Cardio ION Profile - Blood & Urine

You know the ION Profile is one of the best values in nutritional medicine. The Cardio ION Profile makes it an even better value by adding cutting-edge risk markers for cardiovascular disease (CVD)!

Why order the Cardio ION Profile?

Because 1 in 3 adults has some form of cardiovascular disease².

The Cardio ION identifies key nutritionally modifiable risk factors for CVD, including:

• Fatty acid imbalances that lead to chronic inflammation, shown by current research to be one of the most probable causes of CVD
• High fibrinogen that can make the blood more sticky or viscous, increasing the risk of clots
• Homocysteine, increasingly recognized as an important risk factor for not only CVD, but stroke and dementia as well
• Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), a fat-soluble, vitamin-like substance in every human cell that is involved in key biochemical reactions that produce energy in cells, and it also acts as an antioxidant
• Fasting insulin, an indicator of insulin resistance which often leads to metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and CVD
• Sufficiency of antioxidant protection, shown in studies to help reduce fatty deposits on artery walls and limit cell damage that can lead to both CVD and cancer

Go Beyond Conventional Serum Lipid Markers

The Cardio ION Profile identifies critical CVD risk factors, including:

(1) Excerpt from Total Wellness, Sept. 2006 by Sherry Rogers, MD
(2) N Hanes 1999-02, CDC/HCHS (American Heart Association)

Test name(s)

0290 - Cardio ION Health Profile*
0390 - Cardio ION Health Profile NY
0068 - Chemistries*

Description

The Cardio ION Health Profile provides a comprehensive array of parameters to determine overall nutritional status with a specific impact on reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and improving cardiovascular health.

Method

0290: LC/MS-MS, HPLC, UPLC, ICP/MS, GC/MS, Spectrophotometry,
Chemiluminescence, EIA
0068: Spectrophotometry, Automated Chemistry

Turnaround time

12-18 days, 14 days average

Analytes

All analytes from the following profiles:
0011 Amino Acids 20 - Plasma
0022 Nutrient And Toxic Elements - RBC
0033 CoQ10 Plus Vitamins - Serum
0032 Vitamin D - Serum
0040 Fatty Acids - Plasma
0051 Lipid Peroxides - Serum
0091 Organic Acids - Urine
0093 Homocysteine - Plasma
0161 Cardiovascular Health - Blood

*Not available in New York

Specimen Collection Instructions

• Cardio-ION-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.

• Cardio-ION-SR.pdf

Patient Briefs

• Cardio-ION-PB.pdf

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

Articles

• Dr. Stephen Sinatra: Metabolic Cardiology and the Cholesterol Myth - Dr. Sinatra looks at coronary disease as an inflammatory problem and believes statins are effective primarily due to their anti-inflammatory effect, but are needed only in certain circumstances.
• Reactive Species and Antioxidant Markers - Normal cellular processes, ultraviolet rays from the sun, environmental pollutants and toxins, excessive intake of protein, total calories or alcohol, and even increased exercise, can increase reactive oxygen (ROS) and reactive nitrogen (RNS) species.
• The Fatty Acid Profile: Dietary Intake and Beyond - Fatty acid testing can provide a great deal of information allowing for individualized interventions. Varying patterns can help to identify not only essential fatty acid deficiency or excess, but also signs of insulin resistance, hypertriglyceridemia, proinflammation, or omega-3 dominance.
• Vitamin D: A Clinical Perspective - Although its primary role is to regulate calcium and phosphorus absorption/resorption to maintain bone health, the clinical significance of vitamin D is very broad. This article explains why vitamin D is so important to the body.
• Why Test for Coenzyme Q10? - This article illustrates that measuring both direct and indirect biomarkers of CoQ10 sufficiency in order to appropriately diagnose and treat patients, and to monitor CoQ10 administration, can markedly improve patient outcomes and prevent mitochondrial related disease.
• Assessment of Biochemical and Nutritional Individuality through Organic Acid Testing - Organic acid testing provides a broad view of many important bodily functions amenable to nutritional interventions. One urine sample can be used to evaluate dysbiosis, detoxification, and nervous system transmitter balance as well as multiple nutrient deficiencies.
• Fibrinogen's Secrets - If you’ve already had a heart attack, having elevated fibrinogen shows you who is most likely to die within less than four years. So if you have already had a heart attack and you’re not having your fibrinogen measured, you are being cheated because it is totally reversible.
• Significance of Low Plasma Homocysteine - Low plasma homocysteine is clinically relevant because multiple organ and system disturbances can result from limitation of sulfur compounds and methionine methyl donor functions.
• Significance of Urinary Tartaric Acid - Letter to the editor of Clinical Chemistry supporting the claim that urinary tartaric acid is not a valid measure of yeast overgrowth.
• Autistic Therapies Focused by Laboratory Data - This review focuses on laboratory evaluation of organic acidurias for revealing metabolic weaknesses in autism that may be responsive to aggressive nutritional, detoxification and gastrointestinal immune balancing interventions.
• Urinary Markers of Intestinal Yeast - Letter to the editor of Towsend Letter for Doctors and Patients gives the argument against the use of urinary arabinose for detection of invasive candidiasis and for the use of urinary D-arabinitol instead.
• Urinary Markers of Yeast Overgrowth - This paper presents a review of scientific reports of some urinary markers of yeast overgrowth.

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.

Case Studies

• Mineral Testing and Osteoporosis - This is a case study involving a postmenopausal woman with osteoporosis. The case illustrates how whole blood minerals and toxic metals testing can give clues to causes of osteoporosis and help with supplement recommendations.
• Probiotic Sensitivity - Profound elevation of 5-HIA suggest a bowel-specific serotonin syndrome that is producing a hypersensitivity to changes in the bacterial colonies of the gut.
• Fungal Overgrowth but not Invasive Candidiasis - This case is of a 46 year old female who was overweight and poor muscle tone. She presented herself originally for severe headaches of a chronic nature. They improved with pressure and with the use of prednisone. This issue began at age 25.
• Congenital Hypotonia - Evidence of profound mitochondrial oxidation lesions are seen in this infant with breathing difficulties.
• Dysbiosis from Corticosteroid Use - The common assumption that prolonged courses of corticosteroid treatment can precipitate Candida yeast infections have never been so evident as in this case.
• Biotin & Detoxification Needs in Cognitively Delayed Adult - Biotin deficiency may be linked to hyperlipidemia and up-regulated fatty acid desaturation in this mildly psychotic man.
• Extreme Arabinitol - Extreme elevation of D-arabinitol presents an potential explanation of otherwise unexplained and unusual chronic symptoms.
• Fat Malabsorption in Health Optimization - When plasma fatty acid levels fail to respond to supplementation with oils rich in essential fatty acids, fat malabsorption is indicated, even when the symptoms of essential fatty acid deficiency are not yet reported.
• Yeast - Nitric Oxide Pattern - A possible case of autism and several metabolic markers that can be improved.
• Prader-Willi-2 - Mitochondrial distress with oxidative stress and extreme glutathione up-regulation is exacerbated by glycine conjugation insufficiency and intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
• Prader-Willi 1 - A series of Organix reports shows the nature of this genetic abnormality as numerous, severe, and persistent metabolic disturbances.
• Philadelphia Chromosome - When follow up testing looks much worse while a young leukemia patient is improving, multiple factors are at play. Underlying dysbiosis and glutathione issues are involved in this case.
• D-Lactate Study Set - Seven cases illustrate a variety of other bacterial marker abnormalities when D-lactate is high. The patterns instruct about etiologies and intervention strategies.
• High Amino Developmental Delay - A combination of environmental, nutritional, and genetic metabolic weaknesses were found as potential causative factors in the failure of neurological development for this 2 year-old girl. Vitamin B6 insufficiency, arsenic exposure, and intestinal dysbiosis are key features in the initial laboratory workup.
• Fishing Trip Heart Attack - After his first heart attack, this man had delilgently followed all recommendations from standard cardiology. The low fat diet and regular exercise routines, lowered his body weight and blood lipids. Then he headed out for his annual fishing trip and another MI hit him. The Cardio ION revealed multiple additional cardiac risk factors needing correction.

Podcasts

• Nutritional Solutions for High Blood Pressure - In this second part of a three part series, Dr. Rogers explains why commonly prescribed medications for high blood pressure don’t always work and can sometimes make things worse.
• How Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs Harm Nutrition - We welcome Dr. Sherry Rogers, author of The Cholesterol Hoax, to this episode of the Metametrix Institute Podcast. Dr. Rogers says that cholesterol is not in fact, the biggest cause of heart disease, nor is it predictive of heart disease.
• The Sinatra Solution - Reduce Your Cardiovascular Disease Risk - Dr. Sinatra gives a compelling and fascinating interview and his enthusiasm is contagious. We think you will be enriched and inspired after listening to this visionary cardiologist explain how to treat the real, complex, causes of disease.
• Tests for Your Heart Health: It’s Not Just Cholesterol Anymore - In the final part of a three part series, Dr. Rogers explains why knowing your cholesterol level alone isn’t enough to reduce your risk of heart attack.

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.
• Modifiable Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease - Lipoprotein factors, inflammation markers, insulin, hormone markers, RBC magnesium and oxidative stress are discussed as the main features of the Cardiovascular Risk Profile. Recommendations are given to increase HDL, lower LDL, and reduce inflammation. Treatment options are given to reduce oxidative stress.
• 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.
• Evaluating the Complex Patient with Organix Testing - Four cases are presented in this teleconference: an autistic child, a child with mitochondrial myopathy, an adult with depression and a professional athlete. Aspects of their organic acid tests are focused on.
• Patching the Leaky Gut: Evaluating Intestinal Microbial Burden using Organic Acids - Four cases using Organix testing: Lyme disease, regressive autism, chronic fatigue/fibromyalgia syndrome, Melnick-Needle
• From Simple Headaches to Cancer: Assessing the Role of Toxic Burden in Disease - The detoxification markers of the Organix profile are discussed, along with five cases.
• Evaluating Oxidative Stress in Chronic Degenerative Conditions: From Autism to Aging - Oxidative stress markers are discussed. Oxidative stress is explained and four cases are presented.
• Evaluating B Vitamin Status in Autism - The B vitamin markers of the Organix test are discussed and their relation to autism. Two autism cases are also discussed.
• Evaluating Neurotransmitter Status in Neuropsychological and Physiological Complaints - Neurotransmitter markers in the Organix test are discussed along with five cases.
• Evaluating Mitochondrial Function and Disease: Managing the Fatigued Patient - The mitochondrial function markers of the Organix test are discussed. Deficiency markers are explained, as well as the supplements used to correct the deficiencies.

References

• Cardiovascular Health References