I no longer run the test service, see options for ordering here. However, I have left the test info up for you as there’s a lot of good advice here. Hope it helps!
Pretty much every acute and chronic illness has an inflammatory component to it. I think it underlies pretty much everything including obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular problems, as well as the usual things like arthritis and pain you’d usually associate with inflammation.
I normally assume some inflammation level and treat, but it can be very helpful to see exactly how inflamed you might be and what the nature of that is. Is an infection causing an inflammatory response? Might there be an autoimmune inflammatory element to your condition? Are your pro and anti-inflammatory markers out of balance? What can be done to rebalance them?
Testing Inflammation
Your GP can do standard inflammation markers like ESR, CRP or hs CRP, or I can do them if you need me to, just send me a lab test request.
For a really good look at your overall immune status, the CytoDx is best, I think. This looks at your balance of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines so we can see what is out of balance and treat accordingly. It measures:
- Pro-Inflammatory; GM-CSF, IFN gamma : Th1, IL-1 beta, IL-2 : Th1, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8
- Pro-Inflammatory: IL-12 p70 : Th1, IL-17A : Th17, IL-18, TNF alpha, IL-15, MIP-1 beta (CCL4), RANTES
- Anti-Inflammatory IL-4 : Th2, IL-5 : Th2, IL-10 : Treg, IL-13 : Th2
You can read all about it here, including collection instructions and sample reports.
For gut inflammation, use a gut test – and make sure it includes calprotectin. Or use the GI Inflammation test, which looks at the four main gut inflammatory markers (note the gut tests usually include these – check before you order). You can order that via that link or on the shop.