nutriquant testing summit nj

 

NutriQuant™ is a testing panel created exclusively by MedLabs that provides a complete look into your full nutritional health. This panel can be fully customized by your physician to assess and create a fast, individualized treatment. NutriQuant™ is able to detect:

• Antioxidants
• Heavy metals
• Minerals
• Vitamins

NutriQuant™ offers exclusive insight into your body’s health on a cellular level. In doing so, it provides vital information on what you need to maintain optimal health and wellness.

NutriQuant™ offers exclusive insight into your body’s health on a cellular level. In doing so, it provides vital information on what you need to maintain optimal health and wellness.

You may benefit from this extensive assessment if you are:

• Concerned that you’ve been exposed to heavy metals
• Currently managing chronic disease(s)
• Living with a family history of chronic disease, such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes
• Looking to proactively manage your health by determining any deficiencies your body may have
• Suffering from symptoms that have no apparent cause

What does NutriQuant™ assess?

NutriQuant™ is able to measure up to 40 analytes using fast, proven testing methodologies. Learn more about what NutriQuant™ can detect below, in detail:

Minerals and Trace Elements

Essential macrominerals commonly tested include calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium. These are all present in a healthy, balanced diet with functions spanning all body systems and processes, including nervous system function, bone health, immune system health, muscular function and more. Common tests include iron, which carries oxygen to the body’s cells, and ferritin, a protein that stores iron and releases it as the body needs it.

The following trace elements are essential for proper body function but can be toxic when present in excess:

• Copper plays an important role in the formation of connective tissue, melanin and bone. It is possible to get too much copper from contaminated water or dietary supplements, or it may accumulate as a result of improper clearance from the body.

• Zinc is involved in protein and DNA synthesis as well as healthy bone and teeth formation. Various conditions can cause malabsorption, resulting in the need for diet modification or zinc supplementation.

• Iodine is required for proper thyroid function and is normally obtained through a balanced diet with foods containing iodide and/or the use of iodized salt. This iodine should not be confused with elemental iodine, which is toxic and used as a disinfectant.

• Cobalt is required for the production of red blood cells (RBCs) and serves other functions similar to those performed by zinc.

• Manganese is a mineral that is important for normal growth and development. While insufficiency is uncommon, environmental exposure or excess supplementation resulting in high levels can lead to developmental issues, anemia and/or cardiotoxicity.

• Chromium and molybdenum also are typically consumed as part of a normal diet, but toxic exposure could occur from contaminated drinking water or soil. Individuals working in the metallurgical industry or those with particular surgical implants should be monitored for exposure.

• Zinc RBC, copper RBC and magnesium RBC are intracellular measurements and will indicate deficiencies prior to depletion of blood stores.

Heavy Metals

While some heavy metals can be essential, many are highly toxic and cause a wide variety of health consequences:

• Arsenic, found naturally in the earth’s crust, is present in the environment worldwide. It is often found in drinking water in its highly toxic inorganic form, as well as in food in its organic form. All arsenic causes long-term health effects—touching virtually all major organ systems—and is a known carcinogen.

• Cadmium is used in rechargeable batteries, among other products. It can enter the body through consumption of contaminated food, occupational exposure—particularly among mechanics—and both active and passive inhalation of tobacco smoke. It is found in higher concentrations in certain spray paints; lower concentrations can be found in vegetables, cereals and starchy roots. Cadmium is highly toxic and also a known carcinogen, targeting multiple organ systems.

• Lead poisoning can have profound effects on developing fetuses and small children, even at low levels, although it should be emphasized that there is no known safe level of lead exposure at any age. Like other heavy metals, lead accumulates and causes significant long-term effects on multiple body systems. The most common means of lead exposure are occupational and environmental through contact with leaded paints, ingestion of water from leaded pipes and other leaded products such as ammunition, lead crystal glassware and stained glass.

• Mercury is also found naturally, commonly through ingestion of fish and shellfish. Exposure causes significant health problems, especially during fetal development and in young children. It also affects various organ systems, such as the nervous, immune and digestive systems.

• Nickel in its elemental form has an undefined biological role. However, occupational exposure to various nickel compounds can cause toxicity.

• Thallium, previously found in rodent poison, can still be found in the environment within contaminated food and water (but typically at low levels).

Water-Soluble Vitamins and Associated Markers

B vitamins play a critical role in the body, including maintaining overall energy levels and immune system function, serving as antioxidants, producing steroids, promoting neurological function and more.

• Homocysteine, an amino acid that is regulated in part by vitamins B6, B12 and folate, is used as a marker for cardiovascular disease and is currently being studied in other biological functions.

• Methylmalonic acid (MMA) is a sensitive marker also used to evaluate vitamin B12 insufficiency and associated disease processes.

• Vitamin B3 (niacin) also serves functions similar to the other vitamins and is widely available. However, it is often evaluated by measuring the sum of multiple parts, nicotinic acid and nicotinamide, the latter of which is often found as a supplement.

• Vitamin B6 is often measured in two forms: pyridoxine, the form typically available as a supplement, and more significant, pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP), the metabolically active form that plays a variety of roles in metabolism, synthesis, gene expression and other body functions.

• Vitamin B7 (biotin) is often taken as an individual supplement and may promote hair and nail strength.

• Vitamin B9 (folate) and vitamin B12 (cobalamin) are essential for red-blood cell formation, DNA synthesis and proper nerve function, and also as overall markers for malnutrition or dietary malabsorption. It is also widely known that folate supplementation during pregnancy reduces the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida and may reduce the risk of Down syndrome.

• Vitamins B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and vitamin B5 (panthothenic acid) are all found in a variety of foods and are part of B-complex vitamins taken routinely or as part of a disease-specific treatment plan. These vitamins play a role in proper metabolism as well as the production of RBCs.

Fat-Soluble Vitamins

Fat-soluble vitamins are essential for proper tissue and organ function, and while they should be consumed as part of a balanced diet, excessive supplementation can cause toxicity. Many, such as vitamin E, also have strong antioxidant properties.

• 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D is the active form of vitamin D following ingestion or exposure to sunlight, which can be measured and used as an aid in the assessment of vitamin D sufficiency for particular patient populations.

• Total vitamin D, one of the most commonly discussed vitamins, has long been known for its role in bone and parathyroid health. In recent years, it has been widely studied as an overall health marker due to its involvement in various biological processes, including disease prevention. Total vitamin D is made up of two major components, vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), which show a greater rate of changes to total vitamin D blood levels. Despite the abundance of information regarding the importance of maintaining proper vitamin D levels, a large percentage of the population is considered deficient, either due to low rates of ingestion, lack of exposure to sunlight or various disease states that affect vitamin D absorption or metabolism.

• Vitamin A (retinol) plays a number of roles, including promotion of immune system function, development and, most notably, healthy vision. Unfortunately, vitamin A deficiency continues to affect nearly one third of children worldwide. It can also be measured as a provitamin, beta-carotene (provitamin A).

• Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) is also found in a variety of vegetables, as well as other sources, and is essential for proper coagulation function.

• Vitamin K2 (menaquinone) is also important, but can be converted from K1 within the body.

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