Toxicity Testing

What is toxicity testing?

In the modern world we are exposed to thousands of toxins in our environment. We ingest, inhale and absorb toxins in drinking water, air, and the food supply, cosmetics and home pesticides. Some of these toxic chemicals resist metabolism and excretion and accumulate in body tissues, defined as a ‘body burden’ [1]. These chemicals can dramatically influence our digestive health, immunity, hormones and brain function. 

Environmental and heavy metal toxicity testing have become a crucial part of our approach. At the London Clinic of Nutrition, we use environmental and toxicity tests such as mould and mycotoxin testing, heavy metals testing and toxic non-metal chemicals.

How do we test for toxicity?

When testing for toxicity, different testing methods are often combined, simply because a single sample test may not give us the most accurate result for some of the toxins. This is because each toxin is unique in the way it’s excreted, when it’s excreted, and how the results should be interpreted.  

Here are some of the examples of how we would investigate your toxicity levels at our clinic: 

• Heavy Metals testing which may involve hair, urine, and/or blood test (often combined) and can show current exposure and past exposure that is stored in the body.
• Mould Toxicity testing to determine your exposure and identify the species and treatment needed.
• Genetic testing to identify genes that control liver detoxification, oxidative stress and detoxification ability of environmental pollutant by-products.
• Whole Blood test and red blood cell analysis to test for specific heavy metals, such as mercury.
• Urine testing for environmental chemicals to identify exposure and accumulation of PCBs, organochlorine chemicals, organophosphate chemicals, glyphosate, phthalates, parabens, and other endocrine disruptors.
• We would also look at your overall health and nutritional status and test for immunity/inflammation markers as key indicators. 

What are the symptoms of heavy metal detoxification?

Toxic heavy metals are virtually everywhere, and are present in things we come in contact with every day. Common sources of exposure include:   

• Cigarette smoking (cadmium) [3]
• Pollution from fuel combustion and exhaust.
• Paint and/or pipes in old buildings (lead)
• Drinking water (arsenic, lead) [4]
• Fish (mercury)
• Plants grown in polluted soil [5]
• Indoor dust in homes, schools, and workplace [6]
• Cosmetics [7]
• Pesticides and herbicides (which are hard to completely avoid even on a strict organic diet), are a common source of heavy metals.

An important aspect of heavy metal toxicity is the fact that based on our history, each of us has a unique signature blend, our own personal combination of heavy metals. Which is why it is always recommended that you consult a qualified practitioner who can provide you with personalised support based on your antecedent and how your genes in your DNA interact with the given environmental challenges.

Our Toxicity Tests

Regenerus Urine Toxic Metal Test - £112.50

We test for:

• Mercury

• Nickel

• Palladium

• Platinum

• Tellurium

• Thallium

• Thorium

• Tin

• Tungsten

• Uranium

Quicksilver Scientific Mercury Tri-Test - £372

Mercury is considered to be one of the most toxic heavy metals in the environment [8]. It has the ability to combine with other elements and form organic and inorganic mercury. Exposure to elevated levels of metallic, organic and inorganic mercury can damage the brain and kidneys [9] hence its link to disorders such as autism.

Mercury Tri-Test is a new patented test utilizing samples of hair, blood, and urine to assess the body’s mercury burden and its ability to eliminate it. This test helps us to understand the magnitude and source of mercury exposure and give us an indication of additional support that may be needed in the process of mercury detoxification.

We test for:

• inorganic mercury
• methyl mercury

Great Plains Mycotoxins Test - £290 (urine test)

Mycotoxins are some of the most prevalent toxins in the environment. Mycotoxins are metabolites produced by fungi like mould, which can infest buildings, vehicles, and foodstuffs. There are a wide range of symptoms linked to mycotoxin exposure.

MycoTOX profile is one of the most comprehensive and competitively priced tests on the market. It’s a urine sample that screens for seven different types of mycotoxins from 40 species of mould.

We test for:

• ochratoxin a (OTA)
• roridin e
• enniatin b1

*Please be advised that this is only a small range of tests available. We would generally recommend the most appropriate testing following a full health assessment and the practitioner will always work with your budget.

Using the functional medicine framework allows us to improve the body’s ability to adapt to a toxic world, through a broad system-wide approach.

We combine industry-leading nutrition and functional medicine expertise, alongside the latest testing, so we can attend to all your health needs. 

Only your practitioner will be able to determine the most suitable test for you following an initial consultation.

Get in touch

Speak to a member of our enquiry team who can assist in matching you with the most suitable practitioner for your needs.

The quickest and easiest way to speak with us is to call on 020 3332 0030.  Alternatively if you're unable to call now, you can schedule some time directly in our calendar here.