Gut Zoomer Collection Instructions
Important:
For optimal and clinically relevant results, patients should maintain their routine diet, medications, and supplements unless specifically instructed otherwise by their healthcare provider.
Time of Collection: Stool samples may be collected at any convenient time of the day, unless otherwise instructed. Collect first-morning urine sample upon waking.
Avoid collection: Do not collect the sample if you have active bleeding hemorrhoids or are currently menstruating.
Fasting: Recommended. Do not eat or drink for at least 8 hours before collection.
Consult your healthcare provider before making any lifestyle changes, including changes to prescribed medications, dietary restrictions, or supplements.
RECOMMENDED: Preparing for the Test to Avoid Test Interference
- Medications: Avoid antibiotics, antifungals, or antiparasitic, over-the-counter supplements containing 5-HTP, tyrosine, phenylalanine, or L-DOPA for 72 hours before collection.
- 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.
- Post-colonoscopy or barium enema: Wait 2 weeks before collecting.
- Sleep and Stress management: Maintain your normal sleep routine and minimize emotional or physical stress. Poor or disrupted sleep may influence serotonin and melatonin levels.
OPTIONAL: Preparing for the Test to Avoid Biological Effects
- Diet: Avoid probiotic-rich foods (yogurt, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, kimchi), foods rich in amino acid precursors of neurotransmitters such as bananas, avocados, walnuts, pineapples, and aged cheese for 48 hours before collection. Avoid high-fat foods (e.g. fried foods, butter, cheese, fatty fish, avocados, nuts, oils) and excessive red meat (17g fat per serving or a food where fat is >35% daily calories) for 24 hours before collection. Probiotic-rich foods, fatty foods, and red meat have a biological effect on gut commensal bacteria, digestive, malabsorption, and metabolites markers.
- Supplements: Avoid laxatives/stool softeners which have a biological effect on digestive, immune balance, and malabsorption markers for 72 hours before collection. Avoid probiotics, digestive enzymes, antacids, and supplements that may influence neurotransmitter activity (e.g., GABA, SAMe, or adaptogens for 48 hours before collection.
- Environmental Factors: Avoid intense physical exercise and exposure to environmental pollutants (e.g., cigarette smoke, exhaust fumes) 24 hours before the test.
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.