ION Profiles - Blood & Urine

The Metametrix ION (Individual•Optimal•Nutrition) Profile is a combination of analyses that measures levels of organic acids, fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Over time, functional nutritional inadequacies can result in a variety of chronic health conditions. The ION Profile can help determine the basis for these chronic health conditions.

Included profiles

• Organix Profile - reveals the nutritional and metabolic basis of patient symptoms, including anxiety, mood changes, and immune responses.
• Amino Acid Profile - determines essential amino acid imbalances that affect both physical and mental function.
• Nutrient and Toxic Element Profiles - identifies a toxic burden, which can render considerable damage to the brain and nervous system as well as sufficiency of nutrient elements.
• Fatty Acid Profile - helps strike the right balance of fatty acids that can impact health and development.
• Antioxidant Vitamins - measures a total body status of antioxidant nutrients and nutritional deficiencies.
• Coenzyme Q10 - measures total body status of this antioxidant nutrient and energy pathway cofactor.
• Lipid Peroxides - measures total serum lipid peroxidation, an indication of whole body free radical activity.
• Homocysteine - identifies total homocysteine in plasma, and elevated levels are an independent risk factor for premature cardiovascular disease and atherothrombotic cerebrovascular disease.

The ION Profile is Helpful in Cases of:

Heart Disease: where deficiencies of magnesium, taurine, carnitine, fatty acids and other important substances commonly accompany heart disease. Re-supplying depleted nutrients greatly aids in prevention and recovery.

Obesity: many obese persons have multiple nutritional deficiencies. Dietary improvement and nutritional supplementation based on ION test results help many achieve more active metabolism. In the process, they are able to eliminate excess fat and fluid.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: an enigmatic disorder that frequently involves mitochondrial inefficiencies (deficits in cellular energy production) that can be revealed by comparing the organic acids, amino acids and minerals test results.

Cancer: is usually exacerbated by malnutrition/cachexia. Overall, nutritional testing helps determine the type and amount of supplementation needed.

Immune Disorders: where deficiencies in a wide variety of nutrients, from amino acids to fatty acids to zinc, are seen.

Developmental Delay, Autism, Down's Syndrome: increasing numbers of children are experiencing dramatic improvements in development and achievement due to supplementation based on ION test results.

Mental/Emotional Disorders: often have underlying biochemical imbalances which are revealed by testing for organic acids, amino acids, minerals, and fatty acids.

Learning and Behavioral Disorders: neurotransmitter precursors and their metabolites are often unbalanced in disorders such as ADHD. Assessment of organic acids and amino acids can be very helpful.

Multiple Chemical Sensitivities: functional nutrient levels are affected, including many of those involved in cellular respiration. The ION profile can determine where imbalances occur.

Test name(s)

0090 - ION™ Profile*
0190 - ION™ Profile NY
0068 - Chemistries*
0490 - ION Profile w/Amino Acids 40*
0590 - ION Profile w/ Amino Acids 40 NY

Description

The Metametrix ION™ (Individual•Optimal•Nutrition) Profile is a combination of nutritional analyses that measures levels of fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Over time, functional nutritional inadequacies can result in a variety of chronic health conditions. The ION profile can help determine the basis for these chronic health conditions. The blood chemistries have long been the standard in screening for pathological abnormalities. Chemistries in combination with the ION Profile can provide the most complete picture of a variety of health conditions.

Method

0090: LC/MS-MS, HPLC, UPLC, ICP/MS, GC/MS, Spectrophotometry, Chemiluminescence 0068: Spectrophotometry, Automated Chemistry

Turnaround time

12-18 days, 14 days average

Analytes

0090/0190 Includes 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
0490/0590 All analytes from the above profiles less 0011 plus:
0010 Amino Acids 40 - Plasma

*Not available in New York

Specimen Collection Instructions

• 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.

• ION-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.

• ION-IG.pdf

Patient Briefs

• ION-PB.pdf

Additional Downloads

• ION-Personal-Health-Assessment.pdf

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

Articles

• President's Cancer Panel: Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk - With the growing body of evidence linking environmental exposures to cancer, the public is becoming increasingly aware of the unacceptable burden of cancer resulting from environmental and occupational exposures that could have been prevented through appropriate national action.
• What Are Organic Acids? - Organic acids are products of metabolism that can sensitively identify nutrient deficiencies that lead to metabolic roadblocks.
• Important Markers of Neurological Inflammation: Kynurenate & Quinolinate - The kynurenine (KYN) pathway is a major route of L-tryptophan catabolism and operates as a mechanism of defense against intracellular pathogens and as a mediator of stress response signals to the brain.
• 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.
• Clinical Medicine in the 21st Century: A Time of Transition - An exploration of recent research, credible journals, case reports, and conference proceedings revealed a metamorphosis of sorts coming from some quarters of the medical and scientific literature. Several observations provoked an appraisal of common medical routines and assumptions.
• 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.
• Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Disease - This article examines the structure and function of mitochondria, details the mechanisms by which acquired mitochondrial dysfunction can create a wide range of symptoms and provides a rational approach to treatment.
• 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.
• 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.
• Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid-induced Antioxidant Insufficiency - Patients with elevated levels of serum PUFA are at increased risk of oxidative damage due to lipid peroxidation.

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.
• 8-Year Multiple Sensitivity, Oxidative Stress - Multiple abnormalities in a woman with multiple sensitivities.
• Early Anorexia – High Amino Acids - This case demonstrates that high levels of amino acids are not always a sign of good nutrition. How the body utilizes amino acids is also important.
• Follow up with Autistic Child - Following an autistic child though testing over two and a half years.
• Metabolic Syndrome (X) With Oxidative Stress and Mercury Exposure - Interesting case of a woman who needed to reduce her fatty acid supplementation due to mercury toxicity.
• 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.
• Altered Creatinine - Creatinine above thirty is necessary to produce reliable test results. This can be achieved by limiting fluid intake while collecting urine specimen.
• 8-Year Pizza-Yeast Connection - Case of severe yeast overgrowth due to overconsumption of high carbohydrate food.
• 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.
• Toxic Metals in Myalgia/Anxiety - Two cases of toxic heavy metal accumulation.
• Toxic Metals in PMS/Allergies - Erythrocyte minerals profiles pre- and post-DMPS treatment shows efficacy of treatment and effects on nutrient elements in erythrocytes.
• 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.
• Ice-in-veins 5HTP Aberrations - Specific points of metabolic aberrations appear in a man using high doses of 5-hydroxytryptophan for sleep.
• 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.
• Breast Cancer Risk Reduction- Increased 2/16 OH Ratio - A series of 5 tests over a year show how a young woman can detect her estrogen metabolic status and make dietary modifications to affect reduction of cancer risk.
• Quinolinate Autism Disturbance - A four-year-old child regressed into autism after several infections and a reaction to the MMR vaccine. High levels of quinolinate were noticed in particular.
• Yeast - Nitric Oxide Pattern - A possible case of autism and several metabolic markers that can be improved.
• Muscular Dystrophy Glutathione Effects - A patient with muscular dystrophy needs analysis to determine how to improve her symptoms and multiple abnormalities on her ION test.
• 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.
• Classic Amino Fatigue - Three plasma amino acid profiles spanning a year after starting essential amino acid supplementation show how test results are used to customize individual needs and achieve improvement in fatigue and depression.
• From Hypo- to Hyperthyroid - Hypersensitive hormonal responses are successfully addressed by identifying and rectifying underlying metabolic and dysbiotic issues.
• Antibiotic-induced D-lactic Aciduria - Supplementation with L. acidophillus in a child with carbohydrate absorption difficulties can produce an encephalopathic syndrome associated with D-lactic acidemia. Testing shown in this case spans over the interval of time where urinary D-lactate was added to the Organix report.
• Carnitine Deficiency Seizures - Carnitine insufficiency can be the etiology of life-long seizures and debilitating fatigue. Ripples of metabolic effects are seen here in amino acid and fatty acid profiles, and the three urinary carnitine functional markers strongly suggest the true nature of the disorder.
• Colon Cancer - Pro-Inflammatory Fatty Acid Pattern - Test results allow better decisions about the use of polyunsaturated fatty acids for a patient with active malignancy
• Huntington's Disease - Curious fatty acid desaturation patterns are found as a major feature of mild abnormalities found in this progressive neurodegenerative disease.
• Adrenal Stress – Biotin Pattern - Interesting combination of test markers link cortisol level to biotin deficiency and small bowel bacterial overgrowth.

Metabolic Pathways

• Citric Acid Cycle - Markers of Coenzyme Q10 Synthesis and Function Elevation of organic acids in urine can reveal inhibition of the coenzyme Q10 biosynthetic pathway (A) or interruptions of the electron transport system (B) from inability to sustain adequate CoQ10 levels in the inner mitochondrial membrane.
• ION Profile Pattern Analysis - This pattern analysis is a useful interpretation guide for the popular ION (Individual Optimal Nutrition) profile. Includes five patterns: nutrient deficiencies, toxicants and detoxification, mitochondrial inefficiency, antioxidant insufficiency, and B-vitamin deficiency.

Podcasts

• Nutrition Intervention for Autism - Part III - Nutritional interventions have helped many children with ASD on their road to recovery and improved function. In this 3 part interview, Kara Fitzgerald, ND and Julie Matthews, CNC, discuss the common biochemical patterns seen in children with ASD.
• Nutrition Intervention for Autism - Part II - Nutritional interventions have helped many children with ASD on their road to recovery and improved function. In this 3 part interview, Kara Fitzgerald, ND and Julie Matthews, CNC, discuss the common biochemical patterns seen in children with ASD.
• Nutrition Intervention for Autism - Part I - Nutritional interventions have helped many children with ASD on their road to recovery and improved function. In this 3 part interview, Kara Fitzgerald, ND and Julie Matthews, CNC, discuss the common biochemical patterns seen in children with ASD.
• Shedding a Little Sunlight on Vitamin D - There’s been a lot of talk about Vitamin D in the news lately. Clinical consultants, Dr. Elizabeth Redmond, and Dr. Eve Bralley, shed a little “sunlight” on today’s topic of Vitamin D.
• 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.
• Gut-Brain Connection: An Inside Look at Depression - During a recent Metametrix sponsored breakfast at the IFM Symposium in Hollywood, Florida, Dr. Todd LePine gave a compelling presentation entitled the Gut-Brain Connection: An Inside Look at Depression.
• Naturopathic Approaches to Pain Patients - In this edition of Clinician’s Corner, Dr. Kara Fitzgerald, ND shares her clinical tools and treatments that have resulted in remarkable improvement for patients who had otherwise given up all hope of getting better.
• How do toxins affect mitochondria? - Part 3 - In this third installment of my conversation with Dr. Walter Crinnion, we consider the function of the mitochondria, those “cellular power plants” that provide most of our cell’s supply of adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
• Immunotoxicity - First to the party - Part 4 - We take a deeper look into how toxins affect the immune system this week. Dr. Crinnion says immunotoxicity is usually the first problem that shows up in a person’s history, typically manifesting itself as allergies or asthma...
• Hey Fathead, your brain is an easy target for toxins - Part 5 - The brain is one of the largest fatty organs in our body. Dr. Crinnion says that many environmental toxins are fat-soluble and easily pass the blood/brain barrier.
• Who’s your mama? Is your generation at risk? - Part 6 - The endocrine system is another major target of environmental compounds. Did you know this system directly affects fertility and reproduction? Dr. Crinnion shares a story about the result of persistent, man-made chemicals being transfered from across generations...
• Which test is best? - Part 7 - With so many tests available to clinicians, it can be overwhelming for them to determine which one is the best for their patients. In this podcast, Dr. Crinnion gives his suggestions on testing for toxic exposure.
• Autism and Laboratory Testing - April is the month where many organizations focus on raising awareness of autism, and Metametrix would like to contribute by generating awareness of the laboratory tests that can help to uncover metabolic factors that may be treated in each individual with this complex disease.
• Finding Pieces of the Puzzle - An interview with Dr. Todd LePine, board certified in Internal Medicine with advanced training and experience in Integrative Functional Medicine.

Presentations

• Evaluating Environmental Effects on the Body's Biochemistry and Cancer - This presentation explores the impact of environmental toxins on the body's metabolism. There are over 80,000 chemicals on the market that we are exposed to, with the added insult of combined exposures being more toxic to the body. Metametrix testing is explored and various analytes are explained as markers for toxicity.
• 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.
• Testing and the 7 Keys to an Ultramind - Metametrix helps doctors, like Dr. Mark Hyman, use laboratory tests to identify nutritional and metabolic statuses in the 7 key areas of an UltraMind.
• Building the Organix Profile Into Clinical Practice - An educational module for users of the Metametrix Urinary Organic Acid (Organix) Profile. Covers the 7 steps of an Organix evaluation.
• 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.
• Laboratory Markers of Toxins and Detoxification - PowerPoint presentation on the detection of toxic burden in the body.
• Functional Nutritional Assessment Using Organic Acid Analysis - Dr. Bralley briefly discusses what organic acids are and the importance of organic acid analysis. Additionally, Dr. Bralley discusses how they can play a key role in improving patient's health in a clinical practice.
• Estrogen and Breast Cancer - Dr. Kara Fitzgerald and Cass Nelson-Dooley discuss estrogen and lowering breast cancer risk in an hour long teleconference.
• Understanding When and Why to Use Laboratory Testing - Richard Lord and Kara Fitzgerald cover the essentials in an hour long teleconference recording.
• 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
• Nourishing Hope: Nutrition Intervention for Autism Part I - Metabolic imbalances in autism and their many causes are discussed. The ION test is introduced as a tool for discovering these imbalances in autistic patients.
• Nourishing Hope: Nutrition Intervention for Autism Part II - Continuation of Julie Matthews first interview with Dr. Kara Fitzgerald. Metabolic imbalances in autism and their many causes are discussed.
• 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.
• Nourishing Hope: Nutrition Intervention for Autism Part III - Continuation of Julie Matthews second interview with Dr. Kara Fitzgerald. Metabolic imbalances in autism and their many causes are discussed.
• 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

• Amino Acids - Plasma References
• CoQ10 References
• Fatty Acids - Plasma References
• Fat-Soluble Vitamins References
• Homocysteine References
• Lipid Peroxides (TBARS) References
• Nutrient Elements - RBC/Whole Blood References