The Organic Acid Test is a nutritional test providing insights into the body’s cellular metabolic processes. Urinary organic acids derived from the metabolic conversion of dietary proteins, fats and carbohydrates, in addition to compounds of bacterial origin, provide a unique chemical profile of a patient’s cellular health. The testing procedure measures the overflow or build-up of intermediate organic acid products in the urine, determining where ‘aberrations’ are occurring in metabolic pathways. These biomarkers give an overview of several major systems in the body and an analysis of nutritional deficiencies in the body.

The Organic Acids test is the preferred test used in clinical practice as many functional medicine practitioners believe the metabolic panel provides remarkable data about a patient from a simple urine collection. The organic acid tests assess a wide range of cellular and physiological processes including intestinal dysbiosis, energy production, nutrient cofactor requirements and neurotransmitter metabolism.

Marked accumulation of specific organic acids detected in urine often signals a metabolic inhibition or block. The metabolic block may be due to a nutrient deficiency, an inherited enzyme deficit, toxic build-up or drug effect.

By evaluating organic acid levels and pinpointing the metabolic dysfunctions occurring at the cellular level, a comprehensive, customised treatment strategy can be tailor made for each individual patient.

The Ideal Test for Complex Patients

Medically unexplained symptoms account for approximately 20% of primary care consultations and 10% of secondary care referrals. The typical symptom clusters including emotional and mental difficulties, allergic reactions, gastrointestinal distress, and urinary tract problems do not fit any traditional disease pattern, nor do they have an agreed-upon conventional medical diagnosis. In these situations the organic acid tests would be an ideal diagnostic test to utilize.