Gastrointestinal & Digestive Health Digestion starts with chewing and the production of saliva. Stomach acid, pancreatic enzyme production and bile acid secretions are all vital in the digestive process.

So measuring and recognising problems in these areas are as important as reviewing the balance of friendly and pathogenic bacteria found in the gut - also essential for digestion and health in general.

The Diagnostic Clinic’s Bowel Screens review all these areas as well as looking for parasites, food allergy response and inflammation that may indicate inflammatory or more sinister pathology.

Some tests and screens can be arranged without seeing a doctor; however especially in patients with previous or existing medical conditions or uncertain symptoms, we recommend an initial consultation or short phone consultation* with one of our doctors first to determine which test/screen is most suitable for you.

* 10 – 15 minute phone consultation charged at a fixed rate

For further information please contact +44 (0) 207 009 4650.

For further information on the doctors and their specialities please visit the Doctors, Specialists & Consultants Page.


Tests and Screens

The Diagnostic Clinic offers a multiple range of tests and screens.

For further information please click on the links below or contact our health screen advisers
+44 (0)207 009 4650.
 

Quick Links:

  • Basic Nutritional Screen
  • Comprehensive Nutritional Screen
  • Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis
  • Other Gastrointestinal & Digestive Screens

1. Basic Nutritional Screen

The Diagnostic Clinic’s Basic Nutritional Screen is a surprisingly simple non-invasive test that is able to provide a clear picture of the nutritional status of an individual. By assessing a large variety of organic acids and amino acids from a urine sample it allows a comprehensive insight into digestive function, absorption and deficiencies of nutrients e.g. amino acids, certain vitamins and minerals, neurotransmitter processing and an overview of antioxidants as well as into the activity of free radicals which cause oxidative stress.  Based on the results a physician can give recommendations on the need for supplementation with anti-oxidants, amino acids, B-vitamins and minerals.

Unlike simply obtaining nutritional testing from an online or laboratory source The Diagnostic Clinic provides a summary by an Integrated Physician after analysis of your results together with recommendations on possible supplementation needs.

All that is required is an early morning urine sample. The test kit comes with clear instruction, sample tube and envelope to send it directly to the laboratory.. The kit can be collected at The Diagnostic Clinic or we can send it straight to the patient’s home address.

Please be aware that there are certain requirements e.g. fasting over night, stopping certain supplements and non-essential medications four days prior to the test etc that should be discussed with one of our health screen advisors prior to booking the screen.

For further information please contact our health screen advisers at +44 (0)207 009 4650.  


2. Comprehensive Nutritional Screen

The Diagnostic Clinic’s most extensive nutritional screen allows an insight into vitamin and mineral deficiencies, levels and balance of amino acids, essential fatty acids (particularly omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids from red blood cell membranes), antioxidant activity and free radical damage through review of oxidative stress results. It includes a measurement of toxic elements and minerals from red blood cells, nutritional co-factors (essential for metabolic pathway activity), levels of Coenzyme Q10, Vitamin D and homocysteine. It also gives insight into detoxification capability, health risk evaluation caused by deficiencies and the activity levels of mitochondria (the energy producing “batteries” found within cells that allow normal cellular metabolic function).

Based on the results a physician can give recommendations on the need for supplementation with antioxidants, essential fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Unlike simply obtaining nutritional testing from an online or laboratory source The Diagnostic Clinic provides a summary by an Integrated Physician after analysis of your results. 

All that is required is an early morning urine sample and a blood sample. The blood test can be done at The Diagnostic Clinic anytime Monday – Thursday 9:00 – 17:00. Coming on a walk-in basis is usually fine, however to avoid waiting time during busy hours we recommend booking a free 15min slot with one of our nurses in advance by ringing reception on +44 (0)207 009 4650. The kit for the urine test can be sent out prior to the screen, to bring it to the clinic on the day of the blood test or can be collected on that day to send it directly to the laboratory on completion.

Please be aware that there are certain requirements e.g. fasting over night, stopping supplements and non-essential medications four days prior to the test etc that should be discussed with one of our health screen advisors prior to booking the screen.

For further information please contact our health screen advisers at +44 (0)207 009 4650. 


3. Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis/Digestive Health & Bowel Efficiency

The body has around 10 trillion cells. The bacteria found in our gut known as the bowel flora number up to 100 trillion. The health of these bacteria is vital to our own health.  They digest food, produce vital vitamins and activate minerals into usable forms as well as providing an essential defence.  Certain bacteria bind to the gut wall creating a barrier whilst others actively destroy or compete with bad bacteria we may ingest. 

The bowel wall creates compounds which can indicate whether there is inflammation from one of the many different sources and specifically Calprotectin can be an indication of more sinister conditions such as cancer.  Eosinophils are white blood cells which react to parasites and to food allergy and they produce Eosinophil Protein X (EPX) if activated by either of these conditions. EPX can be measured in stool samples. 

The Diagnostic Clinic has reviewed test options from laboratories around the world and has chosen the Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis with Parasitology 2.0 as being the best available.  Not only does the test give an indication of the activity of all of the above issues but it also looks for the presence of parasites and abnormal, potentially pathogenic (bad) bacteria or yeast (Candida) and also which orthodox antibiotics or herbal preparations might benefit the health of an individual’s gut. 

Unlike simply obtaining test results from an online or laboratory source, The Diagnostic Clinic provides a summary by an Integrated Physician after analysis of your results.

The screen requires the collection of a stool sample on three consecutive days. Detailed instructions as well as sample tubes and envelopes to send the samples directly to the laboratory are all provided with the kit. The kit can be collected at The Diagnostic Clinic or we can simply send it to your home.
Please be aware that there are certain requirements e.g. avoiding certain medications, supplements or probiotics three days prior to the test etc which should be discussed with one of our health screen advisors prior to booking the screen.

For further information please contact our health screen advisers at +44 (0)207 009 4650. 


Other Gastrointestinal & Digestive Screens

FACT Test (Food Allergy Cellular Test)

This Food Allergy Cellular Test is the measurement of a compound known as leukotriene which is released from the “memory” white blood cells that recognise foods to which we are allergic. Most tests measure immunoglobulins (Ig) that can be produced in abundance in allergic responses but may not remain in the bloodstream for longer than a few days or weeks at the most. 

The FACT therefore may offer information regarding potential food allergy even to those who have not eaten the food recently. 

The aggressive forms of allergy such as anaphylaxis are usually triggered by IgE and these are done by conventional hospitals under the care of allergists in people who have marked symptoms to certain foods. 

They myriad of IgG tests available by pinprick tests or blood samples through many nutritional centres or laboratories struggle with the difficulty that IgG may not be present if a food has not been eaten for several weeks. The FACT may bypass that analytical difficulty. 

For further information please contact our health screen advisers at +44 (0)207 009 4650.

Gut Permeability Test (Leaky Gut)

Increased intestinal permeability is becoming more recognised as an association with may different conditions. The bowel wall should only allow through digested food particles which are no bigger than very small proteins called peptides, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Anything larger might be misunderstood by the immune system as possibly being a virus or a bacteria and trigger an immune response. 

Larger molecules cannot be used by the body generally in the process of building structure or metabolism. Increased intestinal permeability, colloquially known as “leaky gut” is caused by damage to the surface membrane (endothelium) which allow large molecules to travel into the bloodstream. 

All nutrients absorbed by the gut have to travel through the liver so many of us may have a leaky but not necessarily have a problem as the liver breaks down the larger molecules and possibly invading bowel bacteria. However a combination of a weakened or overwhelmed detoxification system and the presence of a leaky gut can lead to considerable problems.

For further information please contact our health screen advisers at +44 (0)207 009 4650.

Helicobacter Pylori Antibody Test

Helicobacter pylori is associated with stomach ulceration and heart disease. This blood test looks for the body’s immune response to the presence of this bacteria – the production of antibodies. The antibody test tells us whether you have ever had H. pylori but high levels can indicate active infection. This is different form the H. pylori breath test.

For further information please contact our health screen advisers at +44 (0)207 009 4650.

Helicobacter Pylori Breath Test

The presence of H. pylori in the stomach can lead to ulceration and heart disease. The activity of H. pylori can be measured by testing through a breath test. These bacteria produce a specific gaseous excretion known as c13 which can be measured and used to monitor eradication through dietetic, natural or orthodox drug treatments. 

For further information please contact our health screen advisers at +44 (0)207 009 4650.