Robert Whitfield MD explains using metabolomics and IGG food-sensitivity testing to identify triggers that worsen gut health and systemic symptoms. He contrasts common tests like CRP (nonspecific) with metabolomics measurements (e.g., glutathione, palmitic acid) that can inform an inflammation score, assess detox capacity and toxin exposures, and reveal hormone-imbalance effects. He describes IGG testing via a blood draw called LCAT250 (covers ~250 foods), notes patients with mast-cell/histamine issues benefit from identifying food triggers, and gives a clinical vignette of hair loss linked to stress, sleep, diet, and gut/detox problems.
Questions this video answers
LCAT250 blood draw test; looks at about 250 foods.
Chapters
Once you have an idea of that and the gut health, now you're starting to build a picture. And we add in food sensitivities. Now we look at IGG food sensitivities, which is not a blood spot, not a blood spot test like Everly. Well, but it is a blood draw. So the blood draw that we do using LCAT250 looks at about 250 foods. And the point of it is you're trying to see are there other triggers. I have a lot of pat who have MAST cell activation syndrome or just have higher amounts of histamine to deal with. And so we want to identify what triggers them and then try to help them by giving them that's a tool that they can use when they go to the store or when they're eating out, that helps them avoid certain things that may trigger them. We look at metabolomics. So, all right, what is metabolomics? Think of it like cellular process creates a chemical reaction. There's different products in the reaction. Many of those products can be measured in the blood, like glutathione levels, palmitic acid levels. And so these can be used to assess and develop an inflammation score. Everybody, you know, ask me, like, why is there C reactive protein or crp normal, but they don't feel well. So that's a really non specific. That's been around, excuse me, been around for a long period of time. What I'm interested in is how you detox. What are your toxin exposures, what are these acid levels in the blood? And then finally, like, what is the hormone balance? Just yesterday I had a patient come in and say, female patient, they were losing tons of hair and they didn't understand why. And they're talking about their difficulty with both sleep and stress levels, really difficulty with their diet. Sometimes they drink just a simple fluid like water, and they have trouble with bloating or swelling or pain. So when we have imbalances on our gut like we described, between parasites, bacteria and fungi, and we have problems with detox capability and a lot of exposures, add in a few triggers with food, you can see how the picture gets very, very murky very quickly for patients.
