Important Guidance:
To ensure reliable and clinically relevant results, samples should be collected under your normal daily conditions, following consistent collection and handling procedures. Continue your regular diet, medications, and supplements unless your healthcare provider advises otherwise. This helps the test accurately reflect your usual physiological balance.
Test Interference:
Test interference occurs when a food, supplement, or medication alters the sample, or directly interferes with testing reagents. Test interference causes an inaccurate result (e.g., false positive, false negative, false higher, or false lower).
Biological Effects:
Even without interfering with the test, some substances can influence your body’s biomarkers, affecting your results by increasing or decreasing the biomarker. However, biological effects do not interfere with test performance, accuracy, or validity. Results will be accurate as measured.
RECOMMENDED: Preparing for the Test to Avoid Test Interference
- Medications: Continue all prescribed medications unless otherwise directed by your healthcare provider. If taking immunosuppressive medications (e.g., corticosteroids, biologics, or chemotherapy agents), inform the lab or your provider, as these may lower antibody levels.
- Hydration: Ensure adequate hydration by drinking 8 glasses of water per day for 2-3 days before the test. On the collection day, do not drink more than 8 oz of water 1 hour prior to urine collection.
OPTIONAL: Preparing for the Test to Avoid Biological Effects
- Diet: Continue your usual diet prior to testing. Do not eliminate foods unless medically advised, as antibody detection relies on recent exposure to the foods being tested.
- Supplements: Avoid taking high-dose immune-modulating supplements (e.g., omega-3, curcumin, or vitamin D) for 48 hours before collection. Consult your healthcare provider before discontinuing any prescribed supplements.
- Environmental Factors: Avoid intense physical exercise and exposure to environmental pollutants (e.g., cigarette smoke, exhaust fumes) 24 hours before collection.
Sample Collection: WHEN TO COLLECT
- Fasting: Not Required.
- Collection Timing: Samples may be collected at any convenient time of the day, unless otherwise instructed.