Genova NutrEval Plus test.

[paulb44]

Has anyone had this test done? iwdl.net/files/profile_asse...

[Lynxcat]

Hi Paul, I had never heard of this test before but when I searched for it I found the following information:

sciencebasedmedicine.org/in...

This shows that Genova have bought out Metametrix a similar company:

metametrix.com/news-and-eve...

And here is someone's finished test which looks something similar to a York test, I believe:

20somethingallergies.com/ge...

aacc.org/development/webcas...

The following has been posted about Genova and Metametric on Quackwatch:

quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRe...

quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRe...

Not sure but this page was also high-lighted in Quackwatch:

quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRe...

Unless your doctor advises, I would be very wary of instigating any tests yourself - far better to take your concerns to your doctor and ask for him to arrange any testing that needs to be done. Not sure if everyone else thinks the same as me but I would say take great care!

[paulb44 in reply to Lynxcat]

Lol.......You must have searched hard to find negative feedback, when i searched it i found none of this. While there may be some dodgy money spinning treatments out there, there are also sites (maybe Quackwatch) to dismiss everything, probably run by the FDA because the large pharaceutical companies are losing the battle with natural supplementation and their ability to find and heal from the very root of most problems. I, in contrast have read good customer reviews.

[Lynxcat in reply to paulb44]

Hi Paul, I truly didn't look above a couple of clicks and I couldn't find one person or medical authority recommending this particular company. There was one link up above which I thought you may have considered positive which was:

20somethingallergies.com/ge...

Although this appears to be more like pie-in-the-sky and I say this because when I was trying to find out my own problems I was suckered in to having a York test ...... and then they suggested having a second test which cost a small fortune. I didn't have the second test and was somewhat disappointed and disgusted that more money was requested before any useful information could be mine (and as I didn't have the second test - how useful the information may or may not have been to me, I do not know .. but if I had have had the test I may never have found out that I was a coeliac but rather I may have had a list of items as long as my arm that I was sensitive too, most probably including wheat, barley, oats and rye and really this wouldn't have been that advantagous to me). So I would advise anyone - if they want to have these tests done - have them by all means but get them done through your GP. If a company is really good they will and should offer their services through the NHS system and if they don't then may be, just may be, alarm bells should ring out because what would a person do? Present the tests to their GP and try and have their records updated to say they have problems or extended allergies that have not been confirmed by their own medical authorities. I know that many of these tests cost hundreds of pounds and when a person is feeling ill and very vulnerable it is easy to by attracted like a magnet to them to try and find ways of becoming well. In my own instance mine said I was allergic to wheat amongst an array of other things. When I had testing done via my doctor I was told - I was not allergic to wheat but in fact, I had come up positive as a coeliac. I could have gone through life still eating barley, rye and oats and gluten and developing dreadful conditions and believing that I was allergic to wheat and wheat alone amonst the grain family.

I think it is a case of "buyer beware!!!"

[paulb44]

Hi Lynxcat, just want to say that firstly i,m not being suckered into any tests, i'm choosing to do this off my own back. The NHS would never agree to this kind of testing, similarly to 24hr cortisol testing or RT3 testing,it goes against their programme, doesn't mean anything. The NHS service is terrible, and family and friends plus stories i read in the tabloids are nothing short of horror stories, protocols are for people who are inept and don't have the ability to think for themselves or logical problem solving, its overrun with too many academics who's mummy and daddy coughed up for their higher education, when what we really need is some good working class people with some common sense.......something these silver spoon idiots will never have! NHS serum testing is basic, and problems will never show until it's too late. The only alarm bells that start ringing are the one's when the NHS try to tell me to persist in taking something that is making me worse, i will never trust that service for the remainder of my life! Regarding the Genova test...if a wheat allergy comes up, then i'll probably take the TTG test, i'm not expecting this test i'm doing to show up as celiac because it's not part of the test.........thats entirely a different test. Why would you expect them to tell you, that you have celiac disease if you didn't apply for that test? I know exactly the people to beware of........The one's who work in our local PCT's and hospitals!

[FionaGFG Administrator]

This is an interesting debate.

Often the NHS only backs tests that are verified and fully tested. However, like any national body they can take time to innovate and often new tests abroad in the USA / NZ are far ahead of us in terms of food / allergy tests. Look at how genetic testing for coeliac genes was launched in the USA - is often frowned upon by the NHS but has helped many families who have gone private to spot if they have a predisposition to the coeliac gene. Who knows over time if this maybe as common as having a test to screen for genetic breast cancer links within families?

Cyrex labs (here: cyrexlabs.com/FAQs/tabid/12... in the USA is a leading intolerance tester that uses blood samples to identify trigger foods. They are due to be launching in the UK shortly. It will be interesting to see if the update of their tests begin to have an affect on the NHS and their tests. Of course there are a lot of quacks out there and blood tests can't always be an accurate measure of a problem e.g. even regular calcium blood tests that your GP runs aren't a great way of testing the calcium in your body/bones they are merely an indicator.

Each person needs to choose a course that is best for them - after of course sussing out the information themselves to avoid charlatans.

As many thyroid patients will tell you the current NHS system is flawed in places - we're lucky to have it but the odd piece of private testing or consultancy can complement some people's health support.

FYI this blog links to something we have often posted about before the theory of cross reactive foods which trick our bodies into believing they are similar to gluten and cause us to have 'glutening' type reactions. There is still little valid research on these but as many coeliacs know the parathyroid gland is often attacked as it is mistaken by the body for gluten - so are items like coffee and others cause general inflammation like dairy, chilli, alcohol. Read this blog which mentions Cyrex labs here: whatallergy.com/2012-10/glu...

"Until now Cyrex panels were not available in the UK much to the frustration of practitioners like myself. However thanks to discussions with Regenerus Labs these long awaited tests are now finally available. Regenerus Laboratories (regeneruslabs.com) has exclusive rights to provide these tests throughout the UK and Ireland and will be launching them in November. Justin Price CEO of Regenerus Laboratories explains “These new arrays will allow doctors and practitioners to assess the treatment effectiveness, monitor disease pathogenesis and predict flares in certain autoimmune disorders, Regenerus Laboratories are extremely pleased to empower our practitioners with these new clinical practice tools. “ In fact these tests could finally improve the long-term health for thousands of people in the UK."

Paul:

Have you had these tests yet and how useful have you found them? Are they a reasonable cost?

[paulb44]

Hi Fiona, you put your point across well, its about time NHS adopted these testing systems rather than living in the dark ages........They can bloody well grow a new heart with stem cell technology so why the hell are having to put up with sub standard testing and diagnosis. I pretty much hate the NHS and the people that work for them.

Doing my test this wednesday at a cost of £676.

[FionaGFG Administrator]

Thanks Paul - any big body is slow to adapt and with the current cuts it will no doubt get worse. Sadly most coeliacs prefer to chat cake vs campaign to save the NHS.

In terms of your test - it maybe worth you checking out Cyrex as a comparison I believe their test is around £250 which may save you some dosh if it covers the same key areas.

Good luck either way & do report back.

[paulb44]

Thanks Fiona, but gluten and other allergies are not the only issue here, i have hashimoto's thyroiditis but every thyroid medication makes me worse, so i'm looking at toxic and nutritional elements and oxidative stressors, enzymes, protein, fats etc etc. I have high antibodies but need to get them under control.

[FionaGFG Administrator]

Good luck with it Paul - sometimes the NHS doesn't work for all of us and we have to take control ourselves. Hope you get some good answers. Let us know how you get on.

[FionaGFG Administrator]

Hi Paul how did the test go?

[paulb44 in reply to FionaGFG]

Hi Fi........takes 2 weeks to process so not until the 22nd!

[FionaGFG Administrator]

Hi Paul not long now..fingers crossed for you. Let us know the results and how useful you have found it. Maybe a handy blog post for others..

[paulb44 in reply to FionaGFG]

Gonna post a blog. x