The Organic acid analysis provides a metabolic “snapshot” into what the body is discarding through the urine. These small organic acid molecules are byproducts of human cellular activity, food digestion and gut flora activity. They provide to us markers of nutritional deficiencies, specific detoxification needs or disturbed metabolic pathways. When excessive yeast or bacteria are present their metabolites clue us into to their excess so appropriate changes can be made. Because the organic acid analysis provides us this window into human cellular activity, from it we can determine:
- Cellular energy production
- Metabolic toxicity
- Detoxification needs and problems
- Functional vitamin, mineral and other nutrient deficiencies
- Amino acid deficiencies
- Neurotransmitter problems
- intestinal flora imbalances
- Environmental pollutants
The usefulness of this unique profile, one rarely used in conventional medicine, is that it provides insight into so many areas of the human physiology. It has implications for the practitioner into many problem areas, including but certainly not limited to:
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Multiple chemical sensitivity
- Intestinal distress
- Joint pain
- Autoimmune disorders
- Inflammatory conditions
- Headaches
- Early ageing
- Vitamin and nutrient deficiencies
- Environmental toxicities
- ADD/ADHD
These small organic molecules in a healthy individual appear in only very small amounts. But when we have disturbances in vitamin, mineral and hormone metabolism, energy shifts, or the integrity of the intestinal wall is compromised and muscle function is disturbed, these compounds can increase significantly, signaling where a problem is at. Sometimes in individuals with chronic illness, autoimmune disorders or allergic illness we may find a number of abnormal organic acids being produced in rather high quantities. The reasons behind these increases are quite varied, but may come from antibiotic use, excessive consumption of carbohydrates, immune deficiencies, genetic factors and toxin accumulation
Once abnormalities are detected there is a variety of treatment options available to improve one’s health and return to feeling well. As such, the organic acid analysis is an extremely useful screening and assessment tool for a variety of very common health problems.