FUNCTIONAL DIAGNOSTIC LABS

The gut microbiome resides in your large intestine and is host to more than 1000 species of bacteria that perform certain important functions from shaping the immune system to influencing metabolism of nutrients to fortifying the intestinal mucosal barrier (gut barrier).

It is important to know the abundances of the bacteria that symbiotically live in the human gastrointestinal tract because imbalances in the gut microbiome may lead to gastrointestinal symptoms, skin conditions, autoimmune disorders, immune system imbalances, and multiple inflammatory disorders.

Vibrant uses a proprietary microarray hybridization technology platform, using the whole-genome data to simultaneously detect over 300 microorganisms with 99% specificity and 98% sensitivity, unheard-of levels of accuracy in the detection of pathogenic microorganisms. Because Vibrant does not use sequencing technology, which is time-consuming and prone to high level so inaccuracy, the Gut Zoomer is the most accurate microbiome test available to aid discerning healthcare providers in the assessment and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders.

The Gut Zoomer report provides you with actionable recommendations that include potential risks for:

Intestinal permeability (SCFA producing bacteria and tight junction integrity)

Intestinal disorders (IBS and IBD related bacteria)

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)- related bacteria

Cardiovascularhealth (inflammationinfluencing and TMAO-related bacteria)

Autoimmune health (celiac, Crohn’s, rheumatoid arthritis, etc)

Neurological health (MS, Parkinson’s, and more)

Liver diseases (cirrhosis, hepatitis, cholangitis, and more)

Metabolic health (Obesity, diabetes, etc)

Nutrition (Vitamin production, oxalate metabolism)

Microbiome and hormone connections (Beta-glucuronidase and Beta-glucosidase)

67 pathogenic bacteria

24 Intestinal parasites

8 viruses

5 Fungal or yeast species

5 worm species

6 antibiotic resistance genes measured

and newly added additional markers of functional digestive status:

Calprotectin

Pancreatic elastase 1

Bile acids

Cholic acid

Chenodeoxycholic acid

Deoxycholic acid

Lithocholic acid

Acetic acid

Butyric acid

Propionic acid

Valeric acid

Total SCFAs

ß-glucuronidase

The test performs the most comprehensive analysis available of your intestinal microbiomeecosystem from a simple one-time stool collection. This test examines the complex and intricate relative abundance of each species or genus measured, in relation to the rest of the ecosystem, to provide a unique perspective on the gut microbiome and its connection to disease and inflammation.

The functional digestive analytes aid healthcare providers in determining if deficiencies in digestive enzymes, bile, or other critical metabolites are root causes of gastrointestinal inflammatory symptoms.

The Vibrant Gut ZoomerTM also provides patients with an actionable report that includes dietary recommendations and other natural supplementation like prebiotics, probiotics, and polyphenols.

Heavy metal toxicity is under-represented as a root cause of illness and disease in humans, is thought to affect over 1 million individuals annually, and can affect virtually all biological systems within the human body

Heavy metals may be the root cause of common neurological disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, autoimmune diseases, and disorders associated with increased oxidative stress and cellular dysfunction

Due to the ability of many heavy metals to deplete critical nutrients such as antioxidants and minerals, the Vibrant Heavy Metals test should be run alongside a Vibrant Micronutrient panel, to assess both intra- and extracellular levels of commonly affected nutrients

Populations at greater risk of heavy metal toxicity include developing fetuses, children, and the immunocompromised, as well as individuals with impaired liver function and reduced antioxidant activity

Heavy metals are present in all regions of the United States, and can accumulate in air, soil, and drinking or ground water sources in and around concentrated sources of heavy metals from industrial production or pollution

Some professions and hobbies are at greater risk of heavy metal toxicity, including fuel, munitions, painting, rubber manufacturing, industrial smelting, mining, photographic processing, agriculture, semiconductors, welding, and waste or radioactive waste disposal sites

The World Health Organization (WHO) considers 13 heavy metals of significance to human and environmental health: arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, mercury, manganese, nickel, lead, tin, and titanium, however, there are other metals and metalloids that may be significant causes of health problems in humans

The Vibrant Heavy Metals test is a urine-based test to screen for 20 of the most common heavy metals known to accumulate and cause adverse health effects in the human body. This test can be taken either provoked or non-provoked. Discuss with your healthcare provider which option is best for you and consult a trained healthcare provider before attempting any heavy metal provocation protocols.

Vibrant Food Sensitivity is an array of 209 commonly consumed food antigens which offers very specific antibody-to-antigen recognition. This panel measures an individual’s IgG and IgA sensitivity to food antigens. Being able to test IgA antibodies provides additional information to foods that may be causing mucosal damage. Additionally, this test is ideal for patients who might be suffering from delayed reactions to certain foods. Using an antibody-based food sensitivity test can help prioritize the necessary foods to eliminate and create a customized diet plan around the patient’s specific needs.

Why Test Food Sensitivities?

Food Sensitivity testing can be very useful to help prioritize an elimination or rotation diet. Usually removing foods that the body has produced antibodies to will alleviate symptoms, because the source of inflammation is removed. The ideal time course for elimination is not established. Consider magnitude of antibody response, ½ life of antibodies, patient’s current dietary intake, level of motivation, status of mucosal integrity, and remission and/or progression of symptoms.

EXTRACELLULAR MICRONUTRIENTS

Micronutrients that are free floating in your blood and exist outside the cells, determined in serum are called extracellular micronutrients.

These extracellular micronutrients are a static measure of what is in your blood at any given time. These are dependent on your short-term intake of supplements or diet and give a direct assessment of your baseline micronutrient levels.Extracellular nutrient tests reflect a person’s diet over a relatively narrow time frame.

INTRACELLULAR MICRONUTRIENTS

Intracellular micronutrients are the micronutrients absorbed by your circulating white blood cells and red blood cells.Cellular micronutrient absorption is an important step in maintaining and promoting optimal functioning of all our cells.

It is important to understand that, even though you may be consuming an adequate or healthy diet or supplements, your cellular intake levels of those nutrients may not be sufficient and may still provide risks for deficiencies and the disorders associated with them.

Your genetics, aging, lifestyle, chronic illness, and medications all affect your cellular nutrient absorption. The intracellular portion of Vibrant’s micronutrient test takes all the above factors into consideration to identify your cellular nutrient absorption status. This test can reveal a person’s functional nutritional status over a much longer time (4-6 months) than extracellular testing.

Almost every physiological function in your body requires micronutrients to function optimally. Vitamin, minerals and anti-oxidants play a key role in:

Producing and releasing energy.

Strengthening the immune system.

Reducing systemic inflammation.

Protecting against free radical damage.

Maintaining a healthy hormonal balance (i.e. thyroid, sex hormones, adrenal hormones, neurotransmitters/brain hormones, etc.).

Maintaining insulin sensitivity.

Slowing down cellular aging.

Promoting the health of all tissues: skin, bone, brain, breast, gut, prostate, heart, muscle, organs, etc.

Protecting against the development, progression, and recurrence of cancer.

1 in 7 individuals in the United States has a wheat-related disorder.

As gluten- and wheat-sensitivity become better recognized in the medical community, the need for accurate and highly sensitive testing to identify affected individuals has grown. Vibrant’s answer is the Wheat ZoomerTM.

The Wheat ZoomerTM aids in the specific recognition of antibodies to wheat peptides – including gluten and non-gluten components, along with antibodies that indicate the presence of intestinal permeability. It is also a highly sensitive peptide-based array designed to detect autoimmune reactions to gluten.

The Vibrant Mycotoxins test is a urine-based assay for 31 of the most common mycotoxins produced by molds to which humans are exposed. This test is measured on mass spectrometry, using Vibrant’s patent-pending proprietary technology, to produce the most accurate and clinically relevant assessment of difficult-to-detect toxins that can cause serious disease in humans. Vibrant is able to detect mycotoxins, small molecules, as small as 5 pcg, which greatly expands the number of available mycotoxins detected.

Individuals most at risk for mycotoxin exposure include those who live or work in older buildings, those who have known exposure to water-damaged buildings, and those with impaired immune responses or higher levels of oxidative stress.

Mycotoxins complicate human health in a number of ways and their presence in the human body can lead to a number of serious health concerns, including autoimmune disease and cancer.

There may be higher incidence of autoimmune or neurological symptoms in your patients with mycotoxin toxicity. Consider screening for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, connective tissue disorders, celiac disease, and neurological autoimmunity along with mycotoxin testing.

Treatment of mycotoxin exposure should include a holistic approach to eradicate the mold from the individual, thorough and professional removal of mold from environmental sources, and continued testing to monitor reductions in mycotoxin levels post-intervention.

Due to the common co-occurrence of Lyme and mycotoxin exposure from depressed immunity in affected individuals, as well as symptom overlap between tickborne diseases and mycotoxins, consider running the Vibrant Tickborne Diseases panel along with the Vibrant Mycotoxins test.

The Neural ZoomerTM is an array of neurological autoantibodies which offers very specific antibody-to-antigen recognition. The Vibrant Neural ZoomerTM is designed to assess an individual’s reactivity to neurological antigens, which may have connections to a variety of neurologically related diseases.

With a panel of 16 of the most well-studied neurological autoantibodies, the Neural ZoomerTM is able to guide providers in treatment protocols by pinpointing the mechanisms behind disease progression and providing a roadmap to solutions and improved health outcomes in this challenging arena of disease.

The test also has optional additional genetic testing for the ApoE genotype, which has been shown to influence risk for certain neurological conditions.

The Vibrant Neural ZoomerTM aims to reduce the prevalence of neurological conditions by empowering patients and physicians with a vital resource for early risk detection and an enhanced focus on personalized primary prevention.

By including the Vibrant Neural ZoomerTM in their arsenal of available autoimmune and neurological tests, healthcare providers can arm themselves with the most advanced and relevant test available to assess the presence and risk of neurological autoimmunity.

The Neural ZoomerTM is also the comprehensive compilation of multiple research studies which have identified autoantibodies associated with a range of neurological disorders, enabling early risk detection and prevention of neurological degeneration.

Vibrant Additives is an array of 57 commonly consumed food additives, and which offers very specific antibody-to-antigen recognition. This panel measures an individual’s IgG and IgA sensitivity to food additives, which can aid in differentiation of food additive sensitivity from food sensitivities.

Being able to test IgA antibodies alongside IgG antibodies provides additional information on food additives that may be causing mucosal damage. Additionally, this test is ideal for patients who might be suffering from delayed reactions to certain foods or food additives.

Using an antibody-based food additives test can help prioritize the necessary foods to eliminate, avoid, or rotate and create a customized diet plan around the patient’s specific needs.

Food additives can be added to a food at any point in the process of growth to consumption, and many are considered generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA.

Why Test Food Additives?

Food Additives testing can be very useful to help prioritize an elimination or rotation diet. Usually removing foods containing additives that the body has produced antibodies to will alleviate symptoms, because the source of inflammation is removed.

Symptoms that appear when consuming a food with multiple ingredients can be due to a sensitivity to the food, or to the ingredients or additives in the food.

Food Additive testing can be very useful to help determine the true cause of the sensitivity and prioritize an elimination or rotation diet to reduce symptoms related to food additive sensitivities

The ideal time course for elimination is not established. Consider magnitude of antibody response, ½ life of antibodies, patient’s current dietary intake, level of motivation, status of mucosal integrity, and remission and/or progression of symptoms.

Testing for food additive sensitivities can provide the most complete picture of total problematic foods and ingredients when run alongside a Vibrant 96, 84, or 180 Food Sensitivity panel.