Summary The Genova Diagnostics Comprehensive Stool Test with Parasitology reveals clinical important information about your digestive health, looking at factors such as maldigestion - which can cause gas, bloating, abdominal pain etc, chronic dysbiosis - which can impair the absorption of nutrients leading to deficiencies, excess bacterial enzyme activity in the intestine - which can promote carcinogenesis, hormonal imbalances and gastrointestinal irritation, short chain fatty acid inadequacy - which has been linked to increased incidences of colon cancer, bacterial overgrowth - which can compromise immune functioning and underlying gastrointestinal symptoms and chronic digestive dysfunction - which can indicate the onset of leaky gut syndrome, food allergies and other digestive problems. To order the test see www.gdx.uk.net

Genova Diagnostics, a global leader in laboratory testing, offer a range of useful tests and screens to provide an insight into your health related problems. The Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis with Parasitology is a non-invasive evaluation of gastrointestinal function. It's helpful for those suffering from gastrointestinal problems such as indigestion, dysbiosis, gas and bloating, abdominal pain, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and constipation and diarrhoea, identifying imbalances and providing clues to your symptoms. The test comprises of various panels looking at digestion markers - indirectly evaluating digestive function, absorption markers - looking for elevated levels of particular fatty acids which may suggest maldigestion, malabsorption and small bowel bacterial overgrowth, metabolic markers - identifying imbalances associated with increased toxic burden and severe inflammation, microbiology markers - measuring the amount of friendly and unfriendly bacteria, and parsitology - which identifies whether any parasites are present. Click here for more information on the important clinical information this test can reveal.

What Does the Test Involve?

Three days prior to the test it's recommended that you discontinue the use of barium enemas, bentonite clay, castor oil, mineral oil, betaine HCI or digestive enzymes, rectal suppositories, vitamin C supplements and beneficial flora supplements, as these will affect your results. Two days before the test it is advised that you abstain from taking aspirin or Ibuprofen, unless your doctor requests you to continue. After ordering the test online from Genova Diagnostics, you will receive three bags with all the equipment necessary to take stool samples over three days.

On each day you need to pass a stool in the collection tray provided (it may seem a bit unsavoury but it's worth it for the useful insight you get into your condition), add several portions of stool to the appropriate collection tube, using the spoon in the cap of the tube, mix and mash the specimen until the mixture is smooth (yep, sounds like one horrendous recipe I know!), recap the tube, shake well, write your name and date of taking the specimen on the tube label and ensure the cap is tightly sealed. You can refrigerate but not freeze the samples. After you have taken the third sample you need to ensure the requisition form is filled in and return your samples to Genova Diagnostics by next day special delivery. It takes a couple of weeks to receive the results. Even if you're squeamish about collecting your own bodily excretions, it's really not that bad.

How Useful are the Results?

I personally found the test incredibly useful, discovering that I have candida and klebsiella pneumoniae infections, incomplete fat digestion (which can be caused by candida because it destroys your body's fat digesting enzymes) - indicated by elevated fecal amounts of triglycerides, fat malabsorption in the small bowel - indicated by elevated levels of long chain fatty acids in the stool (this can be the result of bile salt insufficiency, excessive dietary fat, or inflammation within the intestinal mucosa), elevated levels of total fecal fats - which can indicated pancreatic insufficiency and malabsorption, and low levels of the beneficial bacterias Lactobilli and Bifidobacteria were found. Where pathogenic bacteria are identified the results indicate which natural and pharmaceutical antifungals you are sensitive and resistant to, helping you choose the right ones to combat your infections. Fortunately no parasites were detected!

I absolutely give this test the thumbs up. It has really helped me discover how healthy my intestines are and as a result I am taking specific supplements to tackle the overgrowth of the undesirable bacterial organisms found. Click here to see a sample report of a Genova Diagnostics Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis with Parasitology.


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