GI Effects Stool Profiles – £375
Our GI Effects testing is provided by Genova Diagnostics and can be done at home. Prices quoted include the doctor’s evaluation and interpretation. Turnaround time approximately 2 weeks.
These are advanced stool tests that provide immediate clinical information for the management of gastrointestinal health. Using advanced technology and biomarkers, these offer valuable insight into digestive function, intestinal inflammation and the intestinal microbiome.
The profiles can reveal vital information about the root cause of many common gastrointestinal symptoms and non-GI conditions including:
- Gas
- Bloating
- Indigestion/reflux
- Abdominal pain/cramps
- Diarrhoea
- Constipation
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Atopic dermatitis/eczema
- Allergies
- Autoimmune diseases
- Mood disorders (depression)
- Joint aches
- Diabetes
- Weight issues
Our body’s health is dependent on a healthy gut and gut microbiome, which are co-dependent on each other and their human host, with one affecting the other.
The biomarkers reflect the 3 key functions of gut health arranged in the “DIG” format:
Digestion/Absorption, Inflammation/Immunology, and the Gut Microbiome:
- Digestion/Absorption
- Inflammation/Immunology
- Gut Microbiome
This test may be appropriate if you struggle with:
- Gas
- Bloating
- Abdominal pain/cramps
- Indigestion/reflux
- Diarrhoea
- Constipation
- Food Allergies
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn’s disease, Ulcerative colitis)
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
This profile can provide information on inflammation and how well you are digesting and absorbing food. It may also reveal imbalances in yeast, parasites, and healthy and unhealthy bacteria that live in the intestine (a bacterial population called the microbiome).
Optional Add-on Testing
SIBO – £160 (Breath)
A non-invasive breath tests which capture exhaled hydrogen (H2) and methane (CH4) gases following patient ingestion of a Lactulose ℞ solution to evaluate small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and intestinal methanogen overgrowth (IMO).
SIBO is a common clinical condition characterised by excessive bacteria in the small intestine and can develop in a variety of patient populations.
Symptoms and conditions commonly associated with SIBO include:
- Bloating/distension
- Gas
- Diarrhoea
- Constipation
- Abdominal pain
- Dyspepsia
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
- Coeliac Disease
- Diabetes
- Fibromyalgia
- Rosacea
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Obesity
Risk factors for development of SIBO include:
- Intestinal motility disorders
- Chronic pancreatitis
- Abdominal structural/anatomic issues
- Gastroenteritis
- Immunocompromise
- Decreased bacteriostatic digestive secretions (HCl, pancreatic enzymes, bile acids) such as with PPI use
- Ileocecal valve dysfunction
If left untreated, SIBO can lead to complications such as malabsorption and intestinal permeability, or leaky gut.
Food Sensitivity+ (Serum/Blood Spot)
Immune Function Testing & Food and Environmental Antibody Assessment
The IgG and IgE Antibody Panels are blood tests that measure antibodies to commonly consumed foods and environmental allergens. The body can react to foods in many different ways. Adverse food reactions can lead to distressing symptoms and chronic health conditions. Often times it is unknown exactly which food(s) may be the cause and testing can help identify the problematic foods. Removal of the reactive foods often results in resolution of symptoms.
Conditions associated with IgG food sensitivity:
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Major Depressive Disorder
- Migraine headaches
- Skin rashes such as eczema
- Joint aches
- Autoimmune disease
- Crohn’s Disease
- Obesity
The ‘Leaky Gut’ Connection
The presence of circulating IgG antibodies to foods may be suggestive of increased intestinal permeability, also referred to as ‘leaky gut syndrome’. When the tight junctions forming the barrier in the gut don’t work properly, larger substances can leak through, causing an immune response. This immune response may result in the production of IgG antibodies to foods. There are multiple dietary and lifestyle factors that contribute to increased intestinal permeability. These factors include alcohol, stress, chronic NSAID use, Western-type diet (high consumption of red meat, animal fat, high sugar and low fiber food), and prolonged and strenuous exercise.