New Frontiers Podcast - Advances in Stool Testing - The GI-MAP GI-Microbial Assay Plus
Podcast Details - Originally Published February 13, 2019
NEW FRONTIERS in Functional Medicine with Dr. Kara Fitzgerald.
Dr. Fitzgerald talks with Tony Hoffman about new advances in stool testing, how to use test results to improve patient outcomes, and the limitations of stool testing.
Dr. Fitzgerald's Program Summary
I had loads of fun taking a tour through the wonderment of DSL GI MAP™ test today with Tony Hoffman, CEO of DSL (and longtime friend of mine!). DSL’s GI MAP stool test is, as CEO Tony Hoffman states, “a clinician diagnostic tool,” not a microbiome test. Yes, of course the GI MAP looks at the microbiome, but it’s not a broad sweep of the myriad bugs taking up residence. Rather, it’s a carefully curated investigation of organisms with demonstrated imbalance potential, be it pathogenic or dysbiotic in nature. The test is designed to be user-friendly, interpreted rapidly, logically, providing clearly actionable data that, when addressed, gets results. I’ve known Tony for years – we were both involved in the development of the first stool test using PCR analysis offered to clinicians. He’s brilliant, fun to listen to, and offers loads of pearls in this conversation.
I am not aware of another individual who has been involved in comprehensive stool testing as much as Tony. From his college days in a hospital microbiology lab to this terrific podcast where he shares the benefits of DSL’s diagnostic tool, you will find a breadth of useful information from one of the top sources in the field. Take a listen, share, comment, and give us a thumbs up wherever you listen to New Frontiers.
In This Podcast, You’ll Hear:
- The importance of understanding technology and what it is capable of doing to get better results for patients
- Why the quantity of an organism found in the microbiome matters as much as the type of organism found in the microbiome SNP testing for C. diff
- Steady-state dysbiosis in patients with chronic symptoms versus the acute changes seen after a trigger episode
- Why some die-off symptoms are unavoidable when addressing dysbiosis
- How botanicals work to correct dysbiosis differently than antibiotics
- Why Hoffman recommends never using a single botanical formula and always using combination formulas
- The importance of taking patient compliance into consideration when formulating a treatment plan
- The potential consequences of antibiotic use in the first three years of life
- The chemotaxic properties of botanicals versus antibiotics
- Guidelines for the use of probiotics in infants
- The ability to test virulence factors for H. pylori and other toxins
- Why H. pylori should always be treated, even when present in non-symptom-causing amounts.
- The limitations of stool testing
- Evolutions in and additions to the DSL test
- The robust clinical education program at DSL
- Testing for genes associated with antibiotic resistance
- How to prioritize the information you get from DSL tests to help patients over the course of several visits
Author Kara Fitzgerald, ND, IFMCP
Dr. Fitzgerald is actively engaged in clinical research on epigenetics and longevity using a diet and lifestyle intervention developed in her research and practice. She has published two clinical studies on the potential bioage-reversing effects of an 8-week DNA methylation-supportive diet and lifestyle in middle-aged men and women in the journal Aging. Dr. Fitzgerald is on faculty at IFM, is an IFM Certified Practitioner, and lectures globally on functional medicine, longevity, and epigenetics to practitioners and consumers. She maintains an award-nominated podcast series, New Frontiers in Functional Medicine and an active blog on her website, www.drkarafitzgerald.com. Her clinical practice, the New Frontiers Functional Medicine & Nutrition Clinic, is located in Newtown, Connecticut.
The opinions expressed in this presentation are the author's own. Information is provided for informational purposes only and is not meant to be a substitute for personal advice provided by a doctor or other qualified health care professional. Patients should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing a health or fitness problem or disease. Patients should always consult with a doctor or other health care professional for medical advice or information about diagnosis and treatment.