Stool analysis – our poo can reveal a lot about us.

One of the things that sometimes causes our patients to raise their eyebrows is our mention of stool testing. Stool analysis is a powerful tool for understanding what might be going on in our gastro-intestinal tracts.

To gain the benefits from consumed food, nutrients must be appropriately digested and efficiently absorbed into bodily circulation. Poor digestion and malabsorption of vital nutrients can contribute to degenerative diseases, compromised immune status, and nutritional deficiencies. Impairment of the highly specific nutrient uptake processes, or compromised GI barrier function (or  “leaky gut syndrome”) can result from: low gastric acid production; chronic maldigestion; food allergen impact on intestinal absorptive surfaces; bacterial overgrowth or imbalances (dysbiosis); pathogenic bacteria; yeast or parasites and related toxic irritants; and the use of NSAID’s (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, such as aspirin and ibuprofen) and antibiotics.

A Comprehensive Stool Analysis with Parasitology (CSAP) test is a non-invasive diagnostic assessment that allows practitioners to objectively evaluate the status of intestinal bacteria. It tests for the intestinal ecology of microflora, including the presence of intestinal parasites and pathogens. It can be a a valuable tool in gaining insight into what is happening within the gastro-intestinal tract and tailoring interventions to the patient that might include the elimination of pathogens and exposure to irritants; supplementation of hydrochloric acid; pancreatic enzymes and pre- and probiotics; and repair of the mucosal barrier.

To find out more about the CSAP test, click here.