Lab Testing & Blood Chemistry

Comprehensive Functional Blood Chemistry Panel

An expanded evaluation of blood chemistry that includes biomarkers which are not traditionally checked during routine visits with your conventional medical doctor but may be extremely revealing of underlying issues or predictive of problems to come. Your chemistry is interpreted from a functional medicine perspective that considers the whole picture and how the values relate to one another rather than just a single “up or down” or “in and out of range” interpretation. We use functional ranges to evaluate your results meaning that the ranges are held to the highest standard which represent optimal physiologic function of organ systems rather than ranges based on the population average and general statistics used in traditional testing methods. Everyone should have a full blood chemistry checked annually or biannually for the most proactive healthcare approach.

Comprehensive Thyroid Panel

You have thyroid receptors on every cell in your body. Your thyroid function tells a story about your overall health, not just your thyroid. We assess 11 different thyroid markers including autoantibodies to determine the potential presence of an autoimmune condition. We always consider thyroid values in relation to the rest of your blood chemistry and full endocrine picture.

Advanced Cardiovascular (CV) Assessment

Standard lipid tests are outdated, incomplete, and are not good predictors of your true cardiovascular risk. A comprehensive cardiovascular disease assessment looks at the various lipid fractions, known as a fractionated lipid panel, including particles and APOB which are far better predictors of cardiovascular  risk, and they give insight to the full metabolic picture. These advanced cardiovascular profiles are also a direct rather than indirect measurement of lipids, unlike those used in antiquated laboratory testing methods. They include critical inflammatory markers since cardiovascular disease is known to be caused by chronic underlying inflammation. An insulin resistance score is measured since cardiovascular disease has been directly linked to prediabetic and diabetic states. All is assessed alongside genetic markers and independent markers of cardiovascular risk such as homocysteine and fatty acid balance for a true overall risk profile that can be used to guide very effective alternatives to statin therapy and prevent the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Fatty Acid Balance & Omega-3 Index

Can be part of a cardiovascular work up and added to the cardiovascular assessment due to the association of fatty acid imbalance with heart disease, but fatty acids can also be measured separately since maintaining optimal levels and ratios is essential for overall health and wellbeing. The fats you eat determine the makeup, structure, and function of every cell membrane in your body. They also determine how prone you are to inflammatory and chronic conditions. The test includes all 24 fatty acids as well as your omega-3 index, omega 3:6 ratios, and trans-fat index. It can be done as a simple dried blood spot from a finger stick at home.

Organic Acids and Personalized Nutritional Assessment

These tests, offer a wealth of information with ways to assess the functional need for antioxidants, B-vitamins, minerals, digestive support, fatty acids, and amino acids by providing insight to mitochondrial function, inflammation, toxic exposure, gut dysbiosis, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress. It is the most sophisticated test for identifying nutritional deficiencies and imbalances. This test allows for targeted nutritional therapies to meet your precise needs.

Gastrointestinal (Gut) and Digestive Heath Assessment

The health of your entire body is determined by the health of your gut. We use several different diagnostics to evaluate gut health including compressive stool analyses with familiar tests such as the GI Map, GI Effects and Gut Zoomer profiles.

These tests reveal detailed information about your microbiome which consists of all the microbes that live there, including both beneficial and pathogenic bacteria, yeast, parasites, and viruses.

They also provide inflammatory and immunological markers, enzyme activity, products of digestion and measures of nutrient absorption. We often check markers to determine if there are intestinal permeability issues also known as “Leaky Gut.” We may also use the VIOME test which focuses on microbial gene expression to gain a better understanding of how the microbiome is functioning and interacting with you as their host. Most patients will eventually require some form of GI testing considering the critical role gut function plays in overall health of the individual.

Most patients will eventually require some form of GI testing provided the important role the gut plays in overall health of the individual.

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) Breath Test

This test is also an evaluation of gut health, but rather it examines the upper GI tract by analyzing your breath after ingesting certain types of fermentable sugars. This determines if certain bacteria in abnormal numbers are present in the small intestine that should not be there. SIBO is becoming more prevalent and is often an obstacle to healing in complex cases.

Sex Hormone and Adrenal Testing

Dr. Krail-Javier, DNP is one of the few practitioners skilled in using the DUTCH (Dried Urine for Comprehensive Hormones) test. DUTCH is the most advanced form of functional hormone testing used in integrative medicine.

It takes hormone testing to a whole new level by measuring sex hormones as well as their metabolites alongside a complete adrenal profile that measures free and total cortisol. Estrogen metabolites and metabolized cortisol are overlooked with traditional testing, including saliva tests, but they are incredibly important health markers. There is no sense in measuring hormones without knowing how your body is using, converting, metabolizing, and detoxing them, making the metabolites the most valuable part of the test. What makes the DUTCH test special is the ability to assess what products your body is making from either your own internal hormones or one’s that you may be taking. It provides insight to the body’s methylation capacity from a functional standpoint and inadvertently identifies makers that may indicate your risk for hormonally driven breast cancer.

No other test offers a measure of total metabolized cortisol which tells us most accurately how much cortisol your adrenals are producing rather than just how much remains in the blood or saliva after it is metabolized out of the body. This gives us a much better understanding of your adrenal function than traditional hormone tests. The DUTCH test also includes 8 organic acids, melatonin, and markers for oxidative stress.

DUTCH testing is one of the many unique services our clinic has to offer which displays Dr. Krail-Javier’s commitment to remaining on the cutting edge of medical science. You are encouraged to read about the DUTCH test if you are interested in having hormone testing, hormone replacement therapy, or both. 

Neurotransmitter Testing

Like hormones, neurotransmitters are powerful chemical messengers directing cell activity throughout the body and are assessed through the urine. They work together with hormones from the endocrine system to maintain intricate body balance. Neurotransmitters include serotonin, dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, GABA, and glutamate which play a critical role in optimal body functions such as mood, sleep, behavior, energy, digestion and more.

Functional Immunologic and Autoimmunity Testing

We offer multi-tissue antibody testing for the early detection and monitoring of today’s complex autoimmune conditions through our partnership with CyrexTM Laboratories. CyrexTM develops innovative tests that they call “Arrays” through continuous collaboration with leading experts in medical research and clinical practice. These Arrays are advanced tools focused on assessing environmentally induced autoimmunity. Their latest innovation: The Lymphocyte MapTM adds another layer of screening immune system integrity and establishes a new standard for identifying a patient’s immune status. It is an advanced and in-depth test panel that helps identify patterns of imbalance of T cells, B cells, and Natural Killer cells (lymphocytes) that offers an overall picture of the immune system which is unattainable through any other testing method. This information allows for specialized and targeted treatment of immune dysfunction at the cellular level. Lymphocyte Mapping offers:

• An invaluable picture of underlying immune imbalances that may trigger complex diseases.
• Information about how environmental triggers could affect your immune system, potentially resulting in disease conditions.
• The ability to better identify immune conditions at an earlier stage, which if not addressed, may cause over-reaction (autoimmunity), or under-reaction (immune deficiencies) of the immune system, thus, allowing you to gauge existing susceptibilities.
• A more precise immune picture to help plan a treatment regimen or monitor its success.
• Very useful surrogate markers for the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases, immune deficiencies, allergies and hypersensitivities.

You can read more about the Lymphocyte Map here.

Heavy Metals and Mercury Tri-Test

The blood metals panel screens for a broad range of elements to show elevated exposure to toxic metals, including those that are potentially toxic (Antimony, Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead Mercury, Cobalt, Silver, Strontium) or imbalances of nutrient elements (Calcium, Copper, Lithium, Magnesium, Manganese, Molybdenum, Selenium, Zinc) in whole blood. The Mercury Tri-Test is the most comprehensive mercury test available that effectively measures the magnitude and source of mercury exposure as well as the body’s ability to eliminate it. Long-term, chronic exposure to heavy metals through food, water, air, vaccines, and occupational exposures, even at low levels can be harmful. Metals tend to build up in the body over time and can be difficult to eliminate. Toxic metals are often found with chronic infections and other disease processes, meaning they can contribute to illness, and until removed from the body, can be an obstacle to healing. We encourage you to learn more about the Mercury Tri-Test, another testing method that separates Dr Krail-Javier, DNP and the Path from the rest.

Environmental Toxins

It’s not a matter of whether you harbor toxins in your body but rather how much toxic burden you carry and how well your body is able to manage and eliminate it. Our daily lives expose us to hundreds of chemicals from food and industrial agriculture, pharmaceuticals, household and beauty products, and environmental pollution. These exposures can put you at risk for everything from minor nagging symptoms to life-threatening disease. One or several exposures may be hindering your progress and they need to be identified to guide the appropriate treatment.

Testing for MARCoNS requires a high nasal swab for culture that may need to be screened in special cases.

Mycotoxins (Mold Testing) & MARCoNS

Molds are a type of fungus that can have pathogenic effects in the body through the release of toxic metabolites known as mycotoxins. Mycotoxin exposure from either food or the environment can be tested through the urine. There are also tests you can do to check your home and workplace for hidden molds that may have been caused by water damage. It may be important to identify the presence and source of mold toxins in your body to determine if they can be a cause of your symptoms. Knowing the type of mold present also determines the best path for their elimination. We use RealTime Labs which offers the most current, comprehensive and sensitive test for detecting mycotoxins. Mold toxins are known to work with other environmental toxins to make it very difficult for your body to detoxify anything. They can cause immune suppression, damage to the kidneys, even cancer, along with many other negative health effects. MARCoNS is an overgrowth of antibiotic resistant staph up high in the sinus cavities that are often present in those with mold toxicity and CIRS (Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome). They can cause further immune suppression along with upper respiratory and other unexplained symptoms. Testing for MARCoNS requires a high nasal swab for culture and may need to be screened in special cases.

Stealth Pathogens

Epstein Barr virus (EBV), Borrelia (Lyme), Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Candida, Giardia, hepatitis, H. Pylori, and many forms of Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) are some of the common pathogens that can take hold in the body and hide inside the tissues causing chronic infections and subsequent inflammation. They can lead to a host of unexplained symptoms which are not generally accepted signs of infection and are not tested in conventional settings. For this reason and more, they are easily missed and often overlooked. Stealth pathogens have been liked to a variety of chronic illnesses, namely several types of autoimmune diseases processes as well as debilitating and high-risk symptoms. We often screen for these hidden pathogens using sophisticated immunological testing panels and nontraditional markers that could indicate their presence and or the associated chronic state of inflammation.

KRAFT Prediabetes Profile

Sugar handling issues and poor metabolic health underlie the majority of chronic disease states and contributes heavily to common symptoms often mistaken for hormonal imbalance, thyroid issues, and chronic fatigue. Metabolic health best refers to your body’s ability to effectively make energy from the foods that you eat. 

Thus, your metabolic health sets the stage for the health of your overall terrain and your degree of susceptibility to disease. Recent studies confirm that Only 6.8% of American adults have optimal metabolic health. This is partly due to flawed traditional testing methods looking for markers that will only be present once a disease process has already set in.

There are several markers used to measure metabolic health with the most important being your insulin response to blood sugar levels. Unlike standard Oral Glucose Tolerance Tests (OGTT) that only measure your blood sugar in response to a glucose challenge, the KRAFT profile measures your insulin response as well. This test looks at patterns of insulin response rather than a strict cut off point for glucose which can determine the severity of insulin resistance you may have. In other words, it allows for the identification of insulin resistance early in its development, long before it manifests as elevated blood sugar levels.

Early identification makes insulin resistance easier to treat and reverse. Treating insulin resistance often gets to the root cause of patient’s complaints and weight management issues