial roles in mood regulation, cognition, and overall mental health. Neurotransmitter testing allows for the identification of imbalances in these neurotransmitters, offering insights into potential mental health conditions.

Uncovering Underlying Causes of Mental Health Issues: Neurotransmitter imbalances are often associated with conditions like depression, anxiety, and mood disorders. Neurotransmitter testing helps uncover underlying causes, providing healthcare professionals with valuable information for a targeted and individualized approach to treatment.

 Up to 20% of the US population is vulnerable to biotoxin exposures, leading to chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, neuroinflammatory related disorders, cardiopulmonary problems, gastrointestinal dysfunction, and immune impairment. 

Chronic inflammatory response syndrome often underlies hormonal imbalances, ‘leaky gut,’ mood and memory problems, weight gain and so many other complaints treated by the specialty of functional medicine. 

Symptoms may include:

fatigue, weakness, aches, muscle cramps, unusual pain, ice pick pain, headaches, light sensitivity, red eyes, blurred vision, tearing of the eyes, sinus issues, chronic cough, shortness of breath, abdominal pain, loose stool, joint pain, morning stiffness, memory issues, focus and concentration issues, word recollection issues, decreased learning of new knowledge, confusion, disorientation, skin sensitivity, mood swings, appetite swings, sweating especially at night, temperature regulation or dysregulation problems, excessive thirst, increased urination, static shocks, numbness, tingling, vertigo, metallic taste in the mouth, tremors.

Oral micro biome testing profiles your complete oral microbiome - the makeup of 700+ bacteria and fungi in your mouth. Our test is the most comprehensive available and identifies all microbes present in your oral microbiome. Some of these species are beneficial to our health, while others are harmful and can cause conditions like halitosis, tooth decay, gum inflammation, and more. 

By analyzing the identity and relative abundance of microbes in your saliva, it detects the root cause of oral symptoms and connections to other chronic conditions. This test also provides scientifically backed product, diet, and lifestyle recommendations based on your unique oral microbiome.