One of the hallmarks of Functional Medicine (FM), and why its in such high demand, is its ability to discover the root cause of symptoms and dysfunction. One of the tools that FM practitioners use to pinpoint the source (or sources) of your symptoms is functional lab tests. And while mainstream medicine utilizes functional testing—it’s often limited or outdated technology that barely scratches the surface of what’s possible.

Take nutrient status for example, are you getting adequate amounts of the nutrients you need to stay healthy and function optimally?

There’s actually a really good chance you’re not. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) there is a high prevalence of inadequate intakes of several specific micronutrients in the US population—even with supplementation. They include:

• Calcium

• Iron

• Magnesium

• Potassium

• Vitamin A

• Vitamin C

• Vitamin D

• Vitamin E

Yet, conventional medicine doesn’t generally consider nutritional status until severe symptoms or disease result. It’s important to note that even sub-optimal levels of micronutrients can negatively impact your health without causing overt symptoms.

Why Micronutrient Testing Makes Sense

As we described in a previous post, there is overwhelming evidence that our nutritional status affects our health and quality of life. However, avoiding deficiencies and determining the optimal levels of nutrients needed to feel our best is not that simple.

There are a host of factors that can affect your ability to absorb and utilize nutrients. Plus, your nutrient levels and requirements can be affected by chronic illness, medications, aging, stress or other lifestyle factors.

Therefore, learning your micronutrient status can be a tool to rule out deficiencies as a root cause of symptoms, ensuring adequate status due to age, medications or other factors, and for early detection of sub-optimal nutritional status that may not be symptomatic.

The Micronutrient serum lab test offered by SpectroCell labs is a unique, truly functional assessment of nutrient status. It measures the function of 35 nutritional components including vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and amino acids within our white blood cells. Scientific evidence shows us that analyzing the white blood cells gives us the most accurate analysis of a body's deficiencies. This gives you a better gauge of nutrient utilization versus conventional tests that measure nutrients in the fluid surrounding cells.

As someone who has taken SpectraCells’ Micronutrient test three times, I can attest to the fact that it is a game changer! This micronutrient test along with genetic and GI testing helped me get to the root of symptoms that had plagued me for years.

Micronutrient testing also provides peace of mind. No matter how pristine and healthy you think your diet is, this will confirm it — one way or the other!

Nutrients Included in Micronutrient Analysis

But Wait – There’s More

Also included in SpectraCell’s Micronutrient test are three additional assessments:  antioxidant function, immune response and carbohydrate metabolism.

Antioxidant Function: The same technology used to assess micronutrient status also provides a total antioxidant function test (SPECTROX™) which assesses the ability of cells to resist damage caused by free radicals and other forms of oxidative stress. Due to the considerable number of cellular antioxidants with extensive interactions, redundancies, repair and recharging capabilities, measuring total function is the most accurate and clinically useful way to assess your capacity to resist oxidative damage. 

Immune Function: The IMMUNIDEX™ score is one measurement to evaluate a person’s cell-mediated immune system performance. Specifically, it measures T-cell lymphocyte proliferation. Since immune function is a systemic measure of general health, a higher IMMUNIDEX™ score is generally desired since it means a person can respond efficiently not only to external threats such as pathogens or allergens, but also to internal threats like tumors. The immune system, comprised of both cell-mediated (Th1) and humoral (Th2) components, when balanced and performing optimally, affords us critical protection and promotes health and wellness.

Micronutrient deficiencies will undermine a person’s immune function, and thus lower the IMMUNIDEX™ score. Since the highly complex immune system is dependent on the intracellular availability of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, correcting specific micronutrient deficiencies typically raises the IMMUNIDEX™ and contributes to tangible clinical benefits, such as reduced infections and may assist in achieving Th1/Th2 balance.

Carbohydrate metabolism:  How well you metabolize carbohydrates is assessed in two ways--glucose metabolism and fructose sensitivity. Their patented glucose-insulin interaction test gauges how well insulin functions with cells by measuring how efficiently cells metabolize glucose. Defective glucose-insulin metabolism may result from specific micronutrient deficiencies. 

The fructose sensitivity test detects those persons who are unable to metabolize excess fructose by comparing a person’s lymphocyte growth rate while exposed to minimal or excess amounts of fructose. A major change in growth response indicates a metabolic impact of excess fructose. Excess fructose, beyond metabolic capacity can raise triglycerides and deplete certain micronutrients such as copper and vitamin C and increase uric acid levels which can lead to gout. This test will determine if you are susceptible to the adverse effects of excess fructose.  

Taken together, this comprehensive assessment of micronutrient status can assist with general wellness as well as the prevention of chronic diseases including arthritis, cancer, cardiovascular risk, diabetes, various immunological disorders and metabolic disorders.

Comprehensive Lab Report

SpectraCell’s detailed lab report is easy-to-read with numerical and graphical representations for each result, and it also gives targeted nutrient repletion recommendations for the deficiencies identified. However, your current health conditions, medications and other factors may affect recommendations for nutritional repletion. For this reason, consult your physician before taking dietary supplements. You can view a sample report here.

Ordering Micronutrient Lab Testing

As one of our wellness services, we offer SpectraCell Micronutrient testing at a reduced rate of $400.00 which includes a 45-minute coaching session to discuss your results and answer any questions you may have. (The retail price of the Micronutrient test direct from SpectraCell Labs is $479.00 as of 8/2021.)

Once you purchase the Micronutrient test through IndividuWELL, we provide a completed SpectraCell lab order to take to one of SpectraCell’s draw sites nationwide. (Note: These are third-party labs (not owned by SpectraCell Labs) that charge a small fee (typically $25-35) to draw your blood then pack and ship your sample to SpectraCell Labs for processing.) In about two weeks, we will notify you that your results are ready, and you can schedule your coaching session to review your results. Feel free to use our contact form if you have any questions.

Important Restrictions: Per laboratory requirements, Specimens cannot be collected and lab results can NOT be delivered to CA, MD, MA, NJ, NY, PA and RI residents or residents outside the United States. Specimens will also NOT be delivered to a PO Box address.