Micronutrient Testing

In response to our commitment to provide personalized medicine, Integrative Health Group now offers individualized MicroNutrient Testing for our patients.

This addition to our comprehensive care helps us provide patients identification of their specific nutritional deficiencies in 30 different vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, using a patented technology from SpectraCell Laboratories. 

What is the Spectracell Micronutrient Test?

The SpectraCell micronutrient test measures the intracellular amounts of selected vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other essential micronutrients within your lymphocyte white blood cells. Unlike traditional blood and urine tests, it provides a complete picture of an individual's functional intracellular nutritional status.  The test also measures the cell's ability to withstand oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is responsible for chronic cell damage and disease.

Why is this important?

Nutrient status is a vital foundation of health. Each micronutrient plays an indispensable role in promoting optimal cell function. When some cells do not function at their best, the foundation of our health is compromised, setting the stage for the development of disease.

There is also overwhelming evidence that nutritional deficiencies, if not corrected, can cause any number of diseases, such as arthritis, allergies, cancer, diabetes, obesity, depression, fatigue, heart disease, and dozens of other conditions, many whose etiology is often difficult to pinpoint.

Nearly half of people taking vitamin supplements have nutrient deficiencies that vary from person to person, because we are all biochemically unique.  Identifying and correcting nutritional deficiencies is an essential building block for resolving the complexities of the chronic conditions commonly seen in growing numbers, such as: 

Difficulty losing weight

Hypo- and hyper-thyroid

Adrenal fatigue

Blood sugar dysregulation

Sleep disorders

Inflammation and pain

Digestive disturbance

ADD/ADHD

Depression; anxiety; panic attacks

SpectraCell's MicroNutrient Test reports this valuable personalized information. A person's white blood cells are introduced to various nutrient environments and their growth response is measured. Changes in growth determine if that person has what is called a functional deficiency in any of the tested nutrients.

Can I just change my diet in order to get all the nutrition I need?

No!  Many factors beyond diet determine whether nutrient function is adequate. These include biochemical individuality, genetic predisposition, absorption and metabolism, age, disease, conditions, and medications.  As a result, vitamin deficiencies are not just a reflection of diet. Since we are all biochemically unique, nutrient deficiencies vary among family members as well as among those with similar health conditions.

Most people know that gross nutrient deficiencies can cause specific diseases, such as vitamin C and scurvy or vitamin D and rickets. However, when the deficiencies are more subtle, they will typically be undetected by conventional diagnostic methods, although such sub-clinical deficiencies will indeed contribute to disease. The metabolic pathways in each person are so complex that a single nutrient deficiency can affect several of the body's systems.

But I eat a very healthy diet, and I take supplements. What will the information tell me?

Even people with healthy habits can have deficiencies. Biochemical individuality, absorption, chronic conditions, age, and lifestyle influence individual micronutrient requirements. A healthy-looking person can have micronutrient deficiencies that might only be revealed through testing.

With SpectraCell’s Micronutrient Test, over 31 vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants will be evaluated. As a result, individual differences in metabolism, age, genetics, health, prescription drug usage, absorption rate and other factors are taken into consideration. That is why an understanding of a person's long-term nutritional status is critical to achieve optimal health.

What can I expect when I attend Patient Awareness Day at Integrative Health Group?

You may eat and drink normally the morning of Patient Awareness Day.  Shortly after arriving, you will indicate that you have arrived for the purpose of having the test.  At that time, you will make an appointment in four weeks to go over the results of the test with Dr. Stegall.  Then your blood will be drawn for the test.  Before the end of the day, your blood sample will be on its way to the lab.