Lab Testing

About Labs & Functional Testing

  • Comprehensive Health Testing & Diagnostics: Includes functional lab testing, advanced diagnostics, and holistic assessments to address various health concerns.
  • Personalized Functional & Laboratory Testing: Includes tests for hormones, gut health, allergies, nutrient deficiencies, inflammation, and more, tailored to each patient’s needs.
  • In-Office & At-Home Lab Testing Options: Convenient options for scheduled blood draws and test kits, with the flexibility to complete testing from home or in our office.
  • Out-of-Office Testing Services & Imaging Orders: Access to additional diagnostic services like imaging and out-of-office lab work, ensuring a complete picture of your health.

Frequently Asked Questions

We use a range of advanced tests, including blood, stool, urine, and saliva analysis. Labs are customized to your needs and the insights your practitioner is seeking. Common tests we use within our clinic include GI Map stool testing, DUTCH Hormone Testing, Genetic Testing, and Mold and Environmental Toxin Testing.

Lab testing plays a crucial role in uncovering underlying health imbalances that may not be visible through symptoms alone. It helps us understand the root causes of health issues, guiding us toward personalized treatment plans that are more effective and efficient. Whether you’re experiencing chronic symptoms or simply want to optimize your wellness, lab testing provides valuable insights into your body’s function, hormone levels, immune system, gut health, and more. With this information, we can offer targeted therapies to support long-term health, balance, and vitality.

The GI Map (Gastrointestinal Microbial Assay Plus) is a comprehensive stool test that provides a detailed analysis of your gut health. It evaluates your gut microbiome, including beneficial bacteria, harmful pathogens (like parasites and yeast), and markers of inflammation. The GI Map test is especially helpful for identifying digestive issues, food sensitivities, and conditions like IBS, SIBO, and leaky gut. By understanding what’s happening in your digestive system, we can create a tailored treatment plan to restore balance, improve digestion, and support overall well-being.

The DUTCH (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones) test is an advanced, non-invasive method of assessing your hormones. This test measures key hormones like cortisol, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and melatonin, providing a detailed snapshot of your hormone balance over a 24-hour period. It also includes organic acids, which give insights into your body’s metabolism and detoxification pathways. The DUTCH test is invaluable for understanding hormonal imbalances that may be affecting your mood, energy, sleep, weight, or overall health, helping us tailor a treatment plan to restore balance and optimize your health.

The GI Map test is a simple and convenient at-home stool collection test. You’ll receive a test kit with detailed instructions on how to collect a stool sample. After completing the collection, you’ll send the sample back to the lab in the provided shipping materials. Once the lab processes your sample, we will review the results and schedule a follow-up appointment to discuss the findings and develop a personalized treatment plan to address any imbalances or concerns.

The DUTCH Hormone Test is an easy-to-follow at-home urine test. The kit includes everything you need to collect urine samples at specific times throughout the day, which helps track the fluctuations of your hormones. You will receive instructions on how to collect your samples, and once complete, simply send the samples back to the lab for analysis. After receiving the results, we will schedule a consultation to review your hormone levels and discuss next steps for balancing your hormones and improving your health.

Lab test results generally take 3 to 4 weeks to come back, depending on the test and lab processing times. To ensure we have everything ready, we schedule your pre-paid lab review with Dr. Nikzad about 5 weeks from the date we order the test. This gives us enough time to receive and thoroughly go over your results with you. Please note, if there’s any delay in completing your testing or if the lab experiences delays, it could extend the timeframe. We’ll always keep you updated and adjust the schedule as needed to ensure everything is on track.

The cost of testing can vary depending on the type of test and what’s being assessed. For NAET and muscle testing, you can find pricing details on our services page. For functional and diagnostic tests, such as blood work or stool testing, the cost will depend on your specific needs and the assessments discussed during your new patient or follow-up appointment. We’ll provide you with a clear breakdown of the costs based on your personalized treatment plan and what’s recommended to support your health.

We charge separately for lab reviews because each test requires a dedicated, thorough review by Dr. Nikzad. The lab review fee covers the time Dr. Nikzad spends analyzing your results, interpreting the findings, and discussing them with you in detail during your appointment. This allows us to provide you with personalized recommendations based on the results. 

Patients pay the lab directly for the testing, and once the tests are ordered, the lab will notify you and request payment. The lab review fee is a separate charge, which is prepaid to our clinic by the patient before we order the tests. This ensures that we can properly schedule and dedicate time to your results once they are available.

Patient lab results will be shared via the patient portal by your provider prior to your lab review. In some cases, lab results may be available earlier if you ordered labs independently through Rupa Health. Please check your patient portal for updates, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

Commonly seen conditions

Food Sensitivities & Reactions  

  – Reactions to common foods (e.g., dairy, gluten, grains, nuts, soy)  

  – Sensitivities to food additives (e.g., FD&C Yellow #6, sodium metabisulfite)  

  – Fruits and vegetables (e.g., lime, peach, blueberry)  

  – Grains and legumes (e.g., lentils, barley, amaranth)  

 

Environmental and Seasonal Allergies  

  – Airborne allergens (e.g., pollen, dust)  

  – Mold, pet dander, and other environmental sensitivities  

Additional Allergy Testing  

  – Lectin sensitivity  

  – Celiac disease screening (gluten-related immune response)

Gut Microbiome & Infection Markers

  – Stool tests for bacterial, yeast, and parasitic imbalances  

  – Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)  

  – Candida, Lyme, Epstein-Barr, and other viral infections  

  – MARCoNS nasal swab (chronic sinus infections)  

  – Helicobacter pylori (gut infections)

 

 Immune System Health  

 – Gut-related immune markers (e.g., secretory IgA, Calprotectin)  

  – Inflammatory markers (e.g., anti-gliadin IgA)  

 – Leaky gut and gut permeability (Zonulin, DAO)

Heavy Metal and Toxic Chemical Exposure  

 – Urinary tests for lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic  

  – Environmental toxins (e.g., pesticides, industrial chemicals)  

 

Mold & Mycotoxin Testing  

  – Mold exposure and mycotoxins (e.g., Ochratoxin A, Aflatoxin, Trichothecenes)  

  – Mold-related allergens  

 

Antioxidant and Detoxification Markers  

  – Glutathione levels (important for detox)  

  – Oxidative stress markers (e.g., 8-OHdG, lipid peroxidation)

Thyroid Function & Health  

  – Comprehensive thyroid panel (TSH, Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3)  

  – Thyroid antibodies (e.g., Anti-Thyroglobulin Ab)  

  – Vitamin D (critical for thyroid and immune health)

 

Adrenal & Stress Hormones  

  – Cortisol and DHEA (stress and adrenal health)  

  – Adrenal function testing (e.g., cortisol rhythm)  

 

Sex Hormones & Reproductive Health  

  – Women’s hormone panel (e.g., estrogen, progesterone, FSH, LH)  

  – Men’s hormone panel (e.g., testosterone, estradiol)  

  – Urinary hormone testing (DUTCH test for cortisol, estrogen, testosterone)

 

Metabolic Function & Nutritional Markers  

  – Blood sugar regulation (e.g., glucose, insulin resistance markers)  

  – Micronutrient levels (e.g., B12, vitamin D, magnesium)  

  – Essential fatty acids (omega-3, omega-6 balance)

Lipid & Cholesterol Markers  

  – Total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides  

  – Oxidized LDL (damaged cholesterol)  

 

Heart Disease Risk Markers  

  – High-sensitivity CRP (inflammation related to cardiovascular health)  

  – Homocysteine (cardiovascular and stroke risk)

Mold Testing  

  – Mycotoxins (e.g., Aflatoxin, Ochratoxin A)  

  – Mold allergens (e.g., Penicillium, Aspergillus)

 

Toxicity Assessment  

  – Heavy metals (lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic)  

  – Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like benzene, xylene

Genetic SNP Testing  

  – MTHFR mutations (important for folate metabolism)  

  – COMT (stress and mood regulation)  

  – APOE (Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular risk)

 

Genetic Pre-dispositions  

  – Detoxification efficiency  

  – Nutrient processing genes

Brain Function & Neurotransmitter Testing  

  – Cortisol and neurotransmitter testing (serotonin, dopamine, GABA)  

  – Organic Acids Test (OAT) for metabolic and brain health  

 

Sleep & Mood Disorders  

  – At-home sleep study (to track sleep patterns)  

  – Neural Zoomer Plus (autoimmune brain health markers)

Inflammatory Markers  

  – C-Reactive Protein (CRP)  

  – Phospholipase A2 (marker for inflammation and autoimmunity)  

 

Autoimmune & Chronic Inflammatory Conditions  

  – Testing for autoimmune diseases (e.g., ANA, rheumatoid factor)  

  – Connective tissue markers (e.g., anti-CCP)

These tests assess how the body responds to different substances, supporting the identification of sensitivities and imbalances:  

Muscle Testing (Applied Kinesiology)  

  A diagnostic tool used to evaluate the body’s response to different stimuli. Muscle testing helps identify imbalances or sensitivities related to:  

  – Nutritional Deficiencies  

  – Toxicities (Heavy metals, chemicals)  

  – Food Sensitivities  

  – Allergies (environmental and seasonal)  

  – Hormonal Imbalances  

  – Stress Responses  

  – Emotional Blockages  

 

NAET (Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Techniques)  

  A holistic method for identifying and eliminating food and environmental allergies through a process of gentle acupressure and energy balancing. It can help with:  

  – Food Sensitivities (e.g., dairy, gluten, nuts)  

  – Environmental Allergies (e.g., pollen, dust, animal dander)  

  – Chemical Sensitivities (e.g., perfumes, cleaning agents, cosmetics)  

  – Emotional Stress Reactions (e.g., trauma, unresolved emotions)  

  – Immune System Functioning and Enhancement

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