What Tests We Use

A structured panel of gut, toxin and food-sensitivity tests to precisely guide your personalised treatment plan

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At Levitas Gut Health, we don't order every possible test by default. We start with your story and symptoms, then use targeted, clinically validated tests when the results will meaningfully change your treatment plan.

The aim is simple: to move beyond "everything looks normal" and understand what's actually happening in your gut, liver, immune system, and metabolism.

On this page, you'll find an overview of the main tests we use, when we use them, and how they shape your gut healing plan.

Blood Tests

Blood Tests

Nutrients, Hormones, Inflammation & Organ Function

Blood tests give us a broad, objective picture of how your body is coping. They help answer questions like: Are you inflamed? Are you absorbing nutrients? Is your thyroid or liver slowing gut motility?

  • Nutrients – iron, B12, folate, vitamin D, magnesium and others that affect energy, motility, and mucosal repair.
  • Thyroid and hormones – thyroid function, sex hormones, and adrenal markers that influence bowel habits, bloating, and weight changes.
  • Inflammation markers – such as CRP and ESR, which can indicate systemic or gut-driven inflammation.
  • Liver function & lipids – to understand detox capacity, bile flow, and metabolic health.
When we use it: Blood testing is often our starting point, particularly if you have fatigue, weight changes, hair loss, menstrual issues, or a longstanding history of "normal" basic blood tests that don't explain how you feel.
Comprehensive Stool Testing

Comprehensive Stool Testing

Microbiome, Digestion & Inflammation

Specialist stool tests provide a detailed look at both the microbiome and how well you are digesting and absorbing food.

Depending on your symptoms, we may use advanced stool panels such as GI‑MAP or similar tests to evaluate:

  • Gut flora balance – beneficial bacteria, overgrowths, and low diversity that may drive IBS-type symptoms.
  • Pathogens & parasites – bacteria, parasites, and fungi (including candida) that are often missed on routine testing.
  • Digestive enzymes & fat absorption – how well you are breaking down proteins and fats.
  • Inflammation – markers like calprotectin or secretory IgA.
  • Gut immune function – how your local immune system is responding to pathogens and food antigens.
When we use it: We typically recommend stool testing if you have longstanding IBS, unexplained diarrhoea or constipation, post‑infectious symptoms, or mixed gut and immune complaints.
SIBO Breath Testing

SIBO Breath Testing

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) is a common, often underdiagnosed cause of severe bloating (especially after meals), excessive gas and belching, abdominal pain, and alternating constipation and diarrhoea.

A SIBO breath test measures hydrogen and methane gases produced after drinking a specific sugar solution. These gases can indicate:

  • Hydrogen‑dominant SIBO – often linked with diarrhoea and urgency
  • Methane‑dominant overgrowth (IMO) – often linked with constipation and slow motility

Knowing your SIBO pattern allows us to choose the right antimicrobials or antibiotics, adjust dietary strategy (for example, FODMAPs), and support motility to reduce relapse.

When we use it: We consider SIBO testing particularly when bloating is upper abdominal, worse after meals, and not explained by other findings.
Organic Acids Testing

Organic Acids Testing

Metabolism, Toxins & Mitochondrial Function

Organic acids are compounds excreted in the urine that give insight into how your cells are functioning.

Depending on your presentation, an Organic Acids Test (OAT) can help us understand:

  • Yeast and fungal overgrowth
  • Bacterial by‑products that affect mood, focus, and sleep
  • Mitochondrial function – how well your cells produce energy
  • Detoxification pathways and antioxidant status
  • Certain vitamin and neurotransmitter markers
When we use it: We are most likely to suggest organic acids testing if you have a combination of gut symptoms plus fatigue, brain fog, mood changes, or sensitivity to smells and chemicals, where we suspect a broader metabolic or detoxification issue.
Food Intolerance & Allergy Testing

Food Intolerance & Allergy Testing

Clarifying Triggers (With Context)

Food reactions are common in gut patients—but they are rarely the whole story. We sometimes use blood tests to look at:

  • True allergies (IgE‑mediated), which can be serious and need clear avoidance strategies.
  • Food sensitivities (often IgG or IgA‑mediated), which may contribute to IBS‑type symptoms, skin issues, or headaches.
  • Histamine‑related reactions, when we suspect mast cell or histamine intolerance.

Our approach is to interpret these tests carefully and conservatively:

  • We avoid creating unnecessarily long "banned" food lists.
  • We use results to guide targeted elimination and re‑introduction, not rigid lifelong restriction.
  • We always combine test results with your lived experience and a structured nutrition plan.
When we use it: We tend to use food testing when your symptom pattern strongly suggests specific triggers or if you have previously reacted to multiple foods in unclear ways.
Leaky Gut & Gut Barrier Markers

Leaky Gut & Gut Barrier Markers

Gut Wall Integrity & Permeability

"Leaky gut" is a popular term for increased intestinal permeability—when the gut lining becomes compromised and more particles cross into the bloodstream, potentially driving inflammation, autoimmunity, and symptoms outside the gut.

We may use blood or stool tests that look at markers such as:

  • Zonulin – linked to tight junction regulation
  • LPS (lipopolysaccharides) and related immune markers
  • Other indicators of mucosal immune activation

These tests are particularly relevant if you have gut symptoms plus: autoimmune conditions, multiple food sensitivities, skin conditions (e.g. eczema, psoriasis, acne), or joint pain.

When we use it: Results help us prioritise gut lining repair in your 5R plan—using targeted nutrients, amino acids, and lifestyle strategies that support barrier healing.

How We Decide Which Tests You Need

We do not believe in testing for the sake of it.

Before recommending any test, your clinician will discuss:

  • Your history and previous investigations (including NHS or private tests you've already done)
  • Your main goals – symptom relief, preventing relapse, understanding root causes
  • The likely impact of the test on your treatment plan and costs

In many cases, we start with a small, focused panel and only add further tests if the results raise specific questions or you're not progressing as expected.

What Happens After Testing?

Every test we run is followed by a dedicated interpretation consultation where we:

  • Walk you through the results in clear, accessible language
  • Link findings back to your symptoms and history
  • Outline a personalised 5R gut healing plan (Restore, Release, Repair, Renew, Revisit)
  • Agree on practical steps you can implement immediately, plus any supplements or medications where appropriate

Your test results are never handed over as a PDF with no explanation. They're integrated into an ongoing plan designed around you, not just your data.