Amino Acids 20 Profile - Blood Spot

The Bloodspot Amino Acid Profile

The Bloodspot Amino Acid Profile can illuminate problems in amino acid absorption by determining essential amino acid imbalances from a simple finger stick. This profile is a great option for clinicians unable to draw blood and easy enough for the patient to collect in the comfort of their own home. A formula for a customized amino acid blend is also provided with every test result for individually formulated treatment.

This profile is available testing 11 analytes or 20 analytes. Please click on the 'Clinician Info' tab for a complete listing of analytes to see which profile is the best option for you.

Why is amino acid testing important?

Amino acids, known as the "building blocks" of proteins, are found in every tissue of the body. They play a major role in nearly every chemical process that affects both physical and mental function including the formation of ligaments, tendons, bones, as well as antibodies and regulation of enzymes and blood transport proteins. Twenty different amino acids are used to synthesize proteins.

Why use a Bloodspot test?

With just a simple finger stick, these easy-to-use blood spot tests offer a non-invasive alternative to a blood draw in determining amino acid status.

Advantages of Bloodspot testing:

• Easy to implement in any practice
• Does not require venipuncture
• Cost-effective testing and therapy
• Easy enough for patients to use at home
• Simple and economical option for follow-up testing

Test name(s)

0113 - Amino Acids - 20 analytes*

Description

The Bloodspot Amino Acid Profile is a finger stick amino acid test that measures all of the essential plus key non-essential amino acids. Fasting levels of amino acids represent homeostatic balance between supply and utilization of these critical building blocks. The Bloodspot Amino Acid Profile is a non-invasive alternative to the blood draw in determining essential amino acid status and therefore may be a better alternative in the pediatric setting. The test kit is simple enough for the patient to use at home. A formula for a custom amino acid blend is provided with every bloodspot amino acid test result. This blend can be made by any compounding pharmacy.

Method

HPLC

Turnaround time

7-14 days, 10 days average

Analytes

Arginine
Asparagine
Aspartic Acid
Citrulline
Glutamic Acid
Glutamine
Glycine
Histidine
Isoleucine
Leucine
Lysine
Methionine
Ornithine
Phenylalanine
Serine
Taurine
Threonine
Tryptophan
Tyrosine
Valine

Ratios
Phenylalanine/Tyrosine
Glutamic Acid/Glutamine
Tryptophan/LNAA (Large Neutral Amino Acids)

*Not available in New York

Specimen Collection Instructions

• Amino-Acids-Bloodspot-KI.pdf

Sample Reports Example of how test results will be reported, including reference ranges and graphs indicating high and low percentiles of each analyte.

• Amino-Acids-20-Bloodspot-SR.pdf

Interpretive Guides Information on individual analytes and possible patterns that may be indicated on your test results. Further supplement recommendations, diet modifications, and other treatment options may also be included to help guide your treatment.

• Amino-Acids-Bloodspot-IG.pdf

Patient Briefs

• Amino-Acids-PB.pdf
• Bloodspot-PB.pdf

If you do not have the free Adobe Acrobat Reader, download it here.

Articles

• Importance of Sulfur Amino Acids - Are we getting enough sulfur in our diets? This brief article covers the functions of sulfur amino acids, adverse effects of insufficiencies, and common food sources of these essential amino acids.
• Amino Acids - A good way to organize amino acids is to consider them by function. The following article is a list of functional groups of amino acids and their metabolic roles in the body.
• Advantages of Blood Spot Specimens for Amino Acid Assessment - A blood spot amino acid test may provide information not available in plasma studies and possibly correlates more closely with long term amino acid status.
• Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome with Specific Amino Acid Supplementation - The following represents an open trial of the efficacy of amino acid supplementation which may stimulate further interest in the use of amino acids as therapeutic agents in CFS.

Books

• Laboratory Evaluations for Integrative and Functional Medicine - Your evidence-based resource for the biochemical basis of chronic illness. A must-have desk reference for laboratory testing associated with nutritional and metabolic medicine.

Presentations

• Why Test for Amino Acids? - The Amino Acid Plasma 20 test is reviewed by Dr. Redmond. Each category is explained and the reasons for highs and lows are discussed.
• Amino Acids in the Body - The short video clip is from part of an interview with Dr. Bralley discussing the importance of amino acids in the body.
• IFM: The New Paradigm of Medicine - This PowerPoint presentation was developed by the Institute for Functional Medicine. It provides a concise explanation of the new paradigm of medicine that focuses on underlying causes of disease and treatment from that level rather treating symptoms alone, the approach often taken by modern medicine.

References

• Amino Acids - Plasma References