What are Speciatly Lab Services?
We offer privatized specialty lab testing through various companies in Canada & the United States such as Genova Diagnostics, Doctor’s Data, Rocky Mountain Analytical (RMA), Stero-Chrom Analytical, and Meridian Valley and more...
Specialized lab testing can often identify underlying concerns that may have been previously undetected.
See below for a list of common lab tests and specialized lab tests our Naturopathic Doctors at the Butterfly Naturopathic Clinic can offer you:
Specialized lab testing can often identify underlying concerns that may have been previously undetected.
See below for a list of common lab tests and specialized lab tests our Naturopathic Doctors at the Butterfly Naturopathic Clinic can offer you:
- Serum hormone testing: sex hormones, thyroid hormones, stress hormones, human growth hormone, prolactin, PSA, cortisol, etc
- Saliva hormone testing: 4-point cortisol panel, menopause assessment panel, premenopausal panel, female hormone panel, male hormone panel
- Urine hormone testing: thyroid hormones, sex hormones, stress hormones, metabolites, melatonin
- Adrenal stress panel: urinary 4-point cortisol, DHEA, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone
- Genetic testing: MTHFR, Nutrigenomix (dietary guidelines based on your genetic information), tests for susceptibility to food sensitivities and allergies
- Celiac tests: detects celiac diseases associated IgA antibodies
- Allergy and immunology testing: Food-related IgG and IgE allergies, environmental IgE allergies, yeast and mold panels
Why do patients have to pay for lab testing from Naturopathic Doctors?
Normally, when you receive a requisition for a lab test from your family doctor, your Medical Service Plan covers the cost of the lab. Since Naturopathic medicine is currently not covered by any of the provincial health plans, patients have to pay for all lab testing requested by Naturopathic Doctors out of pocket. At the Butterfly Naturopathic Clinic, our Naturopathic Doctors are careful only to recommend lab tests which will provide unique and necessary insight into your case.
What is the difference between serum, saliva, and urinary hormone testing?
Serum is the clear-yellow part of blood you see once the blood cells have been removed. In order to get a measurement of the serum, you must give a sample of your blood and have it spun in a centrifuge machine to separate the blood cells. Serum measurements give you a quick snapshot of free floating hormone levels in your blood stream. Serum testing is best for assessment of hormones during a specific time. For example, testing sex hormone levels during ovulation or the luteal phase, testing morning cortisol levels shortly after waking, or testing blood glucose levels after fasting.
Saliva hormone levels reflect the level of hormones stored in body tissues. Saliva samples are best used when assessing patterns in hormone fluctuations. For example, assessing changes in cortisol levels throughout the day for adrenal fatigue, or assessing changes in sex hormone levels over a month duration to test for fertility, menopause or reproductive system imbalances.
Urinary testing reflects the level of hormones, metabolites and breakdown molecules that are being excreted from the body. It provides a more detailed description of hormone levels and their metabolites, and is very useful if serum or saliva hormone testing is inconclusive. For example, when testing for cortisol levels to reflect adrenal function, a urinary cortisol panel will show levels of cortisol as well as its metabolites: tetrahydrocortisol, allo-tetrahydrocortisol, cortisone and tetrahydrocortisone.
Saliva hormone levels reflect the level of hormones stored in body tissues. Saliva samples are best used when assessing patterns in hormone fluctuations. For example, assessing changes in cortisol levels throughout the day for adrenal fatigue, or assessing changes in sex hormone levels over a month duration to test for fertility, menopause or reproductive system imbalances.
Urinary testing reflects the level of hormones, metabolites and breakdown molecules that are being excreted from the body. It provides a more detailed description of hormone levels and their metabolites, and is very useful if serum or saliva hormone testing is inconclusive. For example, when testing for cortisol levels to reflect adrenal function, a urinary cortisol panel will show levels of cortisol as well as its metabolites: tetrahydrocortisol, allo-tetrahydrocortisol, cortisone and tetrahydrocortisone.
