What are Organic Acids and why do we test them?
In short, organic acids are byproducts of metabolism and are similar in structure to amino acids, but without the amine group. They are predominantly tested in urine due to the way that the body processes them - i.e. they are end-products of metabolism.
Organic acids can give important insight into a person’s health status, because when there is a metabolic imbalance in the body, it can lead to an accumulation (or depletion) of certain organic acids, and these can be a flag for states of imbalance or dis-ease.
Precision Analytical Inc have brilliantly chosen 6 markers which really complement the overall picture of both the DUTCH Complete and the DUTCH Plus. This will enable practitioners to gain a deeper understanding of the hormonal and adrenal pictures for their clients - in particular when it comes to commonly expressed symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, depression, sex drive, estrogen dominance, stress and motivation.
The 3 neurotransmitter markers are:
- Homovanillate (HVA) – the primary dopamine metabolite
- Vanilmandelate (VMA) – the primary norepinephrine and epinephrine metabolite
- 5-hydroxyindoleacetate (5HIAA) – the primary serotonin metabolite
The 3 nutritional organic acids are:
- Methylmalonate (MMA) – elevated if patients are vitamin B12 deficient
- Xanthurenate – elevated if patients are vitamin B6 deficient
- Pyroglutamate – elevated if patients are glutathione deficient
One of the benefits of these new OATs is in relation to B12 deficiency. If MMA (Methylmalonate) is elevated it means that B12 is deficient in the cells of the patient. B12 is critically important with some commonly experienced symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, memory problems, muscle weakness, depression and migraines. By understanding this in-depth information - practitioners will be able to better support and advise customers in the ways they can alleviate these symptoms and regain greater health.This is just one of the many benefits gained from extracting this knowledge from the tests. You can get a full information sheet of all the new OATs and the benefits by clicking here.
These six new OATs will all be included as standard in the Dutch Complete and Dutch Plus tests from now on - for no additional cost - and we urge practitioners who would like to learn more to watch the recording of a recent webinar delivered by Mark Newman, M.S. and Dr. Carrie Jones. You can view this by clicking here.