After 20 years, I have wondered if I should change my practice name to: “The Best Lab Test for You.” I bring this up because so many doctors who are alternative, or moving from medical to alternative, have a lot of misinformation on the validity and application of blood tests. Don’t get me wrong; I’ve taken the majority of those courses, and, for the most part, considered using those tests until I gathered the necessary information.
No doctor can be everything for every patient, but we can do many things to provide the best treatment and testing options available. I believe it is our duty as doctors to understand the sensitivity and specificity for any test ordered and how each impacts the outcome or updates to your treatment plan.
When I was in training, my mentor made me run every test on myself before ordering the same for a patient. Otherwise, how can you adequately explain a procedure? My years in clinical pathology have served me well, and I vet each lab we work with for proof of testing and evidence of medical approval.
This year has hardly begun, and our new patients, out of town patients, and re-activated patients (from former doctors) are bringing in lab test results. It’s disheartening to explain to a patient that their doctor(s) didn’t adequately understand the ordered test. Let me explain.
There are a lot of companies testing for food allergies, intestinal barriers, heavy metals, parasites, hormones, and genetics. Not all of these companies have FDA or CMS approval. While most people are familiar with the FDA, you may not be with CMS. CMS is a government institute that assures testing validity, efficacy, and whether a test should, or should not, be approved for payment. If you ever had a bill indicating the test is “experimental,” it was due to a CMS determination.
In just over two weeks, patients have brought in roughly $10,000 in laboratory testing that the FDA or CMS deems “experimental” or “non-approved.”
The following information provides detail on the most prevalent test results recently brought into the office. When you work with me or are on the fence about coming in and are currently seeing another practitioner, this information will adequately prepare you to ask questions before testing. Specificity is defined as being able to find what you’re seeking. Sensitivity is defined as the percentage of actual positives one has for a test.
There are two test choices used to evaluate hormone levels properly. Blood and saliva tests provide details to understand bound and unbound hormones; or a urine test, known as a Dutch test, with the ladder being vastly more comprehensive and affordable.
For heavy metals, a hair test only shows exposure; it doesn’t show anything else, is not diagnostic, nor can you be treated from the results.
Like hormone testing, there’s a series of tests to see if heavy metals are an issue.
Food sensitivity panels come in many forms. There are five different antibodies, and generally, three are tested. Many national labs only test for anaphylactic IgE antibodies. Food sensitivity reports should have IgA and IgG for foods, and the individual foods need to be both raw and cooked for proper testing. This testing method is considered the “gold standard.”
When you’re paying money for these tests, you want the best testing and reporting for your money. We have also observed parasites diagnosed via dark field microscopy, heavy metal, and other tests with zero approval, sensitivity, or specificity for parasitic diagnostics. It’s not even the best guess!
These are my personal observations and explanations over the past two weeks, and I’m a small clinic. Can you imagine the amount of money wasted on tests that do not provide a path to a better quality of life nor provide valuable information for your treatment plan? You deserve the “gold standard” in laboratory testing, and at New Leaf Health and Wellness, that is the only option we choose for our patients.
I’m Dr. Trites,
Be well.